Sacking Philippe Clement with just three months remaining in the season would be a drastic and arguably unnecessary move for Rangers. While their domestic campaign has been nothing short of a disaster, the club still has a Europa League campaign to focus on, and by most measures, Clement has overachieved in European competition this season. If nothing else, he has earned the right to see out the campaign and attempt to salvage some pride on the continent. A managerial change at this stage would only add instability to a team already struggling for consistency, and with so little time left in the season, it’s difficult to see how a new manager could make any real impact.
Rangers’ Domestic Season Is Effectively Over
The reality for Rangers is that their league season is already a foregone conclusion. They are miles behind Celtic in the title race and have virtually no chance of making up the gap, especially given their inconsistency throughout the season. At the same time, they are 18 points ahead of third-placed Aberdeen, meaning their place in the top two is all but secured. This means that, barring a complete collapse, Rangers have already guaranteed themselves a spot in next season’s Champions League qualifiers, which is arguably the most important goal outside of winning the title itself. Given these circumstances, sacking Clement now would not change anything in terms of league positioning or even have much of an impact on how the season concludes domestically.
While Rangers fans will undoubtedly be frustrated by the failure to challenge Celtic for the title, this situation is not entirely of Clement’s making. He inherited a squad that was already flawed and was expected to turn things around in a short space of time. While he has made some improvements, particularly in European competition, the domestic inconsistencies have persisted. The question the Rangers board must ask is whether those inconsistencies are down to the manager himself or if they are a symptom of deeper structural issues within the squad. If it’s the latter, then sacking Clement would be nothing more than a scapegoating exercise.
The Rangers Board Has Stood By Clement So Far
One of the biggest indicators that Clement is unlikely to be dismissed before the end of the season is the fact that the Rangers board has publicly backed him on multiple occasions, even after humiliating results. Back in January, CEO Patrick Stewart made it clear that the club was standing by Clement despite growing calls for his dismissal. That was arguably the moment when Rangers could have justified making a managerial change, particularly after the shocking Scottish Cup defeat to Queen’s Park. However, the board opted to keep faith in the Belgian coach, and if he survived that embarrassment, it’s hard to see what could happen in the final months of the season to change their stance.
Unless Rangers completely collapse in the final stretch of the campaign, the board is unlikely to make a knee-jerk decision. They will likely wait until the summer to conduct a thorough review before deciding on Clement’s future. If they do decide to part ways with him, they will at least have time to search for a proper replacement rather than rushing into another managerial appointment out of desperation.
A Lack of Available Replacements
Another key factor in Rangers’ decision-making process will be the lack of clear replacement options. When Rangers appointed Clement in late 2023, several names were linked with the job, but most of them are now employed elsewhere. Pascal Jansen, who was considered a strong candidate at the time, has since taken a job in MLS with New York City FC. John Eustace, another coach who was on Rangers’ radar, is now managing Derby County after a brief stint with Blackburn Rovers. Even Frank Lampard, who was reportedly close to being appointed before Clement got the job, has since moved on and taken charge at Coventry City.
The reality is that Rangers would struggle to find a high-quality replacement at this stage of the season. Any manager they bring in now would have very little time to implement their ideas, and the best candidates are unlikely to be available until the summer. If Rangers are serious about moving on from Clement, they would be better served waiting until the end of the season, when they can conduct a proper managerial search and ensure they get the right person for the job.
Frank Lampard’s Resurgence at Coventry: A Missed Opportunity?
The speculation about what could have been had Rangers appointed Frank Lampard instead of Philippe Clement is an interesting discussion, especially given Lampard’s recent success at Coventry. Graeme Souness was a strong advocate for Lampard at the time of Clement’s appointment, believing that his previous managerial record had been unfairly written off due to difficult spells at Chelsea and Everton. Now, just a few months later, Lampard has taken Coventry from relegation battlers to genuine promotion contenders in the Championship.
Coventry’s turnaround under Lampard has been remarkable. When he took over, the club was sitting just two points above the relegation zone and in serious danger of dropping into League One. Two months later, they find themselves in seventh place, just one point outside of the play-offs. This resurgence has been built on strong tactical discipline, improved defensive organization, and a more aggressive attacking approach. Lampard has managed to get the best out of his players, and his record of nine wins from 16 matches is beyond what even the most optimistic Coventry fans would have expected.
Given Coventry’s rapid improvement, it’s easy to wonder whether Lampard could have had a similar impact at Rangers. However, this is purely speculative. Rangers is a completely different challenge, with far higher expectations and significantly more pressure. Managing in the Scottish Premiership, particularly at one of the Old Firm clubs, is vastly different from managing in the Championship. While Lampard is proving himself at Coventry, that does not necessarily mean he would have been a success at Ibrox.
Where Do Rangers Go from Here?
The most logical course of action for Rangers is to allow Clement to finish the season and then conduct a full review of his performance. If they believe he is still the right man to take the club forward, they should back him in the summer transfer window and give him the opportunity to reshape the squad. If, however, they decide that a change is necessary, they should take their time to identify the best possible replacement rather than making another rushed appointment.
Sacking Clement now would achieve very little. It wouldn’t change the outcome of the league season, and it wouldn’t guarantee success in the Europa League. Instead, it would only create unnecessary upheaval at a time when Rangers need stability. If they do decide to move on from Clement, they should do so in the summer, when they can properly assess their options and bring in a manager with enough time to build a team capable of challenging Celtic next season.
Ultimately, Clement’s future at Rangers will depend on how the team performs in the final months of the campaign. If they can salvage some pride in Europe and finish the season on a strong note, he may be given another chance. If, however, they continue to struggle and end the season in disappointing fashion, then a change in the summer would seem inevitable. Either way, there is little sense in making a knee-jerk decision now when there is so little to gain from it.