Graham Spiers hits out at what’s been said about Rangers boss Philippe Clement
Graham Spiers has argued that criticism of Philippe Clement is unfair after Rangers finished eighth in the Europa League table.
The domestic campaign has been miles away from what Gers supporters would have expected as they sit 10 points off Celtic at the top of the table.
As a result, there has been plenty of speculation surrounding the Beglian’s future at Ibrox with many calling for a change at the helm.
However, after the Light Blues beat Union Saint-Gilloise 2-1 to finish in the top eight of the Europa League on Thursday (30 January), Spiers has defended Clement arguing that he is in a tricky job as he posted on X (31 January): “Just 3 weeks ago most Rangers fans – and fan media – were clamouring for Philippe Clement’s removal.
“One dolt on The Rangers Review even pronounced: “He doesn’t know how to set up a team…”
“Congrats to Clement and Rangers: top-eight finish in the UEFA Europa League.
“He is a gifted football manager. His record clearly shows it. It was not Clement’s fault that he walked into a club in a financial/structural mess.”
Philippe Clement needs to improve things at Rangers
There is no denying that Clement walked into a difficult job at Ibrox given the Light Blues are suffering behind the scenes when it comes to money and sustainability financially.
These struggles have certainly translated on to the pitch and the Gers have been below-par for too much of the season which has led to the race for the Scottish Premiership title being all but over by January.
That being said, it’s naive to only blame behind the scenes issues for the boss’ struggles this term and there has clearly been a failure to adapt easily to his new role.
For many supporters, there is a feeling that the manager doesn’t understand the expectations set at Ibrox which has led to his side lacking the desire and effort expected on a regular basis.
Furthermore, there have been a number of questionable tactical and selection choices throughout the campaign.
The Gers have done well in the Europa League and as a result, the Belgian looks fairly comfortable in his role currently.
However, the pressure is still certainly on and things need to improve at Ibrox to ease that on a long-term basis.
In other Rangers news, an update has been shared on the future of a youth gem at Ibrox.
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