sport news How it all turned sour for Van Bronckhorst at Rangers just six months after the ... trends now
The 17th permanent manager of Rangers when he was appointed on November 18 last year, Giovanni van Bronckhorst departs having presided over the third shortest tenure.
But while both Paul Le Guen, who lasted 240 days, and Pedro Caixinha, who managed 227, never looked like good fits for the role, the Dutchman leaves having enjoyed some extraordinary highs.
Exactly six months after being confirmed as Steven Gerrard's successor, Van Bronckhorst took Rangers to within a penalty kick of winning the Europa League against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Rangers parted ways with manager Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (above) on Monday
His side had already beaten Celtic in extra-time in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup and would go on to beat Hearts in the final.
Yet, just six months later, Van Bronckhorst has been fired and the hunt for a new manager has started.
But how did it go from that night in Seville to the sack in such a short space of time?
EUROPEAN HUMILIATION
Despite losing the Europa League Final, the Dutchman build up a lot of credit by eliminating sides like Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig to get there.
This was topped up when his side went to the Netherlands and beat PSV Eindhoven to secure a return to the Champions League.
The Dutchman led Rangers to the Europa League final last season, which they lost on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville
What could possibly go wrong? Everything as it happened.
A pot four team, a draw that put Rangers in with Liverpool, Napoli and Ajax was about as challenging as it could have been.
But his team were all over the place as they lost 4-0 away to Ajax first up.
By the time they shipped three goals at home to Napoli then two more at Anfield, the campaign was in danger of becoming a humiliation.
When Scott Arfield edged Rangers ahead against Liverpool at Ibrox, it briefly looked like they might get some points on the board.
Van Bronckhorst leaves the club with Rangers nine points adrift of league leaders Celtic
Level at the break, Van Bronckhorst's side fell apart in the second half, conceding six more without reply. The 7-1 final score was their heaviest ever home defeat.
By the time Napoli eased to a three-goal victory in game five, Rangers were fighting to avoid becoming the worst ever side in the history of the Champions League.
A final night 3-1 home loss to Ajax ensured Van Bronckhorst's men finished with zero points and a goal difference of minus 20 to take the most unwanted title in the game from Dinamo Zagreb.
FALTERING TITLE TILT
The run to Seville didn't dress up a simple fact. Rangers were four points ahead of Celtic when Van Bronckhorst took charge and four points behind them after 38 games.
Any understanding he was given due to a) coming in mid-season and b) doing so well in Europe, was conditional on this season being a different story in the Premiership. It wasn't.
Van Bronckhorst's side dropped points in five of their 15 games, drawing against Hibs, Livingston and St Mirren and losing to Celtic and St Johnstone.
Rangers finished bottom of their Champions League group, losing all their six games, conceding 22 goals and scoring just twice
He wasn't helped by Celtic's excellent form. An away loss to St Mirren is the only domestic blip for Ange Postecoglou's men.
But for Rangers to be nine points and 17 goals behind Celtic at this stage is a long way from acceptable.
NOT UP FOR THE FIGHT
The first signs of it were evident when Celtic raced into a three-goal half-time lead at Parkhead in February.
When games started badly under Van Bronckhorst, they'd a tendency to go rapidly downhill.
The Light Blues suffered a historic 7-1 humiliation at home against Liverpool
Look at some
