Rangers manager Philippe Clement claims he was “proud” of his players for their second half comeback v Celtic.
There remains plenty of questions following Rangers’ 3-3 draw with their arch rivals but things could’ve been so much worse for the Ibrox side.
In a drastic first half Rangers were behind within 30 seconds and were 2-0 down by the time John Beaton blew his whistle for half-time.
As a result of the fightback, which saw Rangers draw level at 2-2 before conceding immediately afterwards, Clement branded his side the “moral winners”.
Discussing everything from the referee to “moral winner” Rabbi Matondo, here’s Philippe Clement’s post-match Celtic press conference in full.
Philippe Clement post-match press conference Rangers v Celtic
How did you view the afternoon?
“I think you guys are really happy to see games like that. I was not so happy about the beginning, clearly. My Scottish assistant has a word for that but I’ll not use it in a press conference. It’s the worst scenario you can have in an Old Firm game to go behind after one minute, also in the way we went behind. So that’s a big blow in that moment for the team, for the fans, for everything. Afterwards we didn’t go down but we were not good enough on the ball. It was also a special situation with the wind. It was difficult to play really good combination play but we didn’t manage to do enough. We had a few chances still in the first half to score, Celtic had also a few. It’s a pity because this team comes back. I think every manager in the world, every player in the world, wants this rule to be changed. Because I know with the rule it’s a penalty now, but if a ball is brought in at that speed in front of goal and it’s touched by the head and it’s deflected and you jump up and that moment you see that it’s deflected you want to take your arm away but it touches your arm, with the rules now, it’s a penalty. So I have nothing to say about the decision about the referee, or VAR, or anything, but everybody who is playing football say, ‘phew, too many penalties are given in that without a good purpose for it’. So that’s frustrating to go 0-2 into half time, it could’ve been 1-2 then you hope in that way to stay in the game. And then the second half we showed our real face, I think. We showed the real things that I want to see, this never stopping team that has a lot of resilience, that has a lot of hunger, desire, to change the result. To do the right things, to create chances, not to give away chances and then it became, for you guys, crazy scenario. For us the scenario that I wanted. Not with the 2-2 and then with the 2-3 of course, but we clearly deserve at least a point today with what we’ve shown. I think at the end the moral winners of this afternoon. Because a few months ago for sure not this team could’ve reacted after 0-2 in an Old Firm and I don’t know if many teams of the past could’ve done it. So it’s a hard thing in a very important game like this to go 0-2 behind, to also feel the disappointment of your fans when you go in halftime in the dressing room, to turn that around. And because of that I’m really proud of my boys.”
How big did halftime feel?
“It’s crucial, of course. It’s crucial to change the mindset in that moment. If you stick in the past you can never come back and for sure not in the way that they did. Because it could’ve been a victory also today, eh? And we’re really unlucky about that. Again, it’s a small fault yes, it’s a little bit disappointing that it’s 60m or 70m away from the goal but those are the rules so VAR did a good in that although I would’ve preferred they didn’t do a good job in that way, but it is what it is.”
Did James Tavernier lead by example?
“Yeah but they all leaded by example. It’s difficult I don’t pick only Tav out, because I prefer he doesn’t make these mistakes in the first minute also. But he showed a personality yes to take the penalty and also to take the penalty in that way. With really big conviction, desire to score the goal and to put the perfect penalty. It’s not easy and a lot of players break after making a fault like that in the beginning of the game. He has the capacity to switch on again and to be even more hungry to make the difference.
Brendan Rodgers didn’t like Rangers penalty award, what do you think?
“What was your view on it?
I thought it was a penalty at the time…
“Aye, I think if somebody kicks your knee, phew, if that’s not a penalty any more OK yeah but everybody can have his opinion. I thought the referee and the VAR did really good job today although I was disappointed not getting this goal because of the small foul in the first half. And then this penalty situation of Connor, so I think we have much more reason to be unhappy about things but we are not because the referee and the VAR did a good job today and if it’s the case we have to say so also.”
How happy were you to see Rabbi Matondo score that goal?
It’s something we’ve been working on with him and with several players already for a couple of months. It’s not something you do it one time in training and then it happens. I try to use examples of good players to show my team things they can improve and OK this is one detail, there are many others. Kevin (de Bruyne) is a good example in that way, we show things also about David Beckham, who was also really good in that way. To go away of the goal and then putting this ball in control in the corners because for me it is one of the things that Rabbi missed in his game. He had chances to shoot and to show these qualities and that he missed too many opportunities like that because he is really difficult to defend with his feet and agility but there needs to be an end product. And that’s crucial. So I am really happy that it’s not the first time because last game he scored also like that. That he’s now understanding this part of the game. The game is about so many details, it’s our task as a coaching staff to let them learn a lot of details that they never thought about before, so I’m really happy for him and for the team.”
Two questions followed in Belgian:
Who has the upper hand in the title race?
“That’s nothing interesting for me. You guys can fill a lot of pages about that, for me one thing is important. We showed what we are about in the second because that’s why we’re the moral winners to come back in that way from 0-2. I don’t think it happened too much in Old Firm games. But now it’s putting focus on Dundee, big game again, and all the focus is on that, not on the ranking or the points, so you will not catching me saying these things or thinking these things the next couple of weeks. That’s something for maybe the last two, maybe the last game, but that depends on how many points other teams take. I don’t have any control over that. We’re going to go game by game with our squad.”
How closely are you watching the weather in Dundee?
“I’m not because it’s not my task. I try to control the controllable. I put all my energy attention, every second that my eyes are open, put my energy in that. I don’t control the weather forecast, I’m not a greenkeeper, groundsman, my wife knows, I’m really bad in that. I have other qualities and luckily I’m going to focus on that so those are also not our responsibilities, those are the responsibilities of Dundee and of the league also, to see that the product of football that you guys and the broadcast are paying a lot of money for, that it’s played in a normal way.”
What does the result say about this squad?
”It’s the symbol of it maybe and it’s a good reference game in that way. It’s not the first one, we had also others, but this is more significant because it’s an Old Firm game. It’s a game against a very good team, because Celtic are a very good team. So to react like that, it’s a huge thing, it’s a strong thing, and it’s the thing that I demand. I demand that from the first second I stepped into this building. I never want to see players giving up with their heads down, I always want them to fight in every situation. And they did already in the past but this is one is every bigger because of the importance of this game and the quality of the opponent. So this will give a lot of confidence, a lot of belief but it’s also important to stay humble and to be ready for the Dundee game and not to give belief to the opponents like we did today.”
