Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A TOP ’CAAT
Gio’s grateful for old boss Dick’s backing in troubled times of his Ibrox reign
BY
UNDER-FIRE Gio van Bronckhorst last night thanked Rangers mentor Dick Advocaat for his backing.
But the Ibrox boss refused to put the boot into Sean Dyche after the former Burnley boss controversially responded to suggestions he could replace the Dutchman in Glasgow.
Van Bronckhorst is fighting to keep hold of his job after a disastrous start to the season that has allowed Celtic to dart seven points clear in the title race.
He faced a furious backlash from fans after last Sunday’s shock defeat to St Johnstone and will again have to hope his side do not slip up when they head to Paisley for today’s lunchtime clash with St Mirren in their final fixture before the World Cup shutdown.
However, former Gers boss Advocaat – who signed van Bronckhorst as a player back in 1998 – leapt to the defence of his former pupil when urged the current Ibrox board to stand by their boss, insisting he’s still the man to turn their campaign around.
Van Bronckhorst appreciated the gesture and revealed his old gaffer’s message was one of many offering him support. “It was nice, it’s always pleasing when you see that,” he said. “Now and then I will talk to him.
“I think because other managers know the pressure you feel in certain moments and many managers have reached out to me in the last couple of weeks.
“That’s so nice to have that support because people are talking a lot. That is normal because it’s such a big club, you are under pressure, there is negativity.
“So when you have top managers who have done it all reaching out to you it’s very good to have.
“Many have said to just make sure I keep doing what I’m doing,
I’m on the right track and not to get distracted by external factors.” Dyche (below) inadvertently added to those distractions when he refused to rule himself out of the running for any potential future Ibrox vacancy. Asked during a live radio appearance if he’d be up for working in Glasgow, the Englishman – tipped as a fans’ favourite for the gig should van Bronckhorst depart – urged Gers sporting director Ross Wilson to invite him north for an Old Firm clash.
But van Bronckhorst didn’t take those comments as a slight, saying: “If you open up the papers especially in October and November you see a lot. It’s normal. Sean Dyche can’t do anything about the question he gets asked.” A trip to the SMISA Stadium today looks like a must-win if Gers are to retain any hope of catching Celtic but the Ibrox gaffer has no doubt about his team’s commitment after watching them battle past Hearts on Wednesday.
“I see my team fighting, I see them working hard,” he said. “Sometimes it’s difficult if you are in very demanding weeks and your mental and physical energy is not there, which is understandable with all the games you play.
“Some players need to play all the games when we don’t have any room to rotate. So it’s understandable. I see this squad doing everything it can to win.”
They will have to do it without Antonio Colak after the club’s top scorer was ruled out with a knock.
But Ryan Jack could return and van Bronckhorst has no issue with the midfielder joining up with Scotland for next week’s friendly in Turkey, a game Celtic have refused to release their Parkhead contingent for.
He added: “Celtic have a trip to go on and they need their players. That’s normal. Every club will make its own decision.
“For me it’s the same. We have players who’ve played so many games so for us it’s also for us to see which players can go as we don’t have to release them. But some players might need minutes to be fresher. Ryan Jack is one of them.