Rangers became the first Scottish side to qualify from the group stages of the Champions League on Tuesday night but it still won’t be enough to save Rangers manager Alex McLeish from losing his job. Most commentators expect an announcement sometime today.
Speculation has been insane over the last few weeks as to what is about to happen with some saying McLeish may stay in a reduced capacity and others saying he will be replaced by French managerial wunderkind Paul Le Guen.
So why the clamour to replace one of Scotland’s all-time most successful managers?
Well, Rangers currently lie 5th in the league, 17 points behind leaders Celtic and they face a difficult away trip to Kilmarnock on Saturday. Defeat there will see the Scottish champions fall 5 points behind 4rth, making it all but impossible to qualify for ANY European competition next season.
While that humiliation is unacceptable for the fans, the cold, hard financial reality is that Rangers cannot afford a season without European income. Failure to qualify for the Champions League next year could cost the club £10m. Failure to qualify for the UEFA Cup could cost something like £5-8m.
By putting together officially the worst team in Rangers history (The team are currently on their worst winless streak of all time, and as one of the world’s oldest clubs, that’s going some), McLeish has effectively undone all his many good works.
So, a man who has taken only 4 years to win 2 Championships, 3 League Cups, 2 Scottish Cups and has become manager of the first ever Scottish side to reach the last 16 of the Champions League should lose his job today.
And what’s more, he will leave reviled by the majority of Rangers fans, thanks to the terrible football the team have played under him and their utter failure to consistently beat Celtic under his stewardship.
And they say football is all about results.
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