Philippe Clement has assured Hamza Igamane that a more selfless role in the Rangers team will make him a better player.
The Moroccan hitman, 22, has had to play a variety of roles for Rangers in recent weeks between the number nine position, number ten and left-wing.
With no goals in six games, it’s led to complaints from Rangers fans that Philippe Clement is not best utilising the talents of Hamza Igamane.
But speaking after the 3-1 win over Hearts, where Igamane started the game as a striker, Clement insists it’s all part of the learning process for the ex-FAR Rabat talent.
Philippe Clement on Hamza Igamane’s position
“It’s not only with strikers about goals,” Clement told the press after the match. “Or attacking players, because today he started as a striker and ended behind the striker.
“He’s doing his job, he’s working hard for the team, he’s showing good qualities in his work rate, his decision-making is in some games really good, in other games he has a little bit less overview.
“He will be in two, three years only much better by taking these experiences and he’s also somebody who’s hungry every week to see the images, the individual images, to make better choices for the future.
”So he’s only going to grow if he keeps continuing that.”
Rangers striker ‘clear’ about his preferred role
Philippe Clement’s comments come after Hamza Igamane admitted that his preferred role in the starting XI was as a striker.
Rangers hitman Igamane was speaking to French language magazine Onze Mundial and admitted that he sees himself more as an out-and-out number nine.
But the Morocco hopeful also suggested that he’s happy to do a job for the team wherever and whenever he is called upon.
“I am a centre forward by trade, that is clear,” said Igamane. “Afterwards, I remain a player capable of adapting to various systems of play and various positions if asked.
“For example, I can easily occupy the left or right flank. However, I am attracted to the axis, of course, because my objective is to make the net tremble. I think that is normal, a striker lives to score.”
Hamza Igamane has also reiterated he is ‘happy’ at Rangers despite reported interest from the English Premier League.
Since moving to Rangers in a £1.7m deal from FAR Rabat in the summer, Igamane has netted 13 goals for the Ibrox club.
