Rangers manager Philippe Clement will take training on Friday as the club prepare for Sunday’s match against St Johnstone.
Following the Gers’ 1-1 draw at Dundee many fans at Dens Park directed their frustration towards the Belgian and believe his time at Ibrox should be up.
Clement, however, insists the club’s board – which has a new CEO in Patrick Stewart – are “200 per cent” behind him, despite Rangers falling 15 points behind Celtic after a horror run of away results that has produced just three wins in 11 games.
Clement (R) insists Rangers CEO Partrick Stewart (L) and technical director Nils Koppen (C) are “200 per cent” behind him
When asked about criticism from supporters, Clement told Sky Sports: “It’s normal they are unhappy. I’m also unhappy we didn’t take the three points. I know I’m the face of the team, it’s part of my job.
“I am busy with the club, with the team, to let this team grow. The last couple of weeks, with all the changes, we lost some stability and maybe some confidence. Some players have had to play all the games and we see a lack of freshness.
“It is now about reacting as a team on Sunday and take the three points.”
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Rangers manager Philippe Clement reacts to his sides’ 1-1 draw with Dundee amid rising pressure from the fans
Sunday’s match against St Johnstone is the first of three consecutive home games, with Aberdeen to follow on Wednesday – live on Sky Sports – while Fraserburgh are the opponents in the Scottish Cup next weekend.
The Gers are then back on the road as they visit Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Europa League before heading to Tannadice Park as they take on Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership, live on Sky Sports.
Boyd: Decision must be made on Clement
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Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton launch a scathing review on Rangers and manager Philippe Clement after a 1-1 draw against Dundee
Speaking on Sky Sports after Rangers’ draw in Dundee, former Ibrox striker Kris Boyd said:
“It’s just excuse after excuse,” former Rangers striker Boyd told Sky Sports. “Rangers have a team that should be coming here and wiping the floor with Dundee but they’re hanging on.
“Thirteen points out of 33 away from home is a disgrace. You can speak about progress but there is none. You speak about players being tired and low in confidence. You absolutely destroyed Celtic a week ago or 10 days ago – destroyed them.
“And you’re struggling for confidence. You lose two, you draw a game and you lose a game before the Celtic game. There was no confidence going into the Celtic game and now after it, you’ve drew two games again and there’s a lack of confidence in them. It just doesn’t make sense.
“I just look at the club right now and on the pitch, it’s broken. There’s no patterns of play, there’s nothing. You always refer back to the Celtic game as Rangers’ best performance this season.
“But it can’t just be one-off, we know that. It’s an absolute disgrace that Rangers are in this position.
“And you can see you’ve not spent money. There has been money spent. Yes, there has been a cost-cutting, but there has been money spent.
“There is no improvement. We spoke about the injuries improving as well. I mean, that’s actually worse.
“You can speak about moving players around and having to play extra minutes. Guess what? You’re a football player. That’s what you’re paid to do, is play minutes.
“There is no progress at all. It’s done.
“It’s over to [Rangers CEO] Patrick Stewart now, because I’m telling you right now, that’s the last two away games we’ve been at.
“Those fans have had enough and it’s going to get to the stage where they stop coming to games and then you’ll see the real problems start to materialise for Rangers, because this can’t continue.”
Sutton: Brendan cracking open champagne
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Highlights from Rangers’ draw at Dundee in the Scottish Premiership
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton on Sky Sports, following the draw at Dens Park:
“Philippe Clement has to take responsibility, but it’s also the players on the pitch having the knowledge and understanding about how to win games.
“You look at the Rangers squad and you think, ‘does the jersey fit for a lot of these players?’ I’ve said before that there’s a losing mentality at the club and nothing really has changed. And this isn’t just on Philippe Clement.
“This has been happening now for years and years and years. And you watch how insipid that performance was tonight. Celtic are laughing at them.
“Brendan Rodgers, he’ll be cracking open the champagne this evening, laughing at them. It’s an embarrassment that we are in the early part of January and Celtic are 15 points clear at the top. That is shocking and it is amazing.
“We were talking before the game and myself and Kris [Boyd] thought Philippe Clement should have gone a long time ago. But they are at a sort of crossroads now because can this go on? The club are in regression.
“And so are we going to look at that or is Patrick Stewart going to look at the bigger picture and not just one game against Celtic where they raise the game or, you know, the odd game in Europe?
“Clement will come out and talk about Celtic having a bigger budget but Rangers shouldn’t be dropping 19 points against sides who have far, far lesser budgets than them, and he never mentions that.
“We hear the excuses week in and week out now. And it’s not good enough. And it’s about time he took ownership, but he won’t.
“But this Belgian waffle will carry on and carry on and carry on. It won’t stop until there’s a decision made on him.”
