Philippe Clement has addressed his latest press conference as Rangers prepare to potentially top the Scottish Premiership against Ross County.
But even if the Gers achieve the feat, the club’s manager insists it is just another game with no-one inside Ibrox looking at the league table as things stand.
Should Rangers overcome Ross County by more than two clear goals then they will shoot to the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
It’s got fans tremendously excited and Philippe Clement has been talking about the situation, player injuries, team bonding sessions and everything in between in a pre-match press conference.
Philippe Clement press conference – Rangers v Ross County
How is Leon Balogun and the rest of the squad?
“Leon trained with a mask. We still need to make some adjustments with the mask. That’s always normal, I have some experience with that getting some knocks. So yeah we will see tomorrow how he is, if he can be in the squad or not.”
Is everyone else ok?
“Ryan Jack will not be in the squad because he is still in a kind of individual programme to rebuild him.”
What are your general thoughts then ahead of this game and the type of challenge that lies ahead?
“That it’s the same challenge of the last couple of months. That we will have to break open the wall, to be really focused, to have really good tempo on the ball, to be decisive at enough moments, and not to give away chances in transitions and set pieces and on throw-ins and those kind of things.”
This is the second league game in a row you’ve faced a team under a new manager, does that change anything in terms of your approach?
“Yeah that you need to see if somebody else comes in what are their ideas. That’s in this case less clear because it’s not somebody who worked before as a first-team coach or a long time thing. I don’t think there will be big surprises and the good thing is, like I’ve said it already several times, we have now not long, it’s only four months now, but experiences together if other teams play in other formations what we have to do. So the team knows and they are prepared, and we speak about that and we show them so there cannot be a surprise about that. And we know the players of them also so we know their strong points and where their weaker points are so that’s the most important.”
You’ve said many times you’re not interested in title race talk, or league tables, or the chance to go top. It’s a lot harder to protect the fans from that I suppose, what does that do the occasion and what does that do for your players?
“About what?”
The noise, the expectation levels within the stadium, they probably turn up knowing that it’s a big game. You can protect your players from that up to a point. Can it add something to the noise levels?
“No, because if fans are excited it’s only as good thing. It gives energy. But we’re only busy with our own game and Ross County, that’s the only thing. So it’s good for the players also for sure a few months ago it was another kind of noise when they came on the pitch and they didn’t like that one. So this one they like and already from the last games, so that’s a positive thing.”
These home matches, how crucial will they be?
“Of course important but away games also. If we only win the home games and we lose points in the away games we will not reach our goals. So all the games are important and I know I am quite a boring guy about that because I repeat myself a lot. But it’s just, it’s the only way and I know. It’s the only way to have success, if you’re mindset is like that. So I will keep my mindset because I want to win things and I will see that my players keep that mindset also.”
You’ve obviously won titles in Belgium, in terms of your experience then what were the characteristics of the squad to get it over the line?
“To be ambitious, to be consistent, to be hungry, to be united, also very important. There we had also a really special system, I don’t know if you guys know that because we have playoffs there and it changed every few years the system. But normally it’s 10 games, the first six play against each other home and away. But the points are divided by two so we had a season that I think it was 20 points in front of the rest before playoffs. So you start the playoff with 10 points and we lost the first game so it was seven points, so you go from 20 to seven in one day. That was special also to keep everybody calm in the club and the players so, no it’s interesting and these dynamics are really interesting. So until now I am really happy the focus of my team and they understand that just the next game is important.”
Just how hungry are this squad?
“Until now very so we need to keep it that way, so it’s important we don’t give them too much food and they stay hungry.”
Ross are a fragile club – how much will you be urging your team to be relentless given goal difference can be a factor?
“I don’t like this when you say teams are fragile or whatever. Players always have their pride. Also people who get a chance to be coached suddenly. I was interim when a coach was sacked so you were super motivated and you give everything day and night. So we expect a tough game like always, and that we need to make the game, that we need to break open the wall, that we need to be really good with and without the ball, and focused on that. And Ross County also took seven new players in in the winter break so they’re also not the same team that they were in the first round of the league.”
The last couple of games you’ve made a lot of changes, do you have a lot of confidence in the options you have?
“It’s different. I have the confidence otherwise I would not do the changes and I know it’s the only way to be ready for all the challenges that we face. So I think it’s around 14 weeks still to go and if our season is exceptional it will be 24 games in that period plus maybe two international games for the internationals also so it will be almost every two days a game so we need everybody ready. And it’s crucial to win things, sometimes it’s a player who didn’t play all season and he’s just five minutes on the pitch can make a difference by winning a trophy or not. And we’re preparing everybody to be ready for the story so that’s why you need to make changes also.”
Is this the strongest the squad has felt in your time here?
“It’s difficult for me to say, because it’s always a momentum of a game. So I don’t think our last game was our best game so I don’t have this feeling now for the moment. I hope I have it after the game tomorrow.”
Would you like to get to the point where you play the same nine or ten players every week or has modern football stopped that?
“I think modern day football stops that. You see with all the top teams in Europe that it’s not the case anymore and if we speak then about ten games in a row with the same XI in modern day football with only two days in between recovery with all the physical abilities they need to put in every game you will never have the best team no. That’s why you need a bigger squad and a bigger squad that has the same level, so they need to have the experience together also.”
Saw a video of Leon Balogun’s Instagram story with him and Diomande have banter about AFCON – do you feel like now there is a special bond between players?
“For sure, and we’ve been working on that also. I even appointed a day a few weeks that I wanted them to go out together and they did and they had a lot of fun. And it was a lot of fun two days after also when it was training. So those are things also very important. Connection between people is so crucial. They need to work hard together but they need to count on each other also. They need to be there when somebody makes a fall. So it’s very important to have these human relationships also. In that way it’s a really amazing dressing room for the moment. Also the new players said it already in their interviews, it’s also a really nice place to come into for the moment. It’s good that they have the example for the beginning of the season when it was much more difficult between them and there was much more stress. So sometimes when I feel it is necessary I remind them still a little bit about that. It’s two different worlds but they need to keep in heaven like they are now with their feet on the ground. And that’s the case – there is a lot of fun but there is a lot of hard work as well.”
Squad rotation being as it is do you think we’re finally starting to see the four pillars being improved that you touched upon at the start of the season?
“Yes but I am not satisfied about that or something. I think there’s still a lot of potential for sure in that way to grow. That’s why I’m looking forward to have a preparation with the team, to really bring them to another level. I’m convinced that it’s possible with the players that are in the building now but it’s difficult to create that during a season with every three days game. We are growing, we are getting better, I think it’s clear for everybody, it’s also clear in the data. That there is more distance run, there are more sprints, there is more high intensity than a few months ago but we’re not at our top. You need a really good preparation to go to the next level. In this level we are pushing things to make it better and I think it will be better at the end of the season also. If they keep freshness. If I stay with the same squad playing all the time with the same eleven, twelve players, then they will be tired at the end of the season.”
How much have the stats improved over the last couple of months?
“How much in percentage, I cannot say that but it’s maybe an interesting thing that I’ll check for and maybe we can give you.”
It’s that something you’ve stressed to the players?
“No it’s what you do in training and win the game and where you put standards and what you want them to do. We’re not a reactive team, we’re an active team and that’s what we want to see. We want to be a dominant team with a lot of movement without ball and with a lot of movement and direct reaction after losing ball. So in that way, naturally the data goes up. It’s been in every team like that.”
How important has it been having experience players like Leon Balogun and Todd Cantwell in welcoming the new signings?
“It’s important and it’s difficult for me to point out one or two players because they are with a lot now doing that. And it’s not only here in the building but also outside when new guys come in to say where is a nice area to live, where can you go to buy that in Glasgow or whatever, or to go on a restaurant one moment with them when they are alone here. There are a lot of small things that’s been done in the group now and that shows also this group of individuals has become a team. And they feel now it’s a really nice life in the team. Even after every day you feel when they come in the building they’re happy to be here, they’re happy to be back. Doesn’t have to say anything that they’re not happy to be home, I don’t want to have a problem with their missus, but no there is a really good vibe and out that the other things come. So it’s important that everybody stays with his head in the same place and with their feet also.
When you get home on Wednesday night how satisfying will it be if Rangers are top?
“I will not look at the league table, I will be happy if we won the game. That’s the only thing.”
