Giovanni van Bronckhorst comments on his future as Celtic extend lead

DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA STADIUM, NAPOLI, ITALY - 2022/10/26: Giovanni Van Bronckhorst head coach of Rangers FC looks on during the Champions League Group A football match between SSC Napoli and Rangers FC. Napoli won 3-0 over Rangers. (Photo by Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)
DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA STADIUM, NAPOLI, ITALY - 2022/10/26: Giovanni Van Bronckhorst head coach of Rangers FC looks on during the Champions League Group A football match between SSC Napoli and Rangers FC. Napoli won 3-0 over Rangers. (Photo by Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Giovanni van Bronckhorst must be feeling the pressure right now, as Celtic have increased their lead at the top of the league table to four points while the Rangers could very well be headed for the worst group stage record in Champions League history. On top of it all, the fans do not seem to be backing the Dutchman anymore, and there have been audible boos at Ibrox in recent games.

The picture is quite different from the end of last season, when Van Bronckhorst had guided the Ibrox club to the Europa League final and won the Scottish Cup, even though the Rangers did surrender the league title to Celtic.

After the poor start to this campaign, there are question marks over the future of Van Bronckhorst. But it looks like it has not been discussed with the manager behind the scenes at Ibrox.

As reported by BBC, Van Bronckhorst said regarding the topic of his Rangers future:

"“Of course I have discussions with the board and with [sporting director] Ross [Wilson] but my future and my position at the moment has never been discussed.“It’s something I have always had throughout my career, the pressure to perform, the pressure in every game to reach the standard. I had it as a player and I have it as a coach.“Of course you feel the pressure but the most pressure I put on myself. That is something I’m used to and it gives me strength and energy to keep going forward.”"

Van Bronckhorst comments on his Rangers future as Celtic extend lead at the top

It is safe to say that the Rangers are going through a tough phase at the moment, with performances showing no signs of improvement. Thus, Celtic might very well view it as an opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table. Of course, they must be careful not to get too ahead of themselves, as the Hoops’ form has been shaky in recent times as well, but nothing close to their Glasgow rivals.

Many have even wondered if Van Bronckhorst has ended up losing the backing of his players behind the scenes.

It remains to be seen if that is the case or not and only time shall tell. For Celtic, the best thing to do would be to remain focused on themselves and continue piling up the points.