Rangers go into their biggest week of the season since the Champions League qualifiers knowing that wins against Spurs and Celtic would dramatically change the atmosphere around the club.
Philippe Clement knows that his position as manager is safe for now, however, he would be fighting a losing battle trying to argue that he is the man to deliver success if he doesn’t have a win against their bitter Old Firm rivals in over a year.
First up, is the small matter of Spurs at Ibrox though where Clement’s comments about the financial disparity not helping, even if the Rangers boss was largely positive on his hopes for the game.
Philippe Clement backs Rangers in Spurs test
Speaking after Rangers comfortable win over Ross County, Clement was in defiant mood despite his own claims about the financial gap:
“It’s a little bit different situation than the normal games we have, but we’re going to fight,” rallied the Gers gaffer.
“It’s really interesting in that way to see also with the squads what they can do at that level. It’s going to be a first test against a team of that magnitude and that quality of players.
“So, I’m really looking forward to that and you see physically, technically, the team is growing also in all the departments.
“Now, we’re going to see that against one of the best teams in the world. So, that’s going to be interesting.
“You can give every team a contest. My teams did it in the past against really big teams.
“I believe in this team that there’s a lot of quality and this is just the start of something with the squads.
“So, there’s a lot of potential in the squad if we can keep on working in this way and they keep focused in that way.
“So, for them, it’s also a really big test against Tottenham to see where we are at that level.
“So, I’m really looking forward to that, like I was in the past with other teams playing against much bigger teams.”
Can Clement walk the walk against Spurs?
Rangers have started to turn the corner and it will be intriguing to see how Clement sets his team up with the defeat to Lyon his only real marker for this type of game.
There seems to be an element of the support that has already made their minds up about the Belgian and, despite an upturn in results and performances, comments like the ones he made about the gulf in finances between Rangers and Celtic/Spurs only adds fuel to the fire.
Even if points are taken off Spurs and the Premier Sports Cup returns to the Ibrox trophy room, there will still be an 11 point gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership if Rangers win their game in hand.
There will always be an “ah but” regardless of how Rangers play or what Clement says.
As with his post-match comments against Ross County, Clement can’t blame anyone but himself until he starts winning the games that really matter.
