For two years, Rangers have had to endure an injury list that would see most sane managers turn down the chance to come to such a prestigious club.
Philippe Clement was brave enough and has even gone as far as to back himself as Gers boss to fix even those with the thickest of medical files.
So why has there never been any mention of the players sitting in the stands at Ibrox due to injury and the depleted Rangers squads but now that Celtic are second in the league, it is an acceptable excuse.
Only one team using injury as an excuse and it’s not Rangers
First there was Michael Stewart speaking on BBC Sportsound, then we saw Mark Wilson telling Sky Sports and now, Charlie Mulgrew on Clyde Superscoreboard.
They have Alan Johnston, Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers out of their first-team squad unavailable.
Three players.
Rangers have Kemar Roofe. Abdallah Sima, Danilo, Rabbi Matondo and Kieran Dowell all unavailable.
For a start, that’s four of our best forwards, two of which would almost certainly start.
When Philippe Clement strode with a purpose up the marble staircase, the treatment room queue was in double figures.
He’s had to change formation in Europe, find a new role for Dujon Sterling – that he has excelled in – as well as see John Lundstram be partnered by seven different players in the engine room.
Connor Goldson has had a similar issue at the back, his partner has frequently been the other centre-half who is fit to start.
Ross McCausland is probably one player who you won’t here complaining about the injuries to Rabbi Matondo, Scott Wright, Abdallah Sima and Zak Lovelace though, without them, he wouldn’t have been given his chance to impress.
Clement has never used it as an excuse, instead, he has got more out of the players that he has available.
Control the controllables.
Celtic will strengthen when their injured players return, as we did when Tom Lawrence became available for selection again – quality makes a difference.
But, if they think all of their current problems will instantly go away – they haven’t been paying attention to what has been going on at Rangers over the last two years until Philippe Clement arrived.
