Kris Boyd is never one to hide his feelings about Rangers.
Whether that’s through the highs or the lows. Whether it’s through facial expressions on the TV or through his words.
It was another tough watch for everyone of a Gers persuasion last night as Aberdeen took all three points in a game billed as the biggest of the season so far.
Even that is an indicator of how things are if that is a bigger game than the derbies.
The players failed another test and the spotlight is back on.
Boyd full-time Rangers rant
The Rangers hero was on Sky Sports duty at Pittodrie and aired a few concerns pre-match.
He’s already criticised Philippe Clement this season for some of his interviews and Boyd wasn’t a happy man post-match once again – insisting it is time for the manager to be replaced.
For him, recruitment is the main issue and he insists the Belgian must take a big portion of the blame for that.
It has been suggested the finances at Ibrox can’t compete with across the city, but he insists the money that has been spent should be seeing more of a return.
Speaking on Sky, he said: “The recruitment from the football club, for a number of years now, is absolutely miles off it. Blame the budget, blame cut backs all you want. There is still money being spent.
“Diomande cost over £4million, Jefte £1m, Cortes they need to buy who we’ve hardly seen. Igamane £1.7m – project that one was. Propper £1.5m, Bajrami £3.4m. The list goes on.
“There is no way this can continue at Rangers and somebody needs to get a grip of it.”
Asked if the manager ‘has to go’, he replied: “Yes, for me now he does. Because I think there is progression you could could him some slack because there is players coming in, like he keeps saying it is a new group.
“Eight of the 11 were already at the football club before he came in. That’s not progression.”
It was pointed out to Boyd that he was previously critical of Aberdeen chopping and changing managers.
But he fired back: “Well, what’s Aberdeen done? They’ve kept going and going until they got the right one.
“They’ve got the right one now, and by the way they might be lucky if they keep hold of him for a period of time because there is going to be big teams looking at him.
“The crowds will tell you. The crowds are down at Ibrox, interesting to see how many turn up at Hampden and once that starts happening the club is losing money.
“The fans are key in everything here because once they decide they’re fed up of this style of play, or lack of style of play, then that’s it.
“We said it under Beale and van Bronckhorst, once the fans turn…and believe me they have turned. Even the ones with blue-tinted glasses on can see right through what is going on right now.
“It’s easy in interviews to kick the can down the road and say ‘we’ll get better’. There is nothing right now to say it’s going to get better.
Clement must share Rangers blame with others
For as much as the manager’s head is on the chopping block, Boyd insists there are others alongside him who must take their share of the flak.
Recruitment chief Nils Koppen is next on his list but he is also fuming at sports scientists who dictate to Clement who can and can’t play.
And he claims sports science could get the Belgian the sack.
He added: “Nils Koppen, I’ll mention him because he can’t be immune. This is on the two of them. The recruitment has been diabolical once again.
“One other thing. Sports science won’t get sacked, but sports science might get Philippe Clement sacked. I said a couple of weeks ago in terms of listening to these guys. They don’t care about anything else other than as long as they’re alright.
“You loot at Clement and his decisions tonight. Jefte can’t play tonight because we need to protect him, but then he brings him on. If you need to protect someone you don’t bring him on.
“He’s just waffling through interviews.”
