Philippe Clement insists he’d dedicated to restoring Rangers to former glories as the club welcomes Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.
The Ibrox side are on good form at home this season but it’s on the road that has been Rangers’ unravelling with only three wins from 11 matches away from Ibrox this campaign.
Such drastic away form has allowed Celtic to open up a 15 point gap in the Scottish Premiership with Rangers fans launching protests in the win over St Johnstone.
But with tensions rising at Ibrox, self-confessed ‘winner’ Philippe Clement insists he’s focused on delivering success at Rangers and it starts with the visit of Aberdeen.
- READ MORE: Liam Kelly on Rangers protests, Jack Butland battle and Hibs gaffe ahead of Aberdeen test
Rangers boosted by experienced duo’s return
“That we had two players back in training with Tav and Leon Balogun.
”So we’re going to look tomorrow how we are if they had a reaction or not, and if they are able to be in the selection or not.
”So it’s a positive to get players back now.
”Of course they didn’t train much or anything but it’s a positive that they are back.”
When asked about Dujon Sterling and Jack Butland, Clement said: “Yes I have a rough time schedule but that’s for me and the medical staff, in that way.
”So I will tell you guys when players are back like I say now directly also and I’m being open and honest with that.
”Tav and Leon just went back and that’s the best way to do it like that.”
Rangers must rebuild ‘synergy’ with fans
”I hope the support is like it was against St Johnstone from a lot of people and that we continue rebuilding that again, to get this synergy back.
”Like I said afterwards in the press conference it’s about performances, about doing the right things, like the team did in a long spell against St Johnstone.
”Not long enough for me but there were positive things in this first hour.
“There was good football, there were good goals, there were things that the fans want to see, there was good pressing.
”We didn’t give away almost anything in that moment.
”So those are things that we need to continue doing and you’ve seen also that a lot of fans were behind the team also.”
Rangers striving for ‘consistency’
“No because two weeks ago it was the case also, that’s not so long ago.
”But yeah we know how many points we are behind the team who is first so everything is focused on that.
”I’m focused on the team and to get the results in the next game to let players grow, becoming better.
”A lot of people see that also. That Igamane has become better, the Raskin’s, Yilmaz, Jefte, Diomande. A lot of players.
”But we need to create also consistency in performance.
“It’s my frustration also, to get 31 out of 33 in these home games, to get really good European results home and away, and in the league that we lost too many points with indifferent games, individual errors that we had to chase games.
”In the beginning of the season that we had difficulty more to score goals in away games but we kept a lot of times a clean sheet.
”And now in this last period with injuries also that we’re scoring more goals in away games but we’re conceding also more.
”So we need to find this balance and we need to get this squad ready and fit to do it every three days, that’s the job to be done.”
Philippe Clement ‘still loves job’ at Rangers
”There’s more to it but that’s not what I need to talk about. I am here for the sportive side.
”So I know my part of that story is to get better results so I am focused on that to make it better.
”Like I said from the beginning I am here also, I get the most joy out of seeing the pleasure of my players, staff, staff when there are good performances, when there are wins, when the team competes, when they play for trophies, when they win trophies.
”That’s why I love this job so that’s why I still love this job to get this club to that point and I knew before it was a big, big challenge for several reasons.
”So I’m going throw myself like I did before to get the club to that point.”
All about the Rangers v Aberdeen
”It will two different teams I think if you see the starting XI of the two teams and compare.
”We need to look at ourselves and if it’s against Aberdeen, or Celtic, or another team, or a European team.
”It’s about us and what we do on the pitch and not to be busy with the others.”
Rangers have looked at players in transfer market
“I get this question already seven or eight years now and it’s always the same answer, because it’s also the truth.
”What is close and what is far? You cannot say that in a transfer window.
”You can only say something when something is signed, when somebody’s in the building, when everything is done.
”Otherwise it’s always far away.
”We made this analyse of the squad, we looked at players, we know what can be interesting players for the club.
”It’s now to see with the club if it’s possible to get them.
“Every manager wants more. It’s like that.
”But I am focused on what’s possible for the club and then to work with the squad that’s there to get the best out of that squad. That’s my job.”
Nothing on new sporting director within Ibrox
”I didn’t hear anything about that, a sporting director, nothing inside about that.
”So I think Nils is doing that kind of job for the moment. There’s also a review the next couple of months.
”So those are decisions for the club to be made.
”And there’s not only a review of the sporting department, it’s a review of all the club.
”It’s everything. And that’s also what’s necessary.
”Like I said last week, we’ve been in a kind of desert the last couple of months and a long time.
”In all the club there are things that need to be better and to be aligned and to be good and it’s good to have an independent review about that.
”So I had my say about that the last couple of months and now people from outside can do that also.”
Rangers’ transfer budget throws up hidden gems
”When I arrived it’s totally different.
”I expected different things, that’s true, but it’s also not a problem.
”In June things were more clear but of course there are also other circumstances about selling players and for how much you sell them and how much money you can use then in the transfer market.
”There are a lot of other circumstances that determine in that way. So that’s always the case.
”So it’s not looking to problems, it’s finding solutions.
”And it’s also really interesting to find the solutions can be a big step forward in that way.
”Would we have found Hamza with another budget? Maybe we would have gone for a more expensive striker.
”For the future of the club maybe this was the better decision.
“Or would we have found Clinton Nsiala in that way?
“So you don’t need to look at it that way, you need to look at what’s possible and then go full for it and to work hard to make players better to get a better future for this club.”
Philippe Clement focused on ‘next game’
”Those are questions for Patrick and not for me.
”So I don’t know that but I want to deliver with everything that is here, simple, and to help make things better.
”So it’s not an excuse or whatever, it’s about that.
“It’s about now, this moment, the next game, getting the maximum out of that, everyday to get the maximum out of all the players in the building and all the staff that are working hard together.”
‘Winner’ Clement relishes scale of Rangers challenge
”No to be honest, the bigger the challenge the more hungry I am in life.
”I think a lot of people realise that a lot of things changed here that made things more complicated the last couple of months.
”But that makes the challenge only bigger to get where you want to get and that’s very clear.
”It’s good now that everybody is aligned and has the same plan towards getting there.
”Because I am winner, and I will always be.
”When I was young nobody believed I would become a professional football player.
”When I was a professional football player nobody believed that I would get into the national team.
”So it’s about taking the best out of every second of the day and to be hungry morning that you wake up to get the best out of that day and to become better and to make people better around you.
”That’s my ambition and that’s my ambition of every day, so that will never change.”
Rangers manager coy on outgoings
”It’s the same question as incomings.
”You don’t know what’s going to happen.
”There are possibilities yes, but we will see.”
Rangers prepared for Aberdeen’s new signings
”It changes that you prepare and show them to the team, because they are different profiles that are coming in.
”It’s not that we adapt with that, we know their qualities and their weaknesses and you try to avoid that they use their qualities and you try to find their weaknesses where you can hurt them.
”That’s with every opponent the same.
”Of course we look also if there are new players. I don’t expect a change of style or change of system or whatever in that way.
”My colleague has been really sticking to the same things so in that way it’s not a big difference.
Philippe Clement ‘not busy’ with proving critics wrong
“I not busy with that honestly.
”About people behind me or believing in me or not.
“It’s just believing in this squad and working hard with this squad and with everybody in this club.
”Because I know that there so many people here so determined to get this club back where it was quite a while ago.
”And they’re motivated for that and I want to help in that story.
”So it’s just about that. I am not someone who lives out of revenge or doubters or nothing.
”It’s just about getting the best out of every day, every week, every month and to see an improvement.”
