William Gallas sparks Rangers fury with “small club” jibe | OneFootball

William Gallas’ “small club” accusation aimed at Rangers, despite his polite “no disrespect” prefix, has rattled plenty. The former Chelsea defender was discussing Jose Mourinho’s future and claimed Rangers were too small for his old boss. That remark has sparked debate as William Gallas thinks Rangers ‘too small’ for Jose.

Are Rangers too small for Mourinho?

There is a case to be made, but it is not degrading to Rangers. Mourinho was most recently at Fenerbahce. In theory, they are not much bigger. Yet on social media the difference is stark. Rangers have around 800,000 followers while Fenerbahce boast 15 million. That gulf suggests a chasm in worldwide reach. Does that alone make them bigger? That remains subjective.

Mourinho’s status

What is not in question is Mourinho himself. He is box office. If Fenerbahce could attract him, then other clubs outside Real Madrid, Chelsea, or Manchester United also can. Fenerbahce are certainly a big club. Yet there has always been a small-club mentality from Premier League figures towards Scotland. For English pundits, the Scottish Premiership is a backwater. With only 5 million people in the country and a dreadful league outside Rangers and Celtic, the perception is easy to see.

Too big for Rangers, or yesterday’s man?

So is Gallas right? Perhaps. But there is another angle. Mourinho has not won a league title since Real Madrid in 2013. He won the Conference League, but that is not the real currency of managers. Rangers have won more in that time than he has. He could not deliver for Fenerbahce even with money to burn. He blamed everyone but himself. That speaks volumes.

So is Mourinho too big for Rangers, or are Rangers too small for him? Maybe both. Maybe neither. What matters is that Mourinho is no longer the serial winner he once was. On that basis, would Rangers even want him? That question may matter more than William Gallas thinks Rangers ‘too small’ for Jose.