Giovanni van Bronckhorst has hit back at Brian Laudrup and branded comments from the Rangers legend as ‘stupid’ following criticism this week.

Laudrup claimed in a newspaper column that Van Bronckhorst looked like he had ‘given up a little bit’ following the defeat to St Johnstone on Sunday. 

That result saw Rangers fall seven points adrift of Celtic in the Premiership title race as pressure mounted on Van Bronckhorst and his underperforming Ibrox squad.

Laudrup was critical of the Dutchman’s body language on the touchline and insisted he ‘doesn't look like a manager who is certain he can turn things around’ as Rangers prepare for their final fixture before the break against Hearts and St Mirren. 

Van Bronckhorst was asked about Laudrup’s comments on Tuesday and said: “I have given up? I think that’s very easy and stupid thing to say from Brian. He knows the pressure is under. 

“I know I get a lot of questions about my body language but I don’t think it’s anything about body language. It’s about what you bring to the players inside.

“I get many questions about how I should be different on the sidelines but I am me, I am me. 

“I am not anyone else and the last thing we all need is people putting the pressure even higher by suggesting things which aren’t true. So I totally disagree with him.”