The Ibrox club did what most of us expected – they scraped their way into the Premier Sports Cup final.
This result accomplishes three things. First, it buys their manager some breathing room. Second, it gives him a shot at defending their solitary trophy from last season. Third, it sets them up for a monumental beating from Celtic.
None of this is particularly beneficial for the Ibrox club.
Defending their trophy merely puts them on a collision course with said beating. The reprieve for their manager almost ensures he’ll remain in place for that showdown, yet it provides no guarantee of long-term survival.
In my view, the outcome is far from ideal for them. Their narrow win over a poor Motherwell side, which actually led at halftime, won’t convince any fan that Clement is the man to lead them into a bright future. It’s a temporary escape from their troubles, and one that actually prolongs them.
After they took the lead, some of their fans began to slip out, clearly not inclined to stay and cheer. They’re caught in that strange limbo where they don’t want their team to lose but aren’t overly thrilled about seeing them win either. It’s a place in a cup final, true, but how much of a chance do they genuinely have? Celtic is looming on the horizon, and nothing in Clement’s short tenure suggests he knows how to handle us.
In just over a month, they’ll face us at Hampden, coming off the back of challenging European games (they play Spurs days before it) and likely a few rough results. Their current issues remain – uninspired play, lacklustre players, and a fanbase who’ve lost faith in the entire operation.
So, what’s really changed?
A victory they were expected to get, a cup final place most assumed they’d secure – yet the same glaring problems persist.
Their fans’ fears aren’t allayed because the squad’s quality is dismal, and when a team like Motherwell can scare them, they know Celtic will be merciless.
Oddly, a loss might have been the better result for them today. If failure in the final seems likely, what’s the point of celebrating getting there?
A loss to Motherwell could’ve forced the board’s hand, clarified the manager’s fate and possibly ended his tenure. Exiting the competition would’ve left no room for debate – the board would’ve been hard-pressed to justify keeping him.
But they got the win, so the situation drags on. They drift without direction, led by a manager who can’t impose a style on the team, a board unlikely to take decisive action, and a fanbase with little faith in anyone involved.
It’s a miserable place to be – knowing an end is needed, and soon, to prevent the worst from unfolding, yet having it continually postponed. The disaster they sense will come regardless; it’s merely a matter of when. Today wasn’t the day, so Clement limps on, like a wounded animal whilst the hyenas and jackals prowl on his perimeter and the vultures circle overhead.
Even among their fans who wanted a win, many know this wasn’t the result they truly needed. A victory is nice, but what they required was an end to the Clement experiment, swiftly and ruthlessly. Today’s brief satisfaction comes at a high price, and there’s every chance that we’ll be the ones to deliver the decisive blow.
Things get complicated here.
If they spiral between now and the final, are they really going to appoint a new manager with the immediate job of facing us? His first task would be not only to try and stop Celtic from winning the cup but to prevent us from ripping away their self-proclaimed title of “most successful club.” That’s a monumental task for any new manager, especially with this team.
Beyond Hampden, we play them at Ibrox just a fortnight later.
Imagine the scenario: a new manager steps in, loses the final to us, then faces us at home and loses again. He’s suddenly zero for two against Rodgers, with the next derby looming at Celtic Park. Can you see their predicament? They’re playing with fire.
A loss today would have erased that risk.
It would have given a new manager two months to prepare for Ibrox under far less pressure. As it stands, it’s hard to see a situation where Clement is sacked before the final, no matter how bad things get. And if he loses that game heavily, as I fully expect, then what? There’s no case for not keeping him on until the New Year derby.
Yet, relieve him then and a fresh manager would still face the daunting prospect of that March derby at our ground, looming like a nightmare monster.
They’re in serious trouble.
Today’s win relieved some of the pressure on Clement, but it’s hard to see how that benefits them. A loss would have simplified everything for the board. Yet here they are, with Clement alive for another day, and the board kicking the can down the road.
And here I am, smiling on a day they’ve won, secured a cup final place, and I am sure this is the worst possible outcome for them. I suspect many of their fans feel the same.
James
When we win in that final the 55 myth will be dead and buried……
HH
Yes, we should be hot favourites based on form and players. But let’s not forget that Rangers were favourites in the 1957 final and we all know what happened… Forget the final and forget about Sevco. I’m sure BR will have our focus on ourselves and RB Leipzig, our next game.
Always – one game at a time.
Let’s go for the jugular on Dec 16th, this team are about the worst I’ve ever seen representing the two clubs from Ibrox. 8 Games to play for both teams before the final, we’ve got just about enough of a 1st team ready pool of players to see out this busy period, but as far as The Rangers go, there is no way they have the players to cope with that run of European and domestic games.
That win today just prolongs the agony for them.
It was laughable listening to the two ex Rangers players [Thompson and Dodds], along with the Uncle Tim Tim from Springboig wee Pat Nevin on BBC Scotland radio trying to put a positive spin on the result, and how it gives The Rangers breathing space and the chance to defend the cup. One of them even praised Kettlewell’s defensive tactics as Jimmy Thelin had made a mistake in playing a too attack minded Aberdeen team and making it easy for Celtic. So there you are the 6-0 victory was nothing to do with Celtics exhilarating football, it was all down to Thelins tactics.
Ah imagine we’ll be favourites. Tho let’s no start predictin how many we’ll win by, or what we’re gannae do tae them. These games can be unpredictable. Don’t forget just recently in the Scottish cup final, they were actually lookin the more likely ( and they were) until our late winner and that’s a reality. Ahm confident enough tae think, if we play the way we can we’ll beat them. Ah’ll take a 1 goal win, tho if we did it convincingly and with more, even better. Take nothin for granted in these games tho.
@ micmac. Actually listened tae some of it on my car radio and couldnae stand listenin tae Nevin. Talks as if he’s some sort of ‘intellectual’ and where did this dialect he’s usin come from. Wee borin pain in the arse.
Our problem for the Cup Final isn’t with the Tribute Act its with the SFA, The LANARKSHIRE REFEREEING Ludge/Association.
They know that if we win the Cup then their claim, covering both iterations of the DebtDome Clubs, to be the ‘ Most Successful Club in the World’, is oot thu windae for good’. They’ll be finished.
The MIBs will do anything to try and engineer a NewCo win. All the hand drawn, squinty lines at VAR Calls. early First Yellow Cards for Celtic players, stopping the flow of the game by pulling Celtic back when advantage should be played. They’ve got their alternative Rule Book set out. They will not hesitate to use it.
Are you Scud Book in disguise, the FIX is in, Paranoia at it’s worst? With still weeks to go until the final.