Philippe Clement hasn’t minced his words when it comes to the things he disagrees with at Rangers.
The Belgian manager hasn’t been given carte blanche to tear up the foundations at Ibrox but over an eight month period in charge Philippe Clement has been closely assessing things at the club.
Whether it’s the playing squad, the drastic culture of injury problems at the club, the lack of aggression in the name of Rangers, and the shortcomings of player trading, Big Phil has always spoke his mind.
Even the SPFL’s pitches have had both barrels, whilst the club’s public criticism of Willie Collum ground the Belgian’s gears.
When it comes to VAR, Clement’s stance has been outspoken and unwavering.
And now the latest comments of Philippe Clement surrounding player contracts at Ibrox suggests the Rangers manager absolutely disagrees with former sporting director Ross Wilson.
This is after Wilson had confidently defended the model which has now seen several top stars walk away from Ibrox for nothing in recent seasons.
Wilson praised Rangers ‘contract model’
Rangers fans aren’t stupid.
But amid all the hot air about player trading models and fourth pillars, you’d think the club thought so.
In fact, since Steven Gerrard publicly appealed to the Rangers board to back him in the transfer market, there’s a feeling we’ve regressed despite all the bluster.
Too many of the club’s expensively bought and highly paid players have not been available through injury, whilst the club has held on to potential assets for so long they’ve ran down their contracts.
This happened with Ryan Kent, Filip Helander and Alfredo Morelos last season, and it’s happening with Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe this campaign.
It’s an unfortunate legacy from the Ross Wilson era at Ibrox.
In one breath the club was claiming that it was serious about implementing a functioning player trading model whilst with another they were justifying the decision to let high-earning players run down their contracts.
And yet, when grilled on a lack of transfer activity and the situation with player contracts, the bluster continued when back in 2021 Ross Wilson suggested it was all part of the plan.
“I get that player contracts is a hot topic as it’s something people are excited about,” Wilson told that year’s AGM.
“Generally we’re really, really relaxed about where we are with our player contracts.
“We have a clear contract model here and a clear wage structure. Anybody that signs a contract with Rangers, I can assure you, they will sign a contract within that structure.
“We wouldn’t be prepared to break that structure at all because it’s important to us that we have a prudent way of working.
“However, it’s also fair to say that players can take their own view and can take their own time. And if they want a contract which is in excess of that model then that’s also okay for them to take that view.
“We’re very relaxed about that. We take a view on every contract on its own merits, providing it sits within our model.
“So irrespective of a player’s contract status I don’t think it’s fair to label that at them. But as a general principle, we’re really, really comfortable with where we’re at with all our player contracts.”
Leaving Rangers for Nottingham Forest amid protests in April 2023, the Ibrox side have been left picking up the pieces of Wilson’s ingenious ‘contract model’.
The ex-Southampton director has had a rocky time south of the border but to his credit looks to have helped the club narrowly avoid relegation from the English Premier League.
Clement slams contract situation
Now, Philippe Clement has been outright disagreeing with the comments of Ross Wilson as he addressed the drastic contract situation at Ibrox.
After five key first-teamers left last year for nothing, six are set to follow them this season.
Whilst they will free up Rangers’ already inflated wage-bill, that’s six players the club needs to replace with no extra transfer funding raised through fees.
It can only be described as a disaster of forward planning, no matter Wilson’s waffle.
Clement is determined to change the situation going forward with the Rangers manager’s tone taking a decidedly different turn in recent press conferences.
After touching on the need to develop the club’s own players, Clement said: “It’s a major part, what we said a few months ago.
“This club comes out of a financially difficult situation. It’s not a good thing to have six players out of contract so they don’t have any value to sell and then you need to make decisions if they stay or not.
“The club needs for the future to get also money in by producing or making players better, to get young players in and to make them better that you can sell them later on.
“But also for sure out of Academy, getting players and producing players that can be starters in the first team.
“That needs to be a model that we will build the next couple of years. It’s not the work of one week or two weeks or six months or even one year or two years.
“It’s an important thing and in that way it was important that we gave chances from the beginning to Ross (McCausland) so he could be also a symbol for the Academy.”
Ross Wilson might try and defend the situation but the proof is in the pudding.
Once again Rangers face a huge summer turnover with players well past their sell by date who are leaving for nothing.
John Bennett is committed to a stronger player trading model but the time for talk in this regard is officially over.
Over to Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen who’ll need patience from Rangers fans to deliver on their aims.
But patience is one thing we’re already well short of.
