Philippe Clement has explained that Rangers are in the process of rebuilding and that the transfer window will be a busy one.
The Gers squad he inherited was a mess and, between the players out of contract and those expected to leave, there will be a lot of movement.
Having squeazed everything he can out of a squad that is hanging by a thread, Philippe Clement will be hoping that one Rangers legend’s hopes are met by the board.
Rangers plea to give money to Philippe Clement for rebuild
Graeme Souness was involved in the process of picking the current manager and, for all that he wasn’t the former boss’ first pick, he has given his backing as he looks to close the gap on Celtic.
It helps that Souness has been a manager himself rather than a pundit who reall doesn’t understand the pressures involved.
Speaking on Talksport, he was quick to defend not just Philippe Clement, but also the players:
“I’m hoping this window the club somehow finds the dosh to support him and he can get some of the players in that he knows and trusts and will make the difference in the league next season, but I would not be critical of the manager or the players right now.
“He’s getting a tune out of those players. They slipped up badly at Ross County and Dundee and that’s why it all came down to Saturday’s game.”
Graeme Souness is right, to an extent, but mainly in his defence of the Rangers manager.
The point that he is making about the players can be taken a few ways.
Clement is getting a tune out of the players.
The issue is that the players aren’t good enough to achieve what the club wants to.
Is that their fault?
No.
Clement nails fundamental Rangers problem
Philippe Clement has clearly not been happy with how his team has played against Celtic and complained about the slow starts that Rangers have made, but gave an insight into his understanding of the situation:
“I think the players can make the changes now. It’s not something that happens in every game, it didn’t happen in the Benfica game, for example, and I still think that the quality of the Benfica team is better than the Celtic squad.
“So, the players [started well] there, so we know that they can do it.
“Have we missed some decisive players? In the last game, yes. It’s a big list and a lot of quality. You cannot forget that.
“You can ask players who would normally be second or third choice when you have a full squad to be starters, and then expect them to have the same level as the rest – that’s maybe a bridge too far.
“We touched the ceiling at that moment and you have to work hard to learn how to adapt and become better as a player and a team.”
Players who aren’t as good tend to be more inconsistent and this is the problem Clement has.
As Souness said, he has been getting a tune out of the players, but there is only so much that can be achieved with a limited squad that is so imbalanced and riddled with injuries.
Does that mean that they shouldn’t get criticised though? Absolutely not.
The reason is, even with injuries and playing with the second, third or even fourth choice options, there should still be enough quality to beat teams like Ross County, Motherwell and Dundee.
It is these games that have cost Rangers the league and it was the players who were responsible.
