Philippe Clement sack affordable for Rangers as agents tip contract extension exit clause

Rangers likely can afford to sack Philippe Clement if they want to despite signing him to a contract extension just before the season started, according to Peter Martin.

 

The journalist and PLZ Soccer host said on the outlet’s YouTube channel on 21 October that multiple agents had informed him it is now common practice for reduced compensation clauses to be added, after the Ibrox boss got a surprise extra year to his deal in the summer.

 

 

Following the weekend’s 1-0 loss at Kilmarnock, which squandered the chance to close the gap on Celtic and Aberdeen, Clement is under serious pressure, but contrary to the view that it would be financially impossible for the Light Blues to get rid of him Martin says it’s likely to actually be quite affordable.

 

He said (8m 50s): “I’ve talked to a number of agents who basically have said, you know I think people were slightly caught by surprise by his extension to his deal, but what agents are telling me now is with a lot of managers there’s a clause in the contract.

 

“[It] says, ‘Look, we’re giving you an extension, you may well get an increase in money but that’s to protect us in case somebody comes and steals you as the manager, so we can get compensation. But the flip side of that is if we sack you you’re only going to get six months’ money, you’re not getting four years.’

“There’s a lot more of that going on because clubs quite simply can’t afford to sack people and pay four years of their manager’s fees, that could cripple them”.

 

Rangers trail Celtic and Aberdeen by six points

If there is a relatively cheap get-out it would make the possibility of a sacking that much more realistic at Ibrox if things don’t improve markedly in the coming weeks.