Brendan Rodgers reckons Rangers have lost a ‘really good manager’ in the shape of Philippe Clement.
The Celtic manager was speaking after Rangers sacked Clement over the weekend, the 2-0 defeat to St Mirren the final straw for an exhausted Gers support.
In that history-making result at Ibrox, Philippe Clement also blew the chance to cut the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership to ten points.
A failure to capitalise on Celtic’s earlier defeat to Hibs only added to the pressure with Barry Ferguson now heading up a Rangers dream team until the end of the season.
- READ MORE: Barry Ferguson made a claim about Brendan Rodgers’ management, now he has chance to prove it
Brendan Rodgers pays tribute to Philippe Clement
Brendan Rodgers has been reacting to the sacking of Philippe Clement and admits that when you’re not on top in Glasgow, the pressure will usually tell.
Celtic are all teed up for a sixth treble in nine years with Philippe Clement winning just one of the six trophies he competed in, and didn’t even have to play Celtic in the one his team lifted.
But despite the Belgian’s shortcomings the Parkhead boss has paid tribute to Philippe Clement as a ‘really good manager’ in his own right.
”Sadly obviously Philippe has left,” Rodgers told Sky Sports. “He’s already proven that he’s a really good manager before he came into Rangers.
”He had a really good record, managed great clubs and yeah sadly for him it hasn’t worked out how he would have wanted.”
The Parkhead manager believes that in order to protect your position at Rangers or Celtic, you must ensure that you are consistently on top.
That’s not something Clement managed to do over his time in Glasgow.
“I think you have to ensure that you are the dominant team,” Rodgers explained.
”Otherwise Celtic and Rangers, the expectation is relentless and you have to win.”
Celtic refusing to get carried away amid Rangers upheaval
The Celtic manager is also refusing to get too carried away with what is happening at Rangers.
Whilst the Parkhead boss spoke before Barry Ferguson was announced as interim Rangers coach, Rodgers insists all the focus at our Old Firm rivals is on themselves
”I think it’s the nature of the game here in Glasgow,” said Rodgers.
”With the two teams you have to be the team that’s winning. I was very clear on that when I came here in 2016 and my second spell as well.
”For us my focus is very much on Celtic so we have to ensure as a team and as a football club we have continual growth and improvement.
”Anything else that happens outside of that we can’t overthink that, just focus on ourselves.”
