Philippe Clement has been told he is talking ‘in riddles’ after what the Rangers boss said about Danilo in midweek.
The Brazilian injured his knee in a clash against Hearts last December and endured a long and arduous recovery process as documented on his social media.
He has worked his way back into recent matchday squads for Rangers though, having missed every single competitive Gers game in 2024.
Danilo was named on the bench for the Dynamo Kyiv Champions League third round qualifier second leg on Tuesday night and fans hoped he’d be able to get some minutes.
But attention then turned to a clip posted on X before the match showing Danilo limping out of the Hampden tunnel.
It sparked fears that the forward is still not quite fit enough and the question was then put to Clement after the 2-0 defeat to the Ukrainians.
The Belgian responded saying Danilo has always walked like this and stressed to Rangers fans that there is nothing to be concerned about.
But his bizarre explanation doesn’t wash with former Rangers defender Craig Moore who thinks Clement has been talking ‘a little bit round in circles’ of late.
Craig Moore says Clement ‘talking in circles’
Moore told The Go Radio Football Show: “Look, I know Danilo’s been out seven months – that’s the whole start of injury and end of injury. But there’s obviously work you’re doing in between that to get yourself ready to play and be involved in matches.
“Surely the club have got him to that stage? I understand managing matches and minutes, all that sort of stuff. But the only way to get up his match minutes is by giving him match minutes!
“For me, it’s in riddles a little bit. The selection process, that’s why the manager is being paid the big money but at the same time, you’re there to be questioned when people see these scenarios.
“I mean, Danilo at £5.5m or whatever Rangers paid for him, I think he’s a good player. He looked as if he was starting to find his feet before he got his injury.
“Is he going to be a prolific goal-scorer? I never had that feeling. There’s a lot of hard work that lies ahead but again for me, I loved Clement at the start because he was very easy to understand.
“He was very direct and very assured – it was uncomplicated. Whereas I just feel recently, he’s talking a little bit round in circles and sometimes that can trip you up.”
Clement’s Danilo explanation in full
Initially confused by the line of questioning, Clement then clarified the situation: “Danilo always had that kind of walk. Look at the moment when he came into the club here.
“I’ve been watching him a long time. I wanted to get him to Brugge when he was in Ajax when he was not playing there and he had that walk also at that moment.
“So no one needs to worry about that. There is nothing going on with him. And today I wanted to put him in, that was the idea, but then the circumstances of the game where not there.
“But people will see him the next couple of weeks, they don’t need to worry about that. It’s just about seven months out that you need time to gain match fitness and then the right moments to get these minutes.
“It depends also from the scenarios of the game in that situation.”
