Tom English makes Rangers prediction ahead of Hearts clash after ‘Dreadful’ developments
Tom English has predicted “rough days ahead” for Philippe Clement ahead of Rangers’ Scottish Premiership clash against Hearts on Saturday (3 August).
The Gers kick off their 2024/25 league campaign against Hearts at Tynecastle, entering into a new season after what has been dubbed as a “dreadful” pre-season.
While the board at Ibrox have shown their complete faith in the manager, handing him a new contract extension, losses against Ajax, Manchester United and Birmingham City, with a 4-4 draw against Union Berlin have not gone far to convince the fans.
Writing for BBC Sport on Saturday (3 August), English wrote: “It’s been a nightmarish summer for Rangers. The farcical situation with delayed construction Ibrox, the manager’s frustration, the dreadful pre-season results.
“Philippe Clement has gone public with his views on transfer limitations, albeit the capture of experienced centre-half Robin Propper looks sound.
“Rangers have existed on soft loans from supportive directors but the word is that those days are largely over. Financially, they need to stand on their own two feet. They need a sustainable player trading model – they have a long way to go – and Champions League loot – a tough assignment to make it through.
“This looks like being a sobering season for them. Rough days ahead for Clement, you suspect. The fans will not exactly sit on their hands if this goes badly wrong.”
Philippe Clement prediction emerges ahead of Rangers v Hearts
The Belgian manager must prove against Hearts exactly why he has been handed a new contract at Ibrox.
His arrival was greeted with a lot of positivity last season, especially catching up to Old Firm rivals Celtic in the league table, before a dramatic demise in the hunt for the Scottish Premiership title.
Pipping the Hoops to the league title will certainly be one of the biggest challenges for Clement this season, alongside a Champions League qualification journey, and he must prove his mettle.
While many new members of the squad have been learning his style of play during pre-season, it is fair to say that some of the performances have raised questions about the manager’s future.
This clash against Hearts could already set the tone for the season ahead, even if it is the opening match of the campaign, and everyone involved will be hoping to get off to the best start at Tynecastle.
In other Rangers news, David Edgar shared his reaction after the Gers announced the signing of Robin Propper at Ibrox.
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