Philippe Clement has addressed his latest press conference ahead of Rangers’ Scottish Premiership clash with Motherwell.
The Ibrox gaffer has been touching on those injuries to Kemar Roofe & John Lundstram, speaking about the club’s chances in north Lanarkshire, and touching on the tough festive run-in for his players.
Here’s every word from the Ibrox manager’s press conference as Philippe Clement and Rangers ready an early kick off against Motherwell at Fir Park.
Philippe Clement press conference – Motherwell v Rangers
Starting on injuries again it feels like we’re talking about that a lot…
“So we’re not going to do that then?”
Sorry, I’ve got to. What’s the update with John Lundstram & Kemar Roofe, do we know anymore than after the game on Wednesday?
“That they’re both available for Sunday (Motherwell). To say how long it’s difficult for the moment it’s quite early after this game where you need to make a good analysation with results and scans and all those things so we cannot say much more for the moment.”
Is there a hope though that it might not be longer term with the two of them, that perhaps it might just be a week or a few weeks?
“I always have hope but I need to get the results about the scan so there is nothing more to say for the moment.”
For Sunday could be we see anyone else returning, a Ryan Jack or anyone else?
“No, no, normally not. So we stop now about injuries? We’re going to speak about football now.”
Your midfield options at the moment, we saw (Dujon) Sterling play in the midfield in the Cup Final, did really well was awarded player of the match, is that something we could see again on Sunday?
“I cannot say there are a lot of options. No it’s every game looking at what’s the best options for the team and that’s a strong point. I think what the team has been doing, what the players have been doing, if somebody has to play in a position that he was not used to, he gives his best, he gives everything. And the good thing is also that the story is clear in every position in what to do, so if people have to play in a position they know also what to do there with and without the ball. So if you look back on this period until now, there are several players who did a really important job for the team in that way. So we are in a situation that we need to continue by doing that, by being creative.”
Just wanted to get your thoughts on playing on Christmas Eve, it’s something which hasn’t been seen in Scotland in a while. It’s that something you’ve done before in your playing and managing career?
“Yes, it’s because of the supporters and because of broadcast I think, that a lot of people can watch. In Belgium once we played also 26th, we played games, that was the last game before the winter break last couple of years. So that’s not something really new. For me, I love football so I don’t mind if there’s a lot of football but of course I want enough recuperation time in between. So it’s a heavy schedule for the moment but the players are coping well and they’re working hard to be ready for every game.”
And just finally from me, you said the players are coping well, they have done so well in this hectic festive schedule, how important is it to keep the mentality right here after a huge week here, you have to keep it right at the top.
“It’s crucial. It’s all about mentality, the rest they’ve shown, but also about mentality because if the mentality drops, all the rest drops also. So it stays crucial and to win this marathon yeah you need to be consistent and yeah of course there will be one moment that we are going to lose points. I am realistic, I am not naive. But yeah we need to push every time to get these three points and also in the way we want to do it, not to play negative football and just counter attacks and really being dominant. What I said two months ago, that’s the football I want to see. And that’s the story that all the players stepped in and if they’re not playing in their best position they are doing the job also there to play dominant football so I’m happy until now about that. It’s a big period, still four games, a lot of points to win or to lose, winter break coming, winter camp coming also, that’s going to be really interesting for me, also to train more with the team, to speak more with the team, with the individual talks, and then you have the January transfer market also. So that’s important that the players show themselves that they’re ready for the second part of the season.”
On Kemar Roofe’s injury, it’s another setback for him, how disappointing is that and what have you kind of said to him?
“The most disappointing is for him. Because he’s doing everything to avoid it. He felt really good. We’re now assessing what can be the reason, and to look very deep, very much into detail, to find solutions for him, together with him. So everybody is really disappointed for Kemar, because for him it’s the worst thing.”
That leaves you with just Cyriel (Dessers) as your only fit recognised striker at the moment, does that change your plans for January in terms of that position?
“We will discuss this in the club. We will first see what is the situation with Kemar (Roofe) and how long he will be out. That’s also important, to make good decisions.”
Philippe he looked very emotional coming off the pitch at the weekend, is that a big part of your job now is to just be the support for him and keeping his spirits high?
“Of course it was a big blow, so he’s so hungry, he did everything, he was coming in getting his minutes. Did a good job, trained well, got his moment to start, what he was waiting for. That’s normal that the disappointment is that big. I understand, I also had moments like that in my career. At that moment you feel that the sky drops on your head, it is what it is, now it’s about looking for solutions.”
How have you kept the players that have been injured, how have you kept them involved and how have you kept their spirits up?
“They are always in our meetings so I want them also that they’re involved in that way, that they understand what we did good, what we did wrong, what we can work on. So that they’re not like three, four, six, eight weeks out and step back inot a story that they were not thinking about anymore. So that’s an important thing. And for me, and they know, everybody has the same importance. If you start or if you’re not playing or if you’re injured, it’s about one family together. So we win and we lose together and players (who) are now important can be maybe not in a few months if they’re injured so others who are injured now they can be very important in a few weeks, in a few months so it’s living together and doing the maximum to get the best results altogether, so one big family.”
You said on Wednesday night (v St Johnstone) that John (Lundstram) had been kicked off the pitch, is that a longer frustration that you’ve had with a number of challenges on your players since you’ve been in Scottish football?
“To be honest not, no. I didn’t see a difference from other leagues but I said something after that game, and I said also that I was boiling, because everybody’s seen the tackle on John (Lundstram) and it’s a red card and ok the red card is given. So you’re not happy that one of your players is kicked off the field. But I said also after the game that Kieran Dowell was really lucky. I don’t know if you guys looked back at that image, that was even worse than the red card on (John) Lundstram. So it was about that and for the rest of the game, nothing to say about crazy tackles or crazy things that happened on the pitch. So I don’t want to say that Motherwell or another team or the Scottish league is more brutal or whatever, but the action with Kieran Dowell I can see after the game and now very sure, I saw it on the bench already, but when I see it afterwards it’s a very dangerous tackle. If his foot is on the ground his leg is broken. So, that I want to avoid. I think I want to avoid that with my players, I think every manager wants to avoid that with his players, so also managers of other teams. If I see a tackle like that from team, that player is in trouble also. I don’t want to see these tackles and I think everybody who loves football (doesn’t) want to see them.”
Just to confirm Philippe, you don’t think that’s an overriding problem in Scottish football?
“No, no, no I don’t think so. I don’t see a difference with France, or with Belgium, or with Premier League, no.”
Philippe I wanted to ask you about how pleased you with your defence? I think that’s three goals conceded in nine games in the leagues and also conceding fewer chances than anyone else in the league, you must be pretty pleased with the start they’ve made?
“It’s important eh? We have a lot of clean sheets, if you have a clean sheet you are really close by winning games because with the way we are playing we will always create chances, we will always have chances to score goals so you’re close to the three points. And for me the most important thing is that the players understand with our more offensive way of playing we defend also better and that they understand what to do. Of course there has been some mistakes and we get some goals against that we could avoid but I see also the players really concentrated to not do it two times or three times. And it’s not only about defence, or Jack (Butland), who is also a really good goalkeeper of course, but also the work that midfield is doing, the work that the strikers are doing, it’s really a team effort.”
That’s got to be pleasing then that with all the changes in midfield that you’re still able to create that defensive structure with three, four, five different players in front of the defence?
“Yes that’s crucial in football eh, that you keep a good structure all the time and that the players understand, but it’s because of them. Because they are really focused in every meeting to do the right things and they’re really focused every game until now to do the right things together to so all the praise is towards them.”
Philippe can I ask how far down the road you are with January signings?
“It’s simple in that way. As long as there are no signings you can be that far on the road that you want, you don’t know how long the road is. So, as long as no-body’s in the building, that there are no medical exams made and that the paper is not signed, you’re nowhere. So it’s always like that. I have seen somethings going really fast in the past, sometimes you think everything is ok and another team gets the player gets the player in the last second or something, or his heart kicked out, so those things happen, so we will see. The moment that something is signed, I can promise you guys, one second later you will know.”
Have you got a target in mind as to how many you would like to bring in in January? Because you always hear managers say that it is quite a tricky transfer window to try and bring players in.
“First point is that it’s not mind, it’s our mind. So those are decisions that we make together with the board and that we discuss and those are interesting discussions. We have the same mindset for January, all of us, so everybody is going to go full to reach our goal in that way, like we do every game and we ask every game to the players. So we will see if we can reach our goal. About that, you of course never have guarantees but everybody is working really hard for that.”
Can I ask you a question? You might have heard Nick Montgomery the Hibs manager is going to be mic’d up during a game and he’s going to speak to the Sky Sports commentator whilst they’re televising their game, your thoughts on that, would you fancy it?
“No, also because I am saying things during the game to my players that I don’t want that other teams hear. So for me it’s not a good idea no. Or I speak with my staff about images that I want during half-time or what I want that we do and sometimes I also say things that are less nice so it’s better not to do that.”
Surely no swearing?
Surely not, surely not.
Can I ask you a very final question from me, just in terms of your Christmas plans, not your Christmas plans, the squad’s Christmas plans, will they be in on Christmas Day given that you’re playing on Christmas Eve?
“Yeah, they will be in. We will have training or recovery.”
St Johnstone came to Ibrox on Wednesday night, played a very low block, two banks of five, very difficult to break down, do you expect Motherwell to do something similar on Sunday or because they’re the home team maybe they’ll come out a wee bit more and give you a wee bit more space?
“I expect everything. So we always prepare the team with different scenarios, not for one, because I don’t want my team to be surprised in whatever way. So it doesn’t matter what is the plan on the other side, (but) that we are ready to do what we have to do in that case and it’s about small details that are different in that way but I always try to prepare my team for every scenario.”
