Giovanni van Bronckhorst says he is in contact with Sporting Director, Ross Wilson 'every day' as his Rangers side continue to falter - albeit admitting he hasn't had chats about his precarious future as manager.
A 2-1 loss to St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon followed Celtic's last gasp 4-2 win over Dundee United the day before, leaving the Light Blues seven points behind in the title race with two games to play before the season heads into its month-long break ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Fans have grown discontent with van Bronckhorst not only for the poor results domestically and in Europe, but for the dour performances that have coincided with the seven-point gap and being labelled the worst group stage team in Champions League history with zero points and a -20 goal difference.
After the misery was piled on in Perth, Van Bronckhorst will be aware of the current interest surrounding his perilous position in the Ibrox hot seat. But whilst he vows he will continue to fight for the team until the very end of his spell in Govan, the Dutchman confirmed he hadn't had a chat with the board about his position.
How have you tried to lift the morale at Milngavie?
“We analysed the game and how it was played. We created a lot of chances, I think it was the most we’ve created in an away game this season. But we weren’t clinical enough. The two goals we conceded cannot happen when you play at this level. Statswise you want every game like this, because we had 70 per cent possession and created so many chances. But you have to make sure you score. We didn’t do that in the first half an hour and it made it more difficult when we conceded. The way we conceded the second goal made it more difficult for us. We scored to make it 2-1 but couldn’t score the equaliser, so that was very disappointing. That’s what we analysed and we have to step up tomorrow for another big game.”
Do you think you can close the gap on Celtic?
“We are convincing for ourselves. Of course, we have the belief. It doesn’t mean if you’re losing games you don’t have the belief. The first half an hour I saw a lot of belief, a lot of desire to go forward and score goals. That was obvious for everyone to see. The result was very disappointing but there’s still a long way to go. We’ve made it more difficult for ourselves to lose points for the second time in the last couple of weeks. We need to change that because we need to get the points every time.”
How vital is it not to drop points before the World Cup?
“It’s very important to get the two wins, then we have the break for five weeks. I know we will use the break to get some players back and be stronger when we continue our league after the World Cup.”
Is Celtic's form too strong or do you think you can topple them?
“Well, why not? It’s at this moment, anything can change in football. We saw last season, we had a six point gap and it changes in the end of the season. It’s football, you have difficult moments over the period of a season. You have to come out of it as quickly as possible and get points. There are a lot of games to be played and points to be won. The most important thing is for us to win the game tomorrow.”
Are you aware of fans calling for you to be removed?
“It’s only natural to be aware of it, I don’t live in a basement. So it’s obvious for everyone to see, myself as well, all I can do is focus on my performance with the team and to focus on winning games, that’s all that matters. I’m 47, I’ve been in football many years and know how it works so for me that’s not a problem.”
Are you up to the task?
“Of course, I can turn it around, otherwise I’m not sitting here.”
Does that make the next two games more vital?
“My job is to win games. No manager is safe if he is not winning games so why should it be different for me? All I focus on is winning tomorrow and that’s the most important thing and then we look to the weekend.”
Do you think your former achievements should give you more time?
“I’m not the one does the appointment, I’m just the one doing his job. There’s been so many positive things but also negative things. We cannot avoid that topic, because it’s there. It’s what I’ve achieved together with my team for the last year so I don’t have to add something to it.”
Is there a reason as to why the current situation is ongoing?
“You analyse each game by itself. Six games in the Champions League where we’ve seen the level is too big to get a result. We had six defeats, that’s one thing. We are also missing a lot of key players. That’s also difficult for us to cope with. Tomorrow again we will have a starting line up missing a lot of players but we still have to go out and win the game because that’s expected of us.”
What team news can you shed light on?
"Alex Lowry is not in the squad. He is fit to play but not in the squad. Fashion Sakala had a scan yesterday. He has a minor muscle in injury and will be out for a week. That will rule him out for the next two games but he will be back after the World Cup for sure."
How can Rangers become more prolific and clinical?
"Focusing on the area close to and around the box. We will have those moments again tomorrow. We have done so many good crosses and runs. On Sunday we just lacked the timing of the runs and passes which was really difficult. We need to keep focusing the same because we will have a lot of chances tomorrow but we have to make sure we convert those chances into goals. We only scored once at the weekend and that was way too little."
How can you win the fans over?
"The only thing that will help. Wins is the only thing, and how we win at this moment is not important as long as we win. That's always the best thing to have when you are in difficult moments because with wins also comes confidence and when you have more confidence you get better. The more players we get back from injury the stronger we are as a team so it's all a domino effect. The win is the most important."
Are you players motivated to get out of the slump?
"For sure. The players were all devastated after the game because of how it went, the chances we created and the manner of the two goals conceded. They had the same feeling as I did. So now it's our job to do better tomorrow. To create as many chances but to be more clinical and defensively much stronger than we were on Sunday. They created a couple of chances but we should have avoided losing the goals."
Have you spoken to the club's hierarchy about your future?
"I speak to Ross every day. They haven't discussed my position at all. Of course, we know how the situation is. We know we need three points. That's all that matters at the moment. I didn't get any timelines or have discussions about 'you have to do this' with the board."
Is this the hardest spell of your career?
"My situation isn't tough when you compare with other people right now in this moment in the world. It's not about tough, it's difficult. I had more difficult moments when I was at Feyenoord, I had difficult moments when I was a player. But it's the same in life; you have positives, you have negatives. That's all of us. When you have a bad moment you have to work hard because in those moments you have to show your character and that's what I'm doing right now."
How did you take the reception of the fans in Perth?
"For me, it shows what kind of moment we are in. It's difficult when you are doing all you can to bring success to the club and you don't bring it or at least at the moment success with wins. It's very disappointing because you don't want to disappoint any people or any team that you love. I love Rangers, I love this club, I love everything this club embodies. But to be not able to get the wins it's quite disappointing for me to disappoint my fans, to disappoint my players, you know everyone involved with Rangers, that's not a nice feeling to have. I'm trying to reverse that feeling."
Is winning tomorrow imperative?
"We have to win this game, I think that is very important for all of us, that's how we pick up, it's the only thing we can do at the moment."
How much of a threat do Hearts pose?
"They had an impressive win at the weekend where they won with ten men after a difficult result in Europe with a difficult trip. They also feel the games when you are in Europe but they are performing really well for now in the league. We have always had difficult games against them but good results. They always give you a very tough match and that will be the same tomorrow."
Was there a reason for Alex Lowry's absence?
"Well, I can only pick 20, it's very simple. I hope he will be back soon because it's a long time ago last season. He's been out for how many months...so for me, it is just a case of seeing the players I have, the players I will need, that's all I think about. All the players who are in the 20 squad at the moment deserves to be in that squad."
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