Philippe Clement facing Rangers nightmare ahead of Celtic Old Firm clash
Rangers’ Old Firm derby against Celtic is coming at a “nightmare time” for Philippe Clement, according to Michael Gannon.
A 6-0 hammering of Ross County on Saturday will have boosted confidence before they travel to Parkhead next Sunday (1 September) but face a big week in the transfer market.
Uncertainty remains over the likes of Todd Cantwell, Ianis Hagi and Rabbi Matondo before Friday’s deadline (30 August) with boss Clement desperate to add more bodies to his squad as well.
And Daily Record journalist Gannon, writing for the paper’s Sunday Mail edition (page 61, 25 August), thinks the timing of the clash so soon after the window slamming shut is far from ideal for Clement.
“This Old Firm clash is coming at a nightmare time for Clement. The scheduling doesn’t help. Whatever brand of AI that’s been let loose on the SPFL super computer clearly had a wicked sense of humour,” Gannon wrote.
“Sticking a derby a couple of days after the window shuts is a cruel joke for everyone – but it’s especially awkward for Clement. He’s trying to put pieces of a jigsaw together while stuck with parts from an entirely different picture.
“The Belgian might have been on about B teams on Friday but it’s his bomb squad that are the problem.”
Philippe Clement needs to find a Rangers team that works
Despite the additions of players such as former FC Twente ace Robin Propper [Scottish Sun, 2 August] and Brazilian starlet Jefte this summer, the Gers are still in obvious need of reinforcement with only a week of the window to go.
The next week is going to be a hectic one as the club try to ship out a number of players who are either not wanted by Clement or, in the case of Cantwell, just want out of the club before the window slams shut.
Players need to be moved on in order for new bodies to be brought in and that is what is proving so problematic in the club’s bid to improve the squad.
To have all that going on why simultaneously preparing for what is already shaping up as a crucial clash in Rangers’ Scottish Premiership hopes this season is obviously far from ideal.
But the distractions of the market will do nothing to appease supporters if the derby ends in defeat and sees the Gers lose ground on their rivals.
Clement is sure to have a few sleepless nights in the coming days but let’s hope he at least has a few new faces to strengthen the squad by the time the Celtic clash comes around.
In other Rangers news, the Gers have made a £6million+ bid for another defender, the club have responded.
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