Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s former coach Ceri Bowley insists the Dutchman didn’t deserve the ending he got at Rangers. The Welshman joined the Ibrox backroom team at the start of this season only for it prove short-lived as the axe fell on the former Feyenoord boss.
Bowley insisted “nobody hurt more” than Van Bronckhorst who he described as a real “Rangers man” which he said even shone through when he first met the 47-year-old former Holland captain when the worked together at Manchester City.
Van Bronckhorst had a real contrast during his time in the hot-seat after replacing Steven Gerrard mid-season as he steered the club to the Europa League final and won the Scottish Cup but surrendered the Scottish Premiership before ending the club’s wait to qualify for the Champions League group stage only to suffer humiliation when they got there as they had the worst ever record in the tournament.
Bowley, in an interview with The Herald, defended Van Bronckhorst’s character with some criticism over a perceived lack of passion on the touchline and in post match interviews. But Bowley started by predicting: “He will be back managing, for sure, I think he will manage at a good level, I really do. He hasn’t been short of offers and he won’t be short of offers.
"It is a real shame the way that it went. It is a real shame because he didn’t deserve for it to end the way that it did. Nobody hurt more than him, I can tell you that. Nobody hurt more than him. When he first came to City, you could tell how much he loved Rangers. When he talks through his career, he says it is probably the best time in his career because they were all young, they had such a brilliant time at the club winning trophies and also around the city.
"As a person, what you see and what you experience is genuinely who he is. When he works with us, that is what he is like. He trusts people to do their job, he gives trust to players. With most people you have to earn that, but he starts from a position of giving you trust and you work from there. An outstanding guy.
"He looked back on his time at Rangers so fondly. He is a Rangers man and nothing hurt him more than the situation towards the end. I know he used to get stick for not coming out and being really open and chucking people under the bus and showing this and showing that, but he is a respectful guy.
"He took a lot on the chin towards the end, a lot on the chin. He could have easily deflected to other people but he didn’t. He demonstrated integrity and class, protected everyone, protected the players, the staff, the club, everything. He will always do that because that is the guy that he is and he always operates with class.
“People will say that you don’t get time at Rangers. I get that, I totally appreciate that and I respect what the fans say in that way. But when you inherit a squad halfway through a season, it isn’t easy. I can guarantee you that. The first real transfer window was the summer. Each club has their own unique approach to transfers often driven by what the club needs to be and what's the most important thing at that moment in time, you end up in the position you are in. As a person, top class. I think his reputation as a player, who he is as a person, the way he represented the club in some of the most difficult moments, they tell you everything about the guy."
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