Plenty of questions surround Rangers and Philippe Clement at the moment.
The Gers team earned the plaudits they deserved at the time during an upturn in form and the manager appeared to have bought himself some time after previous moments of pressure.
But was it just a stay of execution?
The recent Queen’s Park result would suggest so as, despite the face the Belgian remains in post, fans will find it hard to forgive him for that.
Rangers fans wanted Clement out after that Scottish Cup embarrassment and it’s unlikely he will be able to do anything between now and the end of the season to soften their stance.
Comments from CEO Patrick Stewart backing the manager emerged, although they did come from BEFORE the disastrous defeat.
Clement himself is ignoring any talk of the sack, insisting he has the board on his side and can get the fans back there too.
But despite a 3-1 victory over Hearts at the weekend, there was still plenty of criticism around the performance.
Hutton questions Rangers Bajrami signing
With money at a premium, Rangers need to make sure they get almost every signing right as they look to close the gap.
They’ve done so with the likes of Hamza Igamane and Vaclav Cerny this season, but not with Nedim Bajrami.
A regular at the start of the season, the Albania international was flitting in and out of games and is now struggling to get into the team.
Alan Hutton insists the attacking midfielder is offering nothing and questioned the signing.
Speaking on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social Club, he said: “Bajrami for me, I mean, I genuinely don’t know what he’s given at this moment in time. He’s spent a lot of money and look, by all accounts, Rangers don’t have the money to spend.
“So recruitment needs to be good. So to bring someone in like that, who doesn’t even, who very rarely plays anymore, look, it’s not ideal.
“So that kind of goes down to the recruitment team and the manager.
“He just floats in and out. I’m genuinely not sure on what he gives you at this moment in time.”
Tom Lawrence not the answer for Rangers
A teammate of Bajrami’s is in Hutton’s firing line too.
Tom Lawrence was reinstated to the starting line-up for the Hearts win, a decision that was questioned and then defended by Clement.
Marvin Bartley also backed the Lawrence call, but Hutton doesn’t agree.
Asked if Lawrence is a better option than some of the young players, he said: “Maybe that’s what he thinks. Me personally, I don’t, because Dessers and Igamane the way they were playing with Cerny on one side, he was getting a tune out of that.
“But he is not going to take a risk with inexperienced players at this moment in time, because he can’t, he knows he can’t. He’s tried it and I think the Queen’s Park game was the right time if he was going to bring in some younger players and it didn’t work.
“If he played two or three youngsters the other day and he could beat 4-0, he’s sacked. Lawrence probably comes into the club, he’s on a big contract, I would have thought.
“He spent more time on the injury table. Yes, he’s more than capable of a flash of brilliance, but you need more. You need consistency from these players in those areas.”
