Rangers manager Philippe Clement has tried pretty much everything to urge patience amongst a frustrated Ibrox support.
Rangers fans are not happy with the club’s current rate of profligacy in front of goal with turgid domestic performances reflected in an 11 point gap between the Gers and Old Firm rivals Celtic.
With Philippe Clement’s detractors numbering many amongst the Ibrox crowd, the under-fire Rangers manager has taken a new approach and quoted our eternal rivals not once, but twice, in defence of his team’s stuttering form.
It’s not something that has gone down well with Rangers fans and it appears Philippe Clement still has plenty to learn about how the Old Firm works in Scotland.
Philippe Clement points to Celtic winger
The first reference of Celtic in Philippe Clement’s pre-Kilmarnock press conference came in the shape of Nicolas Kuhn.
Whilst the Rangers manager couldn’t so much as reference the form Celtic winger’s name, nor even the name of our Old Firm rivals, the German winger was the subject of his commentary.
Clement pointed to Kuhn’s form this season as a good example as to why Rangers fans need to be patient with new signings, the German attacker initially struggling to adapt in Scotland.
“I don’t want to make comparisons too much with other teams,” said Clement.
“But the better players, or the better player, in the offensive part on the other side of the town, was six months ago, or last season, was not starting there.
“He (Nicolas Kuhn) needed time to get his rhythm, to get his connection with other players.”
Rangers manager quotes Celtic counterpart
Clement’s over-appreciative nod to Celtic didn’t end there.
In the second part of the press conference, Philippe Clement referenced comments from Brendan Rodgers about Celtic fans booing their team off the pitch last season.
Following Celtic’s 5-0 demolition of Ross County over the weekend, Rodgers had claimed this was evidence of how far his team had come.
“Virtually a year ago we got booed off here against Ross County,” Rodgers told Sky Sports.
“To come out and play to that level 12 months later really tells you where the team and mentality is moving to.”
Philippe Clement referenced the comments in his own defence, we assume in an attempt to show Rangers fans that improvement takes time.
”I hear my colleague on the other said saying they were booed off last season,” said Clement.
”But they kept this team together and they have been working on the details to make it better and better. That’s what we’re going to do.”
One-way Old Firm contempt shows in results
Whilst Philippe Clement might’ve intended to be innocent with these very appraising comments of Celtic, they’ve predictably gone down like a lead balloon.
The Rangers manager can think these things but saying them out loud is something else entirely and it smacks of naivety when it comes to the Old Firm dynamic, particularly in the media.
It’s also not a great look when you’ve yet to win a single Old Firm match.
Victory in the fixture requires a level of contempt which we’re not sure Clement has.
Gerrard had it in spades and it told in the Scouser’s derby win record.
| Rangers manager (since 2016) | Old Firm matches (W-D-L) | Win percentage |
| Steven Gerrard (1) | 12 (7-1-4) | 64% |
| Mark Warburton (2) | 4 (1-0-3) | 25% |
| Giovanni van Bronckhorst (3) | 5 (1-1-3) | 20% |
| Michael Beale (4) | 6 (1-1-4) | 16% |
| Philippe Clement (5) | 5 (0-1-4) | 0% |
| Pedro Caixinha (6) | 3 (0-0-3) | 0% |
As Philippe Clement looks positively at the form of Celtic, he’d do well for someone to remind him that it is bare unacceptable for Rangers to be 11 points off our rivals, no matter the circumstances.
Ultimately, this is a difference that rests with him.
If Philippe Clement wants to take any inspiration from Celtic or Brendan Rodgers, then he’d do well to listen to the Celtic manager’s arrogant and contemptible approach to Rangers.
Rodgers routinely lands verbal blows on Rangers and the club’s support which only heightens momentum amongst their fanbase and gives the media headlines to beat our fans with.
Whilst the manager in the Celtic dugout turns the screw and the Parkhead side close in on our trophy record, our manager sits back and applauds.
We don’t expect Philippe Clement to exude uber staunchness.
But the manager won’t find a single Rangers fan made more relaxed with soundbites about how successful Celtic are compared to us.
