Kris Commons believes Giovanni Van Bronckhorst's time is up at Rangers as the Celtic hero branded him a 'busted flush' at Ibrox.
The Dutchman is under even more pressure following defeat to St Johnstone in Perth with his side now trailing champions Celtic by seven points at the top of the Premiership table after just 13 games. The former Hoops and Hibs star believes things really started to unravel after his negative comments on the back of their hammering by Ajax in Amsterdam.
Performances have been a struggle for some time with a number of heavy Champions League defeats and unconvincing displays domestically including a slim ViaPlay Cup - previously known as the Premier Sports Cup - win over Dundee and dropped home points against Livingston before this latest setback. Commons also thinks the one thing that could be saving Van Bronckhorst at this moment is the fact the club can't afford to sack him and pay off his contract, claiming he's gone from being a 'legend to a lame duck' in a six month period. He also had choice words for Ryan Kent claiming he's been an 'empty jersey' for months.
READ MORE: Rangers won't sack Gio van Bronckhorst just yet and title race with Celtic still on says Neil McCann
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Writing in his Daily Mail column, Commons said: “Time’s up for Giovanni van Bronckhorst. He is finished at Rangers. Truth be told, he's been finished for quite some time now. Probably from the moment he gave such a negative interview on the back of a 4-0 Champions League defeat in Amsterdam in early September.
“Rangers had also been thrashed 4-0 against Celtic just a few days prior to that game against Ajax. That's when things really started to unravel. The writing was on the wall.
“Van Bronckhorst claimed Rangers couldn't compete in the Champions League. It wasn't a one-off or a throwaway comment. His public utterances became increasingly negative and defeatist. There's no fight or leadership in this team. Too many players are going through the motions. There's no sense of identity or direction and that stems from the very top of the club.
“I wrote in these pages last week that a 4-1 home win over Aberdeen only papered over the cracks. One result wasn't going to solve all the problems. I said that if Rangers lost heavily to Ajax at Ibrox in their final Champions League game, the whole thing could come crashing back down like a pack of cards. Well, not only did that happen, Rangers have compounded matters a few days later by losing against St Johnstone in Perth.
“When a manager is fighting to save his job, there comes a point when the situation simply becomes irretrievable, the damage irreparable. That juncture has now arrived for Van Bronckhorst. He has nothing left to offer Rangers. The club are wasting their time if they allow him to continue.
“Perhaps the only thing stopping Rangers from pulling the trigger is because they can't afford to sack him and pay up his contract. But there's no doubt he's now a busted flush at Ibrox. In the space of six months, he's gone from legend to lame duck.
“A European final represented the chance to claim iconic status. Now most fans would gladly drive him to the airport. They can't wait to see the back of him and I honestly can't blame them. This Rangers team are dreadful to watch.
“I said recently that I'd rather watch paint dry than watch Van Bronckhorst's side. Nothing I've seen since then has changed my mind.
“There is no style or identity whatsoever. That's a poor indictment of Van Bronckhorst's coaching methods. This was a fantastic footballer who played for Arsenal and Barcelona, but you don't see a trace of any of those teams in his Rangers side.
“There was a moment late in yesterday's game against St Johnstone when Ryan Kent got the ball out wide and had the chance to run at his full-back. He tried to go past his man with a burst of pace but ended up kicking the ball straight out of play with a horrendous touch.
“That basically sums up Kent's season so far. He has been miles off it. He has been an empty jersey for months. The only reason he still gets a game is because Rangers have no viable alternative in their squad, which speaks of a woeful recruitment record over the past 18 months. Kent's decline is symptomatic of the wider failings at Rangers. The same can be said of Alfredo Morelos."
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