Rangers go into the winter break in decent shape with Philippe Clement playing a massive part in the turnaround in fortunes.
The Gers boss inherited a squad in turmoil and an injury list that has only just started to improve but has still driven an improvement in performances to the extent that what could have been a difficult afternoon against Kilmarnock at Ibrox was a comfortable one.
Over the next couple of weeks, Rangers will rest and recuperate, but it’s clear that Philippe Clement has clearly settled into life in Glasgow, with no love lost for those on the other side of the city, as told to Sky Sports.
Rangers boss Philippe Clement drops Celtic fan jibe
There has been an immediate shift in the mentality of the squad, even at Parkhead down to ten men we looked the most likely team to score and could have if better decisions had been made.
This all comes from one man – Philippe Clement.
Everything is about the team, about the next game, the next three points, it’s a marathon not a sprint.
The one small issue he has to overcome is Celtic even if he refuses to look beyond whoever is next on the fixture list.
Speaking after Rangers 3-1 win over Killie, Philippe Clement was quick to confirm how much he is enjoying life at Ibrox and the intensity of the Old Firm with only one problem:
“I love it here, I love the passion from the people in the city, everybody is football mad.
“Some support maybe for the wrong team out of my eyes, but no, I love it here, the football, the atmosphere.”
Never a truer word spoken than in jest and all that!
Clement just seemed like a good fit for Rangers almost immediately.
No nonsense in the press conferences, no talking about possible transfer targets and an honesty that isn’t delusional.
He’s been dignified when dealing with sub-par officiating, expressing his frustration without being disrespectful.
More importantly, he is clearly a winner who wants the whole club, not just the XI on the pitch to be winners.
There are similarities with Graeme Souness’ “no one likes us, we don’t care” mantra but there are also shades of Walter Smith with how he carries himself.
When players have been asked about his style of management we hear about a manager who values all of his squad equally and can put an arm round the shoulder but also one who is capable of giving them both barrels too.
How he handled the early substitution of Todd Cantwell perfectly demonstrates what Rangers have in Philippe Clement.
He wasn’t scared to make the necessary changes but managed to do it without upsetting a key player, if anything, he inspired Cantwell.
A few new players of better quality and more like Raskin and Danilo back in the match day squad and Clement will be better equipped to take each game as it comes and deliver what seemed years away when he was first appointed – the Scottish Premiership title.
