Ex-Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst “politely declined” the chance to speak to BBC Scotland as he took in Celtic’s Champions League defeat to Feyenoord.
The Dutch manager, 48, is synonymous with both Rangers and the Eredivisie champions and was back at De Kuip to see his old side beat Celtic 2-0.
But before the game BBC Scotland reporter Martin Dowden claimed that he asked ex-Feyenoord boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst for an interview.
Claiming that the former Rangers manager looks “about five years younger” since quitting the pressures of Ibrox, the journalist admits that his request was “politely declined”.
“I just had a brief exchange with the former Rangers and Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst who is in attendance,” said Dowden [BBC Sport live blog 19/09: 19:15]
“While politely declining a request for a quick BBC Scotland interview, it struck me he seemed to look about five years younger! He was all smiles looking as though he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Some time away from the thrills and spills of management looks to be paying off.”
Giovanni van Bronckhorst watched Feyenoord beat Celtic
Ex-Rangers and Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is still without a job after leaving Ibrox last November and it appears he’s enjoying some downtime.
Most recently, GVB was linked with La Liga side Villarreal before they opted to move elsewhere.
The Dutchman would’ve also enjoyed Calvin Stengs and Alireza Jahanbakhsh putting Celtic to the sword, with the Parkhead side winding up with nine men by the final whistle.
Van Bronckhorst managed both clubs and is considered something of a legend in Feyenoord having delivered the club’s first Eredivisie title in 18 years in 2017.
But the same old issues around his “horseshoe” tactics which appeared at Feyenoord began to cripple his domestic progress at Rangers and his time in Glasgow was eventually short-lived.
Initially coming into the club to replace Steven Gerrard, Giovanni van Bronckhorst threw away a six point lead in the second half of the 21/22 season to surrender the title to Celtic.
A superb run to the Europa League Final and victory in the Scottish Cup saved the Dutchman’s bacon but after a disastrous run last season, not helped by a dramatic injury crisis, the writing was on the wall.
The man signed to replace him in Michael Beale finds himself in a similar position to Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Rangers and the Ibrox gaffer will not be envious of the Englishman’s position.
Speaking of Celtic, the Parkhead side’s latest financial results show both what Rangers are up against and the domestic shortcomings of Van Bronckhorst during his time in Glasgow.
