5 Rangers non negotiables Gio must put into action as boss set for chance to right Ibrox wrongs

If under-fire Gio van Bronckhorst is going to last the distance at Rangers then things have to change after the World Cup break. And fast.

Record Sport understands that the Dutchman, who was hanging by a thread after their draw with St Mirren, has been given a reprieve for now. With the Rangers board sympathetic to the situation and confident he can return to Auchenhowie and get things going again, he’s set to get the chance to prove he’s no sitting duck.

That confidence might well be rooted in the fact he has come back from more desperate situations before. His first season at Feyenoord didn’t go all to plan; by February, he was on the brink after nine games without a win between December and February, a run that culminated with Van Bronckhorst being booed as he left the park against Roda JC and looking like a defeated man. The sack looked an inevitability but the turnaround that followed was incredible. Given the chance to put things right, they went undefeated for the rest of the Eredivisie campaign, won the cup, and then famously pipped Ajax to the title 12 months later – for their first league triumph in 18 years at that.

Van Bronckhorst is set to be given a second chance but can he turn it around or is it game over? (Image: SNS Group) Read More Related Articles Read More Related Articles

With that in mind it’s easy to see where his insistence that he’s still the man for the job comes from. But he’ll need to show signs of repeating that feat pronto as fans are already at breaking point after weeks of sluggish mediocrity and an historically poor Champions League campaign that will haunt punters for years.

But how exactly can he turn things round? Record Sport takes a look.

Be ruthless

There is simply no margin for error at Rangers this season and Van Bronckhorst needs to make that abundantly clear to his players. He can start by pulling no more punches with the stars undermining his long-term prospects.

It’s time for a decision to be made on Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent. They’re two of the biggest names and highest earners at the club but they are running their contracts down and performances have been nowhere near it this season. In publicly throwing Morelos out of the team back in September, Van Bronckhorst showed he exacts high standards and it’s time to show that ruthless streak again.

If neither are going to sign new contracts and knuckle down, then cash in in January and give their spots to players with a hunger for success at Ibrox. Rabbi Matondo should be challenged to do more; the same goes for Malik Tillman if he wants to make his move a permanent one. It’s time for the players to show for it because their manager won’t get another chance.

Get the signings right

Failures to adequately replace Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo are a big part of why things have gone off the rails. Bad luck with serious injuries to John Souttar and Tom Lawrence hasn’t helped matters in that regard but of their seven signings, only Antonio Colak and Ben Davies – the latter a push – could be labelled a success at this stage. This is on not only Van Bronckhorst, of course, but there’s no time to be silent when discussing with Ross Wilson over what he wants.

That hit rate simply isn’t good enough, especially up against a Celtic team who seem to strike gold any time they dip into the market. And while they won’t have huge funds to spend in January, one or two additions in the right places could push them on.

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Despite his strong links to Dutch football, he’s yet to dip into the Eredivisie market. Perhaps this could be the time as he looks to inspire a comeback that mirrors his dramatic Feyenoord revival?

Change of style

On paper, fans could accept finishing bottom of that Champions League group. Hell, they could even accept being the chasers against Celtic, given how strong Postecoglou’s team look domestically. What they can’t accept is the lack of urgency and borderline defeatist approach underpinning their failures on both fronts.

If he is to win over the fans, a change in approach is an absolute must. In a sense he has nothing to lose now so it’s time to let his creative stars off the leash. Give Tom Lawrence and Malik Tillman all the freedom they want to show they can fill the void left by Aribo. Get James Tavernier and Borna Barisic up the pitch and back among the goals and assists. Find a combination of wingers that works. Give Alex Lowry the chance to prove he’s still the player that exploded onto the scene last season.

Create chances and get the goals flowing and you’ll be amazed what fans are prepared to forgive. Just look at the patience Celtic fans showed with Postecoglou last season even when the results weren’t there.

Show his passion

He’s always been the quiet man in the room but Van Bronckhorst’s softly spoken, understated personality doesn’t exactly lend itself to a crisis. He obviously saves his temper for the dressing room, and his refusal to be spiky and controversial in front of the media has been, for many, a welcome change of pace from Steven Gerrard’s siege mentality handbook. But it’s not always what fans want to see.

When their team is struggling, they want to see their manager kicking every ball and furiously roaring instructions onto the pitch. They don’t want to see him with his hands in his pockets staring at his shoes. Gio obviously has an affinity with the club and we’ve seen it come out from time to time; his passionate celebrations have shown it on more than one occasion.

(Image: SNS Group)

But fans want to see that when it’s going the other way too. There’s nothing more frustrating as a fan that blowing a gasket at your team’s performance and looking on to see a manager looking aloof and defeated on the touchline. A bit of passion and fury from the man in charge would go a long way towards winning over some of the fans who currently see him as a lost cause.

Show Celtic they are in a fight

Another central failing of Van Bronckhorst’s tenure so far has been their failure to lay a glove on their rivals in the league. It’s not rocket science that it cost them the title last season; they finished four points behind Celtic and dropped eight to them between February and May.

They’re already trailing by nine points and while three derbies to come mean it’s technically still in their hands, their chances of winning all three – and picking up more points than them across the other 20 games – look slim at best. But it’s essential they start chipping away at the advantage at the first chance they get in the New Year.

Their 4-0 defeat at Parkhead earlier in the season mirrored the 3-0 thumping that signalled the change of the tide last season and those damaging derby defeats must be cut out. It still may not be enough, but a win at Ibrox on January 2 would restore some pride – and remind their rivals they aren’t rolling over.

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