Things didn’t work out for Philippe Clement at Rangers and the general consensus was that he had run his course and had to go.
Gers fans reacted positively to Clement’s classy message to them last week as he finally broke his silence on his exit from the club.
And there was a realisation that the Belgian wasn’t working under the best circumstances with all the boardroom upheaval and lack of funding for transfers.
But it doesn’t really alter the fact that change was needed after back-to-back home defeats to Championship Queen’s Park and St Mirren.
It has since been claimed that Rangers players found training ‘repetitive’ under Clement and boring.
While the squad were also apparently baffled by a decision to bring Hamza Igamane on at left wing against Dundee United.
How Rangers players responded to Clement’s training message
Another claim has now been made about how Rangers players responded to the Belgian’s training.
It has been discussed in a Rangers Review article about the misuse of Mohamed Diomande, which also explored the Premier League trait uncovered in the midfielder.
Explaining Clement’s inability to get the best out of the Ivorian, they also look at his messaging to the squad as a whole.
And his constant focus on duels and direct play led to the hodgepodge on the pitch and Rangers’ inability to break teams down. It’s claimed players took his messages too literally as he struggled to get his message across.
The article states: “Under Clement the Ibrox side were a poor team on the ball for the share of possession they enjoyed. The manager’s constant messaging in training focused on duels, hitting space and attacking with speed. Big distances led to constant turnovers and incohesive spells of possession.
“There was a lot of work on automatisms to attack space but a distinct lack of routines to unpick low blocks and, crucially, build centrally through pressure and attack opponents who sat deep.
“One source also explained that a young group took messaging very literally in response to Clement’s coaching. Resulting in too many shots from distance (low xG zones), a loss of ‘game management’ and reluctance to control the game with possession.”
Clement’s Rangers message
Clement said in a statement recently: “Dear Rangers,
“It has taken me a few days to fully process and accept the end of my time at this exceptional club.
“I leave with a heavy heart, frustrated and disappointed that I couldn’t consistently bring the team to the level we all expected. I understand your frustrations, and I share them.
“We worked passionately, day and night, and while we faced challenges, I will never forget the many great moments we had together. Your unwavering support and the energy from the fans made those times truly special. In those moments, it felt like we were one big family.
“For that reason, Rangers will always hold a special place in my heart.
“Thank you,
“Philippe.”
