Whilst the ribbons are yet to be tied on the final two pieces of silverware in Scotland this season, Rangers fans are already looking towards a summer of Philippe Clement upheaval.
The Ibrox side might well end the campaign with a legendary first treble since 2002/03 – and the club’s first since the financial collapse of 2012 – but it hasn’t stopped chatter surrounding the future of several key players.
With no fewer than six first-teamers out of contract, and debate surrounding both Connor Goldson and James Tavernier in the press, some of the oldest faces at Ibrox could be shifted out even if they wind up with three winners’ medals this season.
That’s quite something.
But whilst the Ibrox side’s Scottish Premiership hopes teeter on the brink, Rangers fans urging a complete overhaul might want to be careful what they wish for.
After all, last summer’s evolution produced a false start that no-one wants to see repeated under Philippe Clement.
Clement needs Celtic result to win Rangers fans
When Michael Beale took the job at Rangers, the Ibrox side were still in two domestic cup competitions.
Really, the Englishman had to win at least one of them to stand any chance with Ibrox’s expectant fan base when his new-look Rangers team struggled to settle in the early months of the season.
Several of those signings still look ill-judged – Jose Cifuentes (Cruzeiro) and Sam Lammers (Utrecht) January loan exits testament to that – whilst others have yet to prove themselves.
Really, between Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling and Cyriel Dessers, that’s the three summer deals which have made any kind of long-standing impact.
The return of Leon Balogun also deserves an honourable mention.
Another of Beale’s major issues was that he could not beat Celtic when it mattered, a 3-0 Premiership dead rubber all the then Rangers manager mustered in his near year-long stint at Ibrox.
Philippe Clement has a League Cup in the bag and with a more complete recruitment team behind him goes into the summer window on a stronger footing than Michael Beale.
But so far the Belgian has been unable to motivate his side to win against our Old Firm rivals and in order to curry any sort of favour with Rangers fans, he might need to do so in either or both of the derby clashes to come this season.
Ibrox trio nailed on stick around next season
Philippe Clement has repeated the line that the best teams he played in where two or three years in the making.
That suggests the Belgian has a long-term plan at Ibrox which will take at least a couple of seasons to reach its apex.
Ahead of the summer, Rangers fans scorned at yet another domestic collapse might want a complete squad overhaul but really it’s not conducive to a successful season.
Yes change is coming – as is fresh investment – but the notion we need to rip everything up and ‘throw it in the garbage’ as Clement says is not only unproductive, but we’ve seen it can be potentially damaging.
The solution then is to move on those stars who’ve been perennially injured, like Ryan Jack or Kemar Roofe, and those that have begun going stale in Glasgow, like Borna Barisic.
Whilst the end is eventually going to be nigh for the likes of James Tavernier and Connor Goldson, the summer seems a little bit early given all the other senior players who’re walking out.
Throw in the imminent talks with John Lundstram, and we suspect these three will remain the core of Steven Gerrard’s Rangers legacy at Ibrox.
No matter what happens between now and the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden.
