Michael Stewart branded Alfredo Morelos an "absolute joke" and was backed up by Neil McCann as the pundit pair launched an attack on the Colombian striker after Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw by St Mirren which piles even more pressure on under-fire Light Blues boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Jonah Ayunga opened the scoring two minutes into the second half before Ryan Kent went down in the box during the final 10 minutes and after initially being penalised for diving, the match referee went to the monitor and awarded the Light Blues a penalty. James Tavernier stepped up and coolly slotted the ball into the net to equalise. But despite a lengthy period of stoppage time, the Ibrox side couldn't find a winner. The result now puts Rangers’ Scottish Premiership title hopes on a thread with Celtic having the opportunity to extend the gap to nine points if they defeat Ross County this afternoon.
Stewart reckons the Ibrox boss is now on borrowed time to save his job and that it's clear the players aren't performing for him. He told BBC Sportsound: "If it wasn't for that penalty kick, they were never getting back in the game and to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if there was a change made at Rangers before the season starts again. You can talk about injured players coming back and all that but I think there's a bigger question mark about 'where's the character?', 'where's the leaders?', 'where's the fight?'.
"The manager was talking about Ben Davies, a bit difficult to play three games in a week. They have got four weeks off for the World Cup, they have no other defensive options. Leon King has to go off with a head knock and he has to put (John) Lundstram back to play alongside Sands, which is two centre midfielder's. You are telling me that he couldn't sit on the bench Ben Davies today for an emergency, and that to me strikes that there's just a lack of real fight in that team.
"A lot of the players that have been brought in, I think fit that identity which is a concern. But also we have spoken before about players who were performing at a good level that now just look a little bit flat." Stewart continued by stating that there seems to be a disconnect between the playing squad and Van Bronckhorst. "I couldn't disagree with it to be honest," he added. "Across the city at Celtic you have a manager who is inspiring, a team that are energetic which puts it into stark contrast to what is going on at Ibrox and that is just the way of the world. That is what they have got to live with.
"Rangers' squad is nowhere near as good as Celtic's squad, end of story. The manager at Celtic is top class, not to say that Van Bronckhorst is not a good manager but I don't think his backroom team around him complement him as well as he would want. I think you look at Rangers bench in terms of the coaching staff and the manager, that's pretty flat as well, and that's playing out on the park. As I said I wouldn't be surprised if there was a change made before the season began again."
And Stewart wasn't finished lamenting the situation at Rangers as he singled out Morelos for a disgraceful performance. The Colombian striker was given a start in the absence of Antonio Colak, Fashion Sakala and Kemar Roofe but contributed very little against the Buddies.
"Morelos today was an absolute joke by the way, a joke," Stewart lamented. "He is (forced to play him), correct, but it feeds back into whether it's the managers responsibility or not, the bigger picture of the recruitment at Rangers this season is questionable and you know when you watch the first few games of the season you go 'they look good, talented' but if your job is recruitment and you've been watching these players five six seven times, you would see these traits come through which would raise serious question marks in terms of where is the fight.
McCann came in to agree with Stewart's verdict and he took aim at Morelos' lack of involvement and admits the Rangers talisman should be the club's main man, however is just letting everyone down and insisted many of Van Bronckhorst's flops should be grabbed and told what it means to play for the club.
He said: "I don't think it was totally not there throughout the whole squad, that's unfair to say. But this is a team that needs 90% of it functioning properly. You chat about the character because it's the one thing that stats can't throw up. You can throw up possession stats, goal ratio, all that rubbish but what Ange Postecoglou is spot on is the naked eye can tell you so much more than a computer if you are a football guy and what you can tell is someone's attitude.
"Morelos' attitude has been his main problem, not his ability. His attitude whether that be to fitness, his discipline, whether that be his attitude to be properly switched on for opportunities like today, his first start of the season. And I found it funny you said he was forced to play him. Forced to play the club's European record goal scorer...forced? You should be desperate to play Alfredo Morelos, he should be the guy up top. He ain't doing enough! He's a goal machine. He should automatically be the first pick but his attitude is so poor.
"You can see he's a good guy off the pitch but I would much rather have an absolute horror of a guy off the pitch but a brilliant one on it. I look at the guys out there and I think they should be grabbed and told 'do you realise that you are playing for Glasgow Rangers?' an institution of football where winning is everything and see if you don't, people will tell you it's not good enough. There's been titans of this club who have been sunk and just given criticism, so what right do guys like Morelos think they can go out and try now and again, you empty yourself."
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