Philippe Clement would have been wanting to see 2025 put behind the woes of 2024 with Rangers turning a corner.
Instead, the Old Firm win was a false dawn with the manager now under more pressure than ever before.
Fans are calling for Clement to be sacked and the Rangers boss only has himself to blame despite a new excuse being made.
Why Philippe Clement only has himself to blame for Rangers complaint
Since taking over from Michael Beale, Clement has had to put up with lengthy injury lists, but can’t have any complaints about recent form.
Speaking after the draw to Dundee, another excuse was made with the Gers gaffer claiming Vaclav Cerny and two other players were tired:
“It’s also maybe something to do that you need to play a lot of times with the same players,” pleaded Clement.
“I missed freshness with Jefte and Ridvan on the full-backs, to be decisive with the final pass, the decisive pass.
“So, I think it’s a lot of things together, but it was not good enough today.”
As with his selection of Kieran Dowell and Cyriel Dessers against Motherwell, Clement didn’t have to pick Ridvan Yilmaz at right-back or Jefte at left-back.
Who could Clement have brought in to avoid burnout?
Leon King and Adam Devine have both played senior football at right-back and could have stepped up, if the manager was braver and put his trust in the academy products.
There is also no point in promoting Bailey Rice to the senior squad only to leave him on the bench with no other natural No.6.
Rice could have replaced Connor Barron instead of going to a midfield that had little shape.
Rangers also let Robbie Fraser go out on loan knowing that Ridvan and Jefte were playing every game, why not wait a couple of weeks before rubber stamping that decision?
If he is looking for sympathy, Clement is out of luck, the Belgian is also dangerously close to being out of time.
