Giovanni Van Bronckhorst has presided over a disastrous slide in the Ibrox team’s fortunes in the last twelve months, a slide which Celtic has capitalised on with utter ruthlessness.
According to one of their fan sites, there has been a staggering 17 point swing between last November and now. That is astonishing if true.
That is a devastating indictment of him.
I imagine that those numbers are broadly accurate.
There is, apparently, a vast goal difference issue as well. But what you’ll have noticed is that this is as much down to us as it is down to him. Our form since November of last year has been extraordinary.
Still, these are the kind of numbers which turn fans hair a different colour.
They paint a picture of a manager and a team which cannot sustain any sort of form at all. Which is nightmare fuel for supporters when they are facing a juggernaut like our team.
As much as our form has been incredible and has been the key contributing factor in why this turnaround has happened, the rate at which they have dropped points in the last twelve months is virtually impossible to ignore. Their fans certainly aren’t ignoring it.
The logic for terminating Van Bronckhorst’s position seems obvious.
But as I said earlier, there are huge complicating factors in their situation, factors which make it not quite so easy to do, even when the evidence that they should is as clear as this.
They have big decisions to make in that boardroom, but in the stands the fans have already made up their minds, and some of them are pointing to the evidence that proves that the Van Bronckhorst experiment has been a colossal failure.
Not bad for a guy Keevins thought could have gone last season unbeaten, and who Barry Ferguson confidently predicted already had big Ange’s number. Nobody is talking that kind of crap anymore, that’s for damned sure.
The 17 point “swing” has more to do with a transition of an undermotivated rudderless celtic getting their standards back than the straight talking dutchman.. one poor season under lennon and they think they’re a global juggernaut. Conveniently forgetting it took 42 signings and a massive implosion at parkhead to win one trophy out of 13… looking forward to the release of the accounts
Sevco got the initial bounce teams getwhen new manager and coaches arrive.
Managed to hold onto the 6 points lead till winter break SG gained, while Ange was moulding the team into his way of playing.
Ange strengthens the squad considerably, while they bring in polish right back( never played) Arron Ramsey (hardly played).
They have there usual nightmare start after break, then we hump them at home and their title holes collapse.
Sorry, but we really must look at the facts in a different light. Van Bronkhurst brought the Ibrox team to within two penalties of the Europa cup and won them the Scottish Cup allowing us to win the league on the back of fewer injuries and more preparation time caused by their additional fixtures.
This season, apart from a bizarre 9-0 at Tannadice and a totally unexpected 4-0 against the Ibrox team the issue would be be much closer. Any team going into the Champions’ League must be prepared for a horsing at some time (anyone remember Bayern 8 Barca 2). We didn’t do too well ourselves (our worst ever Group Stage performance I believe). And we have shipped 7 ourselves twice in recent years.
They aren’t so bad and we aren’t so good. This is no time for either complacency or for gloating. If they want to get shot of Van Bronkhurst that’s their problem.
You feeling alright, hun? You seem a bit deluded.
GVB is probably the least of their problems. Unfortunately for him, he took a sip from the poison chalice. I almost feel sorry for him, he deserves better than Ibrox.