GIOVANNI van Bronckhorst reportedly vowed to turn things round at Rangers in a final meeting with the board before being sacked.

It's claimed the Dutchman was confident he could change the mood at Ibrox on the return of domestic action following the World Cup break.

Insider Marcel van der Kraan today revealed he had spoken to Van Bronckhorst before he was dismissed with the manager expecting to return to work at Ibrox after a family holiday.

And the journalist told Sky Sports News that Van Bronckhorst had assured the board that he could turn things round at Rangers in one of his final meetings with the board of directors.

Van der Kraan claims Van Bronckhorst was quizzed on whether he could steady the ship at Ibrox with growing discontent among supporters over results and performances.

And it's suggested that Van Bronckhorst was certain he could with the World Cup break offering an opportunity to get players back to fitness and ready for the second-half of the season.

Asked if Van Bronckhorst was still confident in his ability to achieve success at Rangers, Van der Kraan said: "Absolutely. He had a discussion with the directors and they asked him that question and he said, 'Yes, I can turn it round'. He was very confident.

"And he has turned it around in the past in Holland as I said, he was looking forward to coming back."

Van der Kraan added: "Well, I spoke to him just before he was actually sacked and he was still very hopeful that he would be in charge because he felt if he could get a couple of investments with some new players, some strengthening of the side he could turn things round.

The journalist - who is close with Van Bronckhorst - went on to state the Dutchman was left bitterly disappointed to be dismissed.

Van der Kraan also theorised that the decision may have come from the very top as he cited his own personal "feeling" that the owners made the final call.

He continued: "Gio thought in the World Cup they could recharge the batteries and the fitness of the players and everything can go back to normal. So I think he is very disappointed that they did make that decision.

"I have a feeling that the decision wasn't made by the directors but by the investors and the owners. I think the owners react quick to the fans.

"Gio is a grown-up manager, he's been in football for many years and he's been there as a players and he said if the fans go against you, I know it's going to be difficult because that's a momentum for the board of directors or board of owners.

"It's difficult for them to go against the fans and maybe that was the biggest problem for him, that the atmosphere wasn't right anymore."

READ MORE: