Philippe Clement faces ‘serious scrutiny’ at Rangers with ‘inevitable’ verdict dropped
Keith Jackson believes Rangers head coach Philippe Clement is set to come under “serious scrutiny” after the Old Firm derby defeat at Celtic which all but secured the league title for the Bhoys.
The Gers slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Parkhead on 11 May that saw Celtic go six points clear in the title race with just two games remaining.
And Jackson feels the lack of on-field identity – coupled with a failure to topple their rivals – will see Clement come under the microscope.
He wrote for the Daily Record (page 39, 13 May): “Pressure? No, but [Clement will] come in for some serious scrutiny. It’s hard to decipher what the Belgian wants his Rangers side to be. If there is no defined style to their play – and they continue to play second-fiddle to Celtic – the rest will be inevitable.”
Is Philippe Clement the best manager to take Rangers forward?
Such fine margins separate success and failure in Glasgow.
For the Old Firm, anything other than silverware is considered a failure and Clement has gone from being on course for a potential domestic treble to fear that the Scottish League Cup the Gers lifted earlier this season may be viewed as disappointing if Celtic go on to win a Scottish Premiership and Scottish FA Cup double.
The cup final against Celtic on 25 May now holds even greater importance for the Gers – and Clement. A cup double would certainly assuage fears that the Belgian is not capable of moulding Rangers into a side capable of beating their rivals to the biggest prizes, particularly as it would involve doing something Clement has yet to achieve – winning an Old Firm derby.
For all the positivity that has largely accompanied the 50-year-old’s tenure at Ibrox, his record in the Old Firm derby has begun to plant the seeds of doubt over his suitability. Four clashes with Celtic in the league have yielded just one point from a possible 12 after three defeats and a draw – albeit the first of those he wasn’t in charge for. Given the Bhoys are six points ahead in the table, it’s difficult not to draw the conclusion that those games have cost the Gers the league crown.
For Clement to convince the doubters, he and Rangers will have to beat Celtic at Hampden Park.
In other Rangers news, the Light Blues are already after a new defender who has decided he will move this summer.
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