Rangers manager Philippe Clement finds himself under mounting pressure following a devastating 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren, in what he described as "by far the worst" performance during his 16-month tenure at the club.
The loss came at a particularly inopportune moment, just as supporters were riding high on news of a potential US takeover of the Scottish Premiership club. The team's lackluster display saw them concede second-half goals to Mikael Mandron and Toyosi Olusanya, allowing St Mirren to secure their first victory at Ibrox since November 1991.
Despite Celtic's defeat at Hibernian earlier in the day, Rangers remain 13 points behind their city rivals. The team's prospects of securing domestic silverware this season were already dashed following an embarrassing Scottish Cup exit to Queen's Park two weeks ago. Their upcoming Europa League last-16 tie against Fenerbahce stands as one of few remaining bright spots in an otherwise disappointing campaign.
"We were by far the worst I've seen in all the time I've been here," Clement admitted in his post-match comments. "I didn't see this one coming - this nervousness, everyone below par almost all game." The Belgian manager took full responsibility for the team's poor showing, noting how the squad appeared to drift apart into "islands" during play, a concerning development he hadn't witnessed before.
When questioned about his job security, Clement deflected, stating, "I'm not busy with those questions or those things. I am busy finding solutions to get Rangers back at the level they should be."
Perhaps most concerning for Rangers supporters was St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson's assessment that his team "did not feel under any pressure and probably could have had more goals." This came from a St Mirren side that had managed just one league victory in seven matches since their previous win over Rangers in Paisley on Boxing Day.
The fans' frustration was evident as Ibrox emptied well before the final whistle, with the remaining supporters vocal in their disapproval. Clement acknowledged the team's nervous performance and apologized to the Rangers faithful, saying, "This is not what Rangers teams need to show on the pitch. We all know this was by far below the standards we all expect."
The manager remains defiant about his ability to turn things around, emphasizing his commitment to "fighting until the end" and finding solutions to restore the team's proper mindset. However, with results continuing to disappoint, questions about his future at the club seem likely to persist.
