6 Rangers pros + cons of Clement exit amid Belgium link as increased turmoil mixes with unsettling fan feeling

The height of a manager or player career in football is usually representing your country.

Rangers boss Philippe Clement has had that chance when still wearing boots but now could have that opportunity in the dugout. There are growing rumours that Clement is the man Belgium want to replace Red Devils coach Domenico Tedesco.

A shock Nations League loss to Israel has Belgian FA chiefs ready to sack their current gaffer, and murmurs coming out of the country are Clement is among the candidates to replace him, with the desire to go for a homegrown boss after Tedesco and Roberto Martinez.

The Belgian FA have hired Clement’s former Club Brugge chief executive Vincent Mannaert as sporting director and it’s been suggested he’d be keen to reunite with Clement, having won two Belgian league titles with the Rangers boss.

At Ibrox, Clement has been coming under fire, nine points behind Aberdeen and first-placed Celtic in the Premiership. But he’s had a range of issues off the field to battle in his just over 12 months in Rangers. So what are the pros and cons of a move to Belgium for Clement, and from Rangers perspective? We dig into it.

Pro - Reputation in tact

Many gaffers have walked away from Glasgow with one trophy and been derided for it. If Clement was to secure permission to take up the Belgium gig, it would essentially allow him to write off his time in Glasgow, and he wouldn’t be short of excuses for why it didn’t bring more silverware. Rangers could also use it to sell to other managers, that they can put them on a platform for big jobs like the Belgium gig.

Con - Who’s in charge?

No permanent chairman, no CEO, no permanent academy chief, no director of football, and no manager? Another boss exit would not only leave Rangers completely rudderless in terms of leadership, but who hunts the next one? Nils Koppen, Director of Football Recruitment, would be the only one who seems to have a long-term future at Rangers in terms of that process.

Pro - Amicable end

There’s an uncomfortable feeling among some fans that Clement is already in dead man walking territory. Wins are being scraped, performances of the strong variety are coming all too fleetingly. Taking the national team gig would allow him to leave Rangers with a handshake in terms of the support and stops the chance of him possibly outstaying his welcome if form doesn’t improve.

Con - Short-term rep

If Clement was to go, that would mean no boss since Steven Gerrard would have lasted anywhere close to two years in charge at Rangers. The club won’t want to have the reputation of a short-term gig for someone and that might put a possible next boss off if they don’t think time is something that happens for gaffers in Govan, even if this exit wasn’t of their doing.

Pro - Done before January

Undoubtedly, if Rangers are to make a change in the dugout or have one forced upon them, now isn’t a terrible time. Yes, it’s not ideal at all and in a perfect world you wouldn’t be in this situation. But we’re still plenty of time out from the January transfer window, where a new boss would likely demand funds or backing. Some time to assess what he had first would be a bonus.

Con - Who’s squad is this?

With the constant change and recruitment drives at Rangers, another boss exit would leave another headache. There’s some Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale and now Clement-era players in here, for the bulk of the team. That’s three different sets of players almost for three different ideas of football. That is a headache for any gaffer. At least Clement only needs to rebuild a squad from two prior managers as opposed to three...