Giovanni van Bronckhorst was relieved of his duties as Rangers manager a fortnight ago with Michael Beale expected to replace the Dutchman, a job that has been far from straightforward since Steven Gerrard left for Aston Villa.
Key players have left and have not really been replaced added to a crippling injury list that saw Gio have to play two midfielders in defence against St Mirren with 18-year old Robbie Ure the only attacking option on the bench.
It’s been pretty quiet since Van Bronckhorst was sacked, however, he has now released a statement on his Instagram account in which he hints at things not being rosy behind the scenes.
In an emotional statement, it is clear that Gio was immensely proud to be Rangers manager and that he is as disappointed as we are as fans with the way things worked out. There were things that he got right and undoubted highs but the domestic form – particularly away from home – just wasn’t good enough.
That he references “unique challenge” and “very difficult circumstances” suggests that a lengthy injury list wasn’t the only obstacle that he encountered in his year in charge. After beating PSV Eindhoven, he wouldn’t be the only person thinking that we would add real strength and quality to his squad in preparation for the Champions League.
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good and Gio just hasn’t had any breaks at all. Last season it seemed that every mistake Allan McGregor or his defence made led to a goal that cost us points, he had no striker for the last couple of months of the season and, when he left the club, saw enough players in the treatment room to field a decent XI in its own right – hopefully, his successor carries a little more good fortune.