GIOVANNI van Bronckhorst has the backing of the Rangers board to remain Ibrox boss past the World Cup break, an insider has claimed.

Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan has claimed Van Bronckhorst is "counting on" being Rangers boss when domestic fixtures resume next month.

Van Bronckhorst has come under increasing pressure with some sections of the Ibrox support calling for him to leave the club or be sacked.

Rangers sit nine points behind Celtic at the season-break after draws with St Mirren and Livingston and a defeat away to St Johnstone saw the Ibrox club drop points.

But insider Van der Kraan has insisted it would be "very unfair" for Van Bronckhorst to be sacked as he insisted the board will support the manager with "very little" invested in signings and a sizeable injury list.

"I think he's counting on the fact he will be there once the World Cup is over," said Van der Kraan.

"He's gone on holiday at the moment, he is aware that there is some unrest among the fans.

"But if you look at the way he entered the club...Rangers is a massive club in Scotland and has a reputation in Europe, you can see that with how they went to the Europa League Final.

"He had very little to invest, but they carried on in the Champions League this season.

"They played against all the big teams with a very limited squad, and that squad was not built for the Champions League, and the Scottish league, and the cup (all at once).

"Ten injuries at the moment, he knows he has to work harder with his team, but he needs players.

"He has the backing of the board very much, and he is counting on the backing of the board because they have not invested any more, and if you see the amount of injuries they've had, it would be very unfair to sack him."

Meanwhile, Brian Laudrup has responded after Van Bronckhorst called him out over his "stupid" comments.

The columnist had questioned whether the Dutchman had the belief to turn things round at Ibrox as he cited defeatist body language. The Rangers boss said: “I have given up? I think that’s very easy and stupid thing to say from Brian."

But Laudrup has stuck by his comments as he remarked: "Last week, I spoke about Van Bronckhorst's body language, his whole demeanour, really and whether it looked as though he truly believed he could turn things around in terms of recent performances and results.

"I know he responded to me with some comments of his own. He was perfectly entitled to do so. I have no problem with that at all.

"But I stand by what I said. Because the point I was trying to make was about the impression it gave to others. Including players."

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