Rangers' potential Philippe Clement replacement now out of Ibrox running, takes MLS job
01/10/2025 07:00 AM
With Rangers as inconsistent as ever, whether Philippe Clement will still be in charge of the Scottish Premiership giants when the 2025/26 season kicks off is anyone’s guess.
Questions have been asked about the Belgian’s future throughout the campaign. And, as Rangers followed up that 3-0 trouncing of Celtic with yet more dropped points at Hibernian, the vulnerabilities that have characterised the Philippe Clement era are clearly still present.
But if Clement was to lose his job, where would the beaten League Cup finalists turn?
Kevin Muscat, perhaps? Currently in work in China with Shanghai Port, the former Rangers defender is often linked with an Ibrox return,
Rangers did consider then-AZ Alkmaar boss Pascal Jansen back in 2023 – the London-born Dutchman was flattered by their interest, by his own admission – but he is unlikely to enter the discussions next time around after putting pen to paper on a four-year deal with Major League Soccer outfit New York City FC this week.
Pascal Jansen takes MLS job amid doubts over Philippe Clement’s Rangers future
"We are delighted to welcome Pascal to New York City FC," the club’s sporting director, David Lee, tells the official NYFC website.
"We have a group of really talented players and wanted to hire an experienced coach that can take us to the next level, and Pascal ticks all the boxes we were looking for to lead New York City FC.”
The MLS newcomer has had his critics – one Eredivisie expert was convinced Pascal Jansen would ‘fail’ at Rangers – but New York City found themselves totally convinced by a coach who’s commitment to an exciting, attack-minded and possession-heavy gameplan should appeal to the masses over in America.
"Pascal brings fantastic experience and a style of play that aligns with our philosophy,” Lee adds.
“[Jansen] wants to play an entertaining and attacking style that will create chances and score goals, which I'm sure our fans will enjoy watching and will help us compete for trophies across all competitions in 2025 and beyond.
“Pascal has vast experience and a great track record of developing young players that have gone on to have success at the highest levels in Europe and knows how to maximise their potential to develop them both on-and-off the field.
"Pascal is also a great leader, with a calm and collaborative approach and a deep ambition to win. We believe he is the right personality fit for our club as we look to build on the fantastic culture we have already around our team.”
Rangers continue to trail Celtic in Premiership table
The 51-year-old arrives in America after a spell in Hungary.
Jansen came under pressure at Hungarian giants Ferencvaros towards the back end of 2024, leaving the club on New Years’ Eve while trailing Puskas Akademica at the top of the table.
The gap between the two sides stands at just one point, however. The sort of gap Rangers can only dream off, as Old Firm rivals Celtic cruise towards yet another Premiership title.
Brendan Rodgers’ side beat Dundee United 2-0 on Wednesday night, recovering pretty faultlessly from that embarrassing Ibrox reverse earlier this month.
