Hibs manager Nick Montgomery claims new Rangers boss Philippe Clement should’ve been sent off in his side’s comprehensive defeat at Ibrox.
The incoming Ibrox manager halted the English coach’s impressive start to life at Easter Road with a painful and fully deserved 4-0 battering in Glasgow.
But at the end of the game Nick Montgomery was in no mood for sentiment with regards Philippe Clement and his first match as Rangers manager.
The former Central Coast Mariners coach claims that his Rangers counterpart should’ve been sent off for coming on to the pitch in the first half to touch a ball which had not yet crossed the line.
The hurting Hibs manager even on to take the situation massively out of context by claiming that Rangers had 12 men on the park.
“Everyone can see that the ball had not gone out,” Nick Montgomery told BBC Sportsound (21/10) after the match. “I was standing on the line.
“Derek McInnes was sent off a couple of weeks ago when the ball actually HAD gone out and he stepped on the pitch, so you want consistency in everything.
“I felt today when that happened, it’s an incident where I don’t think I’d ever step on the pitch to control the ball.
“And if he had any doubt, there’s no way he steps on the pitch but from where I was the ball didn’t go out, the fourth official didn’t think it went out and then when that happens, you probably think it’s not gonna be your day.
“At that point, they’ve got 12 men on the pitch and that’s illegal.”
Hibs manager deflects in desperate Philippe Clement rant
It appears Nick Montgomery couldn’t resist taking a pop at Philippe Clement as his substandard Hibs team succumbed to a clearly superior Rangers at Ibrox.
Whilst he might have a point – Derek McInnes was shown red for stepping onto the pitch against Dundee – it’s not exactly the classiest post-match interview we’ll ever hear.
Rangers were far and away the better side and whilst the refereeing team were clearly prepared to give Philippe Clement the benefit of the doubt, Hibs manager Nick Montgomery was in no mood.
In fact, according to the Easter Road gaffer, who wheeled out the “we don’t expect anything at Ibrox” line, it’s just another example of the footballing Gods conspiring against him and his team.
“That’s not why we lost the game but I thought when that incident happened I was confused as to why it was allowed to happen,” said Montgomery.
“The worst thing about it was they got the throw in, and at Ibrox you don’t expect any favours but that’s not within the laws of the game so that was disappointing.
“I’m sure they’ll review that and be disappointed with the decision that they made but as I said, that’s not why we lost the game.
“We lost the game because of a sloppy first goal and after that we gave them a bit of momentum.
“Everyone wanted a party today and we helped them with that by giving away sloppy goals.”
We understand that this could be one of a handful of matches the new Hibs manager takes at Ibrox so we’re not surprised Nick Montgomery is so upset by Philippe Clement starting with a bang.
The ex-Sheffield United midfielder might’ve enjoyed a solid spell with Central Coast Mariners but the jury remains out on his staying power in Edinburgh.
Montgomery had won two and drawn three of his opening five matches as Hibs boss after replacing Lee Johnson at Easter Road.
