Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has dismissed links to ex-Burnley manager Sean Dyche after the Englishman commented on the Ibrox club in the press.
Gers boss Gio is a man under increasing pressure after a disappointing first half of the season saw the club humbled in the Champions League and fall seven points behind in the Premiership title race.
Sean Dyche – out of work since leaving the then Premier League Clarets last season – would then be asked about the job at Rangers amid continuing conjecture about Van Bronckhorst’s role.
Mentioning his relationship with Ibrox sporting director Ross Wilson, Sean Dyche urged the Rangers recruitment guru to invite him to the upcoming Ibrox Old Firm v Celtic in January.
Dropping a hint that he would be interested in the job at Rangers, Dyche certainly appears to have considered Rangers on face level as the Englishman discussed his future.
“There is a window of opportunity (for the Premier League) and I think I’m still in it,” said Dyche.
“People say I’ve been out of the game for seven months but when you consider there’s three months of a close season then it’s like four active months.
“I do know Ross Wilson at Rangers and if he’d like to invite me to the Old Firm derby – I’ve never been – then he should. I’ve heard so many stories and I’d love to do it. I worked with Ross at Watford.”
Giovanni van Bronckhorst responds to Rangers Sean Dyche links
As a result of the comments, Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst was quizzed on the links to Sean Dyche by the press ahead of the must-win Premiership clash with St Mirren.
If the Dutchman can fail to motivate his charges to victory the pressure will surely begin to mount and we’d be surprised if he outlasted the World Cup break.
But despite this, Van Bronckhorst dismissed the comments and also took the time to thank ex-Rangers manager Dick Advocaat, who backed his former Ibrox star publicly during the week.
“If you open up the papers especially in October and November you see a lot, it’s normal,” said Giovanni van Bronckhorst [Rangers].
“Sean Dyche can’t do anything about the question he gets asked.
‘It was nice [Advocaat’s comments], it’s always pleasing when you see that. Now and then I will talk to him.
“I think because other managers know the pressure you feel in certain moments and many managers have reached out to me in the last couple of weeks. That’s so nice to have that support because people are talking a lot.
“That is normal because it’s such a big club, you are under pressure, there is negativity. So when you have top managers who have done it all reaching out to you it’s very good to have.
“The support is there. It’s part of football and the message is ‘keep going’. Many have said to just make sure I keep doing what I’m doing, I’m on the right track and not to get distracted by external factors.”
Meanwhile, Rangers have been linked with a £5m move for an English Championship striker.
