A combination of ‘lucky’ Ange and brilliant Brendan meant that the former manager of theRangers Mick Beale failed to win any meaningful matches against Celtic during his short tenure in the Ibrox hot seat.
In a must win match at the start of the year at Ibrox, Beale’s side – aided by a huge honest mistake – got their noses in front before Kyogo grabbed a dramatic late equaliser for Celtic. That draw was as good as it got for Beale against Celtic in all but a meaningless dead rubber and most recently it was Kyogo again who did the business for Celtic, this time for Brendan Rodgers, again at Ibrox at the start of September.
In between Beale lost a League Cup Final a Scottish Cup semi-final and another must win league match against Celtic and was left with just the summer bragging rights.
He came in last December when they were nine points behind Celtic after Giovanni van Bronckhorst fell on Ange Postecoglou’s sword – in football in Glasgow there is one rule for managers, if you can’t beat your biggest rivals then you are history.
Ange didn’t wait around long enough to see off Beale but it was his work that set the scene for Brendan to achieve that after just one Glasgow Derby meeting. This morning former Monaco, Genk and Club Brugge manager Philippe Clement has now been confirmed as Bredndan’s opponent in Scottish football’s version of The Winner Takes All and the Loser has a Fall.
Clement apparently was concerned about how short a stay the two previous managers had at Ibrox. No wonder! He probably could accept that Beale was way out of his depth but van Bronckhorst is widely respected in the game and had taken theRangers to a penalty kick shootout in the Europa Cup Final while winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in the club’s history, both just months before he was sacked.
So Clement wisely insisted on a four year contract, which according to reports, has to be paid in full if he too falls on Brendan’s sword. The Celtic manager will show the new Ibrox boss respect, unlike Beale he is a manager of substance with a bit more than the arrogant bluster that they found so attractive in Beale, but will also be looking to pile on the agony to yet another manager of theRangers. They don’t half go through them quickly!
BREAKING: Rangers have named former Monaco, Genk & Club Brugge boss Philippe Clement as the club’s new manager on a deal until 2027. pic.twitter.com/N2LEXwtY1H
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) October 15, 2023
Don’t miss out on The Celtic Star at the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park this Thursday night (7pm-midnight) , it’s going to be extra special from what I’m hearing with some incredible special guests on the night now confirmed. Tickets are selling fast so it looks like a packed house with brilliant Celtic conversation and music from Boolavogue plus the launch of Majic, Stan and the King of Japan…Remaining tickets available from Celtic Star Books website, just click on the image below…
