As Aston Villa bounce back from the sacking of Steven Gerrard, it is something of an ominous sign for the under-fire Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Dutch coach Gio is a man under pressure as a laboured and uninspiring style of play culminated in yet more dropped points against Livingston at Ibrox over the weekend.
The thought of going to Napoli to play the on form Serie A leaders is also pretty terrifying for Rangers fans who are currently enduring the ignominy of being the Champions League’s worst performing team.
Whilst there is no issue with Gio the man – in fact there is plenty of sympathy from within the support regarding the pressure the Dutchman is under – his management is now under severe scrutiny.
But looking down south, Aston Villa’s resurgence following the sacking Steven Gerrard has Rangers fans noticing as the Villa Park club move swiftly on from the difficult moment they were experiencing under the Scouser.
Formerly of this Parish, there are mixed responses to Gerrard’s doomed tenure at Villa Park but away from the obvious Rangers link the club’s response has been somewhat telling.
The same group of players who looked almost destined for a relegation dogfight under Steven Gerrard went on to thrash a talented Brentford side 4-0 just days after his departure.
Aston Villa post-Gerrard is ominous for Rangers boss Van Bronckhorst
It’s an old cliche in football to say that a manager has lost the dressing room but when the evidence points to it being true on this occasion it’s hard to ignore it.
Out goes the discontent, pressure and frustration of Gerrard, in comes the fresh air of a new era.
Now having appointed Unai Emery – someone with substantially higher management credentials than those of the Liverpool legend – it’s already beginning to feel like a bad dream to Aston Villa fans.
Rangers fans, many of whom have already made their mind up on Giovanni van Bronckhorst, will look at the dramatic turnaround at Aston Villa and apply it to their club.
Rangers are stuck in the mire and whilst there are faint hopes Gio could turn it around, there’s a feeling the players look out of ideas under the Dutchman.
Change is often necessary to restart a football club’s season and if the story of Steven Gerrard and Aston Villa is anything to Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Rangers, it’s an ominous warning.
Whilst Van Bronckhorst remains the Rangers manager for now, here are three top bosses Ibrox fans are already musing over to replace him should the axe fall.
