Ex Rangers boss Alex McLeish is backing former Monaco and Club Brugge manager Philippe Clement to have the ‘right mentality’ to succeed at the Scottish Premiership giants.
If Rangers are serious about clawing back the gap between themselves and Old Firm rivals Celtic, a coach with no fewer than three league titles on his CV could certainly go a long way to moving the needle in the right direction.
Philippe Clement arguably has the greatest track record of any of the coaches on Rangers’ managerial shortlist. He guided Club Brugge to the Jupiler League title twice, won the same competition at Genk, and then guided Monaco to a third-place finish in France’s top flight back in 2022.
Philippe Clement wants to be Rangers manager
“It’s a tough job, to come in and get Rangers up to a level that the fans expect,” McLeish, who knows a thing or two about succeeding at Ibrox, tells STV Sport.
“We know that you can get managers coming in and resurrecting the situation, but it is a tough job for anyone. And, if the recruitment is not right, then it makes it even more difficult.
“Philippe will definitely have the right mentality, with having that success behind him he will be confident. He’s young enough to come in and take the lead.”
Clement, 49 years of age and without a club since his departure from Monaco, is reportedly ‘extremely interested’ in taking over at Ibrox. He and his representatives are now in London for talks with Rangers chairman John Bennett and chief executive James Bisgrove (TEAMtalk).
Nicolas Raskin is also a big fan
McLeish, however, insists that Clement will only succeed in taking Rangers back to the top of the tree if he is given sufficient backing by those behind the scenes, a summer of poor recruitment rapidly pulling the rug from under Mick Beale’s feet.
“Does he have the right recruitment?” McLeish asks. “Can he look at the players that are there and improve them with his style of play or managerial skills? That will be the key or Rangers will have to go into their purse again and look for more money for other players.”
Nicolas Raskin, the former Standard Liege ace who knows Clement from their time together in Belgium, has also given the one-time Coventry City defender his seal of approval.
