THERE are three foolproof ways to spot the onset of autumn in Scotland. The leaves fall from the trees. Another named storm batters the nation. And Rangers face more speculation over the future of a manager.
Defeat to Kilmarnock places Philippe Clement in a precarious position, the statistics offering no protection from the winds which buffered the Rangers team bus on the way back up the A77.
After a summer of upheaval, the Belgian primed supporters for the best version of his team by October or November.
Now six points adrift of Celtic and Aberdeen in third place in the Premiership, Sunday’s loss at Rugby Park made it two wins from the last nine away games in the league.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement is under scrutiny following Sunday's loss to Kilmarnock
Marley Watkins (right) scored the winning goal in Kilmarnock's 1-0 victory over Rangers
Tally up the number of goals scored on the road and rivals Celtic have hit 13 while Aberdeen have notched seven. Rangers and Ross County are tied at the bottom of the table on one away goal apiece.
October and November have always been treacherous months for Rangers managers running to keep pace with Celtic. And the resurgence of Aberdeen adds another hazard Clement could do without.
Embroiled in a race for second - let alone first - a trip to Pittodrie a week on Wednesday has become a must-win for the Belgian. Or at least a fixture he can’t afford to lose.
Already engaged in a search for a permanent chairman, a new Chief Executive, a head of football operations and an academy director, the last thing the Ibrox board of directors need is a search for a manager to add to the list.
The Belgian recently marked the first anniversary of his appointment in a job where 12 months has become a decent innings.
A European final failed to save Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The Dutchman was nine behind Celtic when he was sacked after a year in charge in November 2022.
Manoeuvring himself into position as van Bronckhorst’s replacement, no amount of waffle could save Michael Beale when he spent millions on underwhelming players and slipped seven behind Celtic anyway. He was sacked after ten months on October 1 last year.
Captain James Tavernier looks dejected after the defeat at Rugby Park
Former chairman John Bennett insisted Rangers have to stop the cycle of sacking managers
Speaking in July, former chairman John Bennett vowed to end the process of ‘rinse and repeat’ around sacked managers.
‘By October, there are big changes at the club,’ said Bennett. ‘It’s hugely damaging at every level of the club, financially etc. That must end.
‘We must be all all-in. Philippe’s all-in, we are all aligned and we have to deliver on that very tricky challenge we have to rise to.’
Rangers were so determined to go ‘all-in’ on the manager, Clement was handed a one-year contract extension in August. While the Belgian claimed to have fallen in love with the club, the passion is unrequited and his presence seemingly only sustained by the knowledge that sacking him would only to the club’s crippling financial burden.
The contract extension was just one of the reasons a supporters’ banner appeared in the away end at Rugby Park reading: ‘The mismanagement of Rangers must stop and stop now.’
Clement acknowledged the frustration of punters after Killie’s late winner from Marley Watkins.
‘I think the fans’ anger has to do with a lot of things (off the pitch). I will stay focused on the sporting side of things to get the best out of this squad. To do that in one transfer window was impossible with the finances at this moment.’
While it’s true that the former Monaco coach has less cash to play with than previous managers, the Ibrox budget continues to outstrip the funds available to Derek McInnes and every other manager in the league outwith Brendan Rodgers.
None of which was apparent in a first half when the visitors enjoyed 70-per-cent possession yet mustered only one shot on target.
Supporters complain of no shape, style or substance. To many, it’s not clear how the team are trying to play. The manager’s post-match statements often aggravate, rather than appease, their anger.
While Bennett was all-in with Clement, it’s unclear how others view the matter. Given the cost of paying off another manager, chairman John Gilligan and de facto CEO George Letham can only cross their fingers and pray for signs of life in the upcoming games against FCSB, St Mirren, Aberdeen and Motherwell in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final
On one point, at least, the manager deserves their understanding. Rebuilding Rangers is no short-term job and, so long as there’s a revolving door on the boardroom, changing the coach every 12 months is like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.
Potential replacements would look and see a club riven with instability. While others would walk over broken glass to manage Rangers, they would be burdened by the same financial restrictions and impatience as their predecessors. Given the recent record of picking managers, there’s no guarantee of the regime getting this one right either.
Given UEFA’s stringent financial sustainability rules, even external investment wouldn’t necessarily be the silver bullet supporters crave. The Graeme Souness solution of throwing £50million at the problem is neither viable nor realistic when spending on football operations is capped at 70 per cent of the club’s annual income.
A sustainable player trading model would generate revenue and deliver funds to improve the team, but there’s a problem there as well. A time-consuming business, time is the one thing a Rangers manager never gets.
Toiling Rangers face second-placed Aberdeen at Pittodrie on October 30
New signings need to hit the ground running. They need to demonstrate the physical and mental strength to win games when the wind is blowing and the rain is teeming down and the pitch is as artificial and unpredictable as Rugby Park. Study the current group of players and there’s precious little evidence of that.
Aberdeen’s experience with Jimmy Thelin shows that a manager employing a style suited to Scottish football can deliver improvement quickly on a budget.
Thelin pitched up at Elfsborg, a team with no identifiable playing style and added aggression, pressing, quicker forward passing and defensive solidity. Attempting the same trick at Aberdeen, the Swede’s bold substitutions retrieved a two-goal deficit at Parkhead to extend the team’s unbeaten run to 14.
Rangers fans can’t remember the last time their team came back from two goals down on the other side of Glasgow. They couldn’t do it in the recent 3-0 thumping and Sunday’s latest defeat at Rugby Park only increased the need for a big, ballsy win at Pittodrie. Unless he turns this around soon, Clement will adopt the chalk white pallor of the dead man walking.