Rangers not only ran out of quality last season due to the squad that Philippe Clement inherited but also because of the number of injuries that he had to endure too.
The most frustating thing was that it was players who were needed who were injured the most, players who would have been starting in European games and Old Firm derbies.
The light isn’t quite at the end of the tunnel, however, the manager will have been delighted to see three Rangers regulars back on the turf at Auchenhowie and training with the squad.
Rangers trio return will be huge boost for Philippe Clement
Some of the players who have already left were frequent visitors to the treatment room which is a positive start.
Nils Koppen’s recruitment plan also seems to be heavily weighted in favour of players who are at the beginning of their careers and with no thick medical files.
Speaking at the end of last season before the Scottish Cup final, Clement explained the extent of the problems he faced and why it was unacceptable:
“Every team in the world, if you have nine players who are possibly starting eleven players who are not available, for every team in the world it is a difficult.
“I hear the same thing if one or two players of the Celtic team were missing during the season, that it was such a massive thing that they were back.
“We had nine. We have for tomorrow eleven that are missing.
“That is for me a major thing that we need to change for next season that these things don’t happen. It is the foundation of the house that we need to make.”
Injury problems were the root of Rangers failings last season
Clement is right. It doesn’t matter what players are in the squad if they are never available for selection.
Kemar Roofe and Ryan Jack should have been starting most weeks but were never available and Filip Helander was even worse before he left last summer.
This year players on big wages like those already mentioned and Ben Davies, Rabbi Matondo and Danilo couldn’t be relied upon, but the latter was unlucky with the injuries he received through no fault of his own.
Thankfully, Danilo, Oscar Cortes and Connor Goldson were all seen back in training on the pitch at the training ground and they won’t be far away from full fitness.
Danilo and Cortes in particular were huge misses last season when their goals and creativity could have made a difference.
Goldson’s future is still unclear but being fit will at least enhance Rangers chances of being able to move him on, if that is indeed the plan.
Rangers need to have more of their best players available more often.
Steps have been taken to improve the chances of this and Philippe Clement will be hoping that Danilo and Cortes can make the sort of contribution that they looked like they were capable of last season.
