The Rangers box yet to be ticked by Philippe Clement that ‘concerns’ Terry Butcher
Four games. Three defeats. One draw. Zero prevails. It’s a dismal statistic that Philippe Clement will be anxious to change next season as he looks for his first victory over Celtic. The Belgian has yet to beat derby specialist Brendan Rodgers since taking over from Michael Beale, and it proved costly as the Hoops raced to league and Scottish Cup victory at the conclusion of last season.
Clement is still in his early days at Ibrox, but no manager can stay in Glasgow if they can’t beat the other side of the city. Clement will understand this as he begins on a summer rebuild, attempting to assemble a winning team capable of reclaiming the title from Parkhead.
having led the team to three league titles and two League Cups. And the former England captain believes that if Clement is to succeed in Govan, he must put the Old Firm behind him.
In an exclusive interview with Football Scotland, courtesy of Free Bets, he said: “Yeah, that stat worries me because, in effect, the season depends on beating the other half of the Old Firm. I’m sure some fans would say, ‘We’ll lose to Celtic four times as long as we win the league. That’s 12 points, which is a lot to claw back, and Celtic aren’t going to drop that many points.You have to beat Celtic at some point to gain an advantage in terms of confidence and points. You have to win these games. One or two have come close, but it doesn’t matter.
He will alter the perception of Celtic games. They will grow into even larger games than they currently are. “It’s about instilling in the Rangers players the mindset and belief that they can overcome Celtic. When they do it and get their first win, they get a lot of confidence and blast history away. You’re now making your own history, and Rangers need to get to the point where they can do so. That requires solid signings, as well as Clement spreading his ideals and philosophy among the players and ensuring that they understand exactly what they must achieve.”
A campaign that promised so much ended up delivering very little for Rangers, with hopes of a treble dashed after a slump in form near the conclusion of the season. It’s a screenplay that Rangers fans have grown accustomed to in recent years, and Butcher believes Clement cannot afford to repeat his predecessors’ mistakes if Rangers are to break Celtic’s stronghold on Scottish football.
Butcher stated that “they flattered to deceive last year”. “They got to a pretty good position late in the season, but a few of setbacks and poor performances ruined it. Celtic are undoubtedly relentless; they’ve gone over the course before and know how to win and make it to the end. Brendan is a very experienced man, and he led them there.It’s upsetting, especially when you’ve reached a level where you can truly test them and put them under some strain, but not enough. The Rangers will have to do a lot more of it next season. We’ll see what happens next year, as it will be his first full season in command. It’s still early days in terms of signings.
Traditionally, the hard work doesn’t begin until July. “It’s critical to bring players into the structure Clement envisions. I like him; I think he’s down to earth and honest, he talks a nice game, and the players obviously like him as well. You’re always assessed by your signings and who you bring into the football club, which is why a few Rangers managers have departed because their purchases haven’t been good enough to compete with Celtic. That’s your yardstick. Rangers must overcome Celtic, finish ahead of them in the league, and defeat them in Cup finals. That is what Rangers supporters demand.”
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