Michael Stewart shares massive issue for Rangers as fans told what to do after Celtic loss
Rangers are lacking in leadership above all which is a “massive” issue for Philippe Clement, according to Michael Stewart. The ex-Hearts and Hibs midfielder told the Scottish Football Social Club on 2 September that the lack of quality in the Gers’ side could be combated if there were more players ready to “roll their sleeves up and graft” but without struggle is “engulfing the club”.
The Light Blues were hammered 3-0 by Celtic at Parkhead in the first Old Firm derby of the season and Stewart has also told supporters they must find a way to give Clement time or the club will be stuck in the same hiring and firing cycle each season. Stewart said (8m 10s): “I think most Rangers-minded folk realise they are pretty far off of Celtic. It’s not just the quality it’s the lack of leadership. That’s massive. “Because if you’ve got some real leaders in there that can roll their sleeves up and graft you can start to bridge a gap to a certain extent, but when that’s lacking and the quality’s lacking, it just feels like everything’s engulfing the club at the moment.
It’s all well and good fans talking about they know the team are miles off of Celtic, they actually have to behave in that way to a certain extent and give a bit of time.
“I know that’s extremely difficult and the world we live in it’s probably pie in the sky stuff, but if they don’t then it turns into rinse and repeat every year.”
Philippe Clement given Rangers contract extension
It certainly looks like the early intention from John Bennett and the Ibrox hierarchy is to weather the storm through this season and hope Clement can build over time.They gave him a surprise contract extension during the mess that was the preseason and the transfer window and a sack decision on the poor start to the campaign has reportedly long been made [The Herald, 27 July].
The pressure on them to change that stance has already ramped up in a big way, unsurprisingly after a dismal Old Firm defeat.
The board have apparently taken note of the damage caused over the past two years where Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale were sacked and don’t want to continue that pattern.
But their cause would be helped greatly if Clement could show something in the way of growth this term rather than what is starting to look like a regression to the mean.
The Belgian looked very much a man with a plan who should thrive if he was operating with proper resources after he arrived last season.
But, while his circumstances have hardly improved in light of the frustrating window and the Ibrox building work debacle, his record seems to be getting worse and belief in the side evaporating. Bennett and company arguably have no choice but to stick this out but that doesn’t mean Clement can escape scrutiny along the way.
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