Dan Carter

Mon 6 November 2023 12:10, UK

Keith Jackson has suggested that it will be a “disaster” if Rangers fail to win the Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen later this season.

The Light Blues secured their place in the final with a 3-1 win over Hearts on Sunday (5 November) with James Tavernier scoring a brace either side of Scott Wright’s second-half strike to set up a final clash with Aberdeen on 17 December.

Philippe Clement has an excellent chance to secure a first piece of silverware incredibly early in his Ibrox tenure and Daily Record journalist Jackson believes that the final will be a “must-win” for the Light Blues and their new manager.

Writing in the Daily Record’s Monday Jury (6 November) he said: “Let’s get it right, if Rangers fail to lift the first silverware of the season it will be marked down as a disaster for Philippe Clement.

“And, on first impressions, the Belgian doesn’t look like a man who accepts second prizes. It’s a must-win for the Ibrox club.”

Avoid disaster

While the Viaplay Cup final alone will not define Clement’s Rangers tenure, it will more than likely be the marker with which the Belgian’s start to life at Ibrox is judged as should the Gers fail to beat Aberdeen he will be criticised by pundits and supporters alike.

Clement has been a winner throughout his career and as Jackson suggests, he doesn’t seem like the sort of character who would be particularly keen to accept a silver medal at Hampden in December and that attitude will more than likely seep through his playing side.

Michael Beale’s time in charge in Glasgow was always marred by the fact that he never lifted a trophy with Rangers and that was often used as a stick to beat the former Ibrox boss with. Clement has the opportunity to get that monkey off of his back only a week after arriving in Scotland.

Aberdeen are by no means an easy side to play against as they demonstrated against Hibernian on Saturday (4 November) and will more than likely make life difficult for Clement’s side, ensuring that they will have to work hard to lift the Viaplay Cup in December.

Barry Robson’s side got one over Rangers earlier this season in the Scottish Premiership and the Light Blues will be keen to put that right. Before that final, however, there is plenty of other football to be played in the league and Europe for attention to be focused on.

In other Rangers news, Cyriel Dessers has admitted that the criticism he’s received at Ibrox has made him laugh recently