What Philippe Clement may paint as an example of his successes in the Rangers dugout this season, Michael Stewart frames as a weakness.
Does the Rangers boss deserve credit for his patient approach with Premiership newcomers Hamza Igamane and Clinton Nsiala? Or did he simply introduce a pair of last season’s summer signings too late in the day, their emergence eventually coming when the title was all-but lost already?
This is a debate which continues to divide many on the Ibrox terraces into two warring factions. Those in the pro-Clement camp will argue that it is because of the patience afford to them – Igamane and Nsiala given the time to adapt to Scottish football rather than being thrown in at the deep end – why Rangers are reaping the rewards now.
Clement is delighted with Hamza Igamane’s ‘evolution’ – 12 goals in 18 games now – while Nsiala has been a revelation in recent weeks.
Former Hearts and Hibernian midfielder Michael Stewart, however, is left with more questions than answers.
Particularly regarding Clement’s handling of Nsiala, in particular.
Philippe Clement criticised for delaying Clinton Nsiala’s introduction at Rangers
“See, for me, from what you’ve seen from Nsiala, it raises the question of; ‘Why, in the first half of the campaign, was he not used?’. Why is he not in the European squad?,” a sceptical Stewart asks, Nsiala left out of Rangers’ Europa League roster.
“There were games in the earlier part of the campaign where it was literally bare bones. They were shoving anybody in [at centre-back]. And you’re going; ‘Wait a minute, why’s [Nsiala] never been seen?’
“And, all of a sudden, he comes in when you’ve got nobody else and you think; ‘He looks alright!’
“Philippe Clement, see these things he now points to in terms of the teams moving forward, for me it actually highlights; ‘What were you thinking in the first part of the campaign? Why were they not being used?’.”
Stewart may have a point.
Before Nsiala made his long awaited Rangers debut against Dundee in January, Clement opted to field full-back Dujon Sterling at centre-half. Leon King was even picked ahead of the former AC Milan youngster off the bench during the 3-3 draw at Hibernian.
Nsiala’s first appearance on the Rangers teamsheet, while now looking like a masterstroke from the manager, only arose when John Souttar, Leon Balogun, Neraysho Kasanwirjo and the aforementioned Sterling were all unavailable.
“[You had] no other options, you had to use them, and now you’re holding them up as some sort of example of how things are progressing brilliantly,” Stewart adds, also questioning Clement’s handling of Igamane and the resurgent Ianis Hagi.
“Really, it makes me wonder about his judgement. Igamane, Nsiala and Hagi, three guys who were nowhere to be seen, two of them not in the European squad. These guys are making the team better.
“[Clement made] some poor decisions that the team has suffered for in the first part of the campaign. We’re not taking about [Nsiala] being your main centre-half. We are talking about a team suffering serious injuries and he wasn’t even been used as an alternative!”
Clement deserves leeway for Hamza Igamane and Ianis Hagi calls
Nsiala was not even picked in a single matchday squad from August to January. And, in the blink of an eye, the 21-year-old has gone from distant reserve to trusted starter. Ross McCausland likens Clinton Nsiala to a young Virgil van Dijk, while John Souttar relished playing alongside the Frenchman during Sunday’s 4-0 thrashing of Ross County.
With Igamane and Hagi, however, Clement surely deserves more leeway.
Unlike Nsiala, Igamane was handed a number of substitute appearances off the bench in the beginning of the season, in order to adapt to the pace and the physicality of his new surroundings.
Clement had Cyriel Dessers operating as his first-choice number nine at the time. And, after Igamane hit a brace in his coming-of-age display away at Nice, it did not take long for the Moroccan to oust Dessers from the XI.
As for Hagi, his omission from the season’s opening months was the result of a contract wrangle rather than any doubts over his qualities. A wrangle which, once sorted, saw Hagi quickly return to selection before making himself indispensable with a series of scintillating performances.
“You have got to give Ianis Hagi enormous credit,” former Rangers striker Kris Boyd said after the Romanian hit a brace against Ross County. It would have been quite easy for him to down tools and switch off and see his contract out.
“He might well move on, but he’s going to get himself a better more than he would have a few months ago if he does move on, because he’s turned up, he’s worked ever so hard to make the impact he has.”
