A year is a long time in football with Philippe Clement learning the hard way just how unforgiving being in charge of Rangers can be.
Second place is last place and, with a shortage of silverware in the Ibrox trophy room, the current manager is skating on the thinnest of thin ice.
This time last year, Clement was on for a treble after inheriting a shambles of a squad and taking Rangers to the most unlikely of positions.
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How far have Rangers fallen in last 12 months?
In February 2024, Rangers won every game including a 5-0 thumping of Hearts and a 2-1 away win against Kilmarnock when the performance had been poor.
A sign of a title winning team?
From being double digits behind at one point, Rangers now found themselves in front in the race for the Scottish Premiership title after 26 games.
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GD | Points |
| 1 | Rangers | 26 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 43 | 64 |
| 2 | Celtic | 26 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 40 | 62 |
There were no complaints about tactics, after all, Clement was getting results with Dujon Sterling, Scott Wright and Ross McCausland on the wings and Cyriel Dessers up front.
He had installed a one-for-all team ethic with everyone feeling part of the squad and everyone playing their part.
Rangers hit rock bottom
Fast forward a year and the wheels have completely fallen off.
Even after a run of decent results with Rangers, scoring three goals a game, there was always a feeling that the next big bump was only around the corner.
Questionable tactics, team selections, substitutions and the inability to learn from previous mistakes sees the Gers boss teetering on the edge.
It is the same with the support for Clement.
The Europa League run is a great achievement, but it means nothing when the domestic season is over in February.
Just as things pick up and it looks like he’s worked out the Scottish game, he gets things wrong and has to face questions about his future.
If Giovanni van Bronckhorst can be sacked so soon after nearly being immortal, Clement should be worried too, despite only a year ago being a matter of games away from an incredible treble.
