'Credit to...' - Ex-officials laud Clement for reaction to 'Indefensible' Rangers incident at Ibrox

Philippe Clement was praised for not attempting to “defend the indefensible” after Ianis Hagi was sent of in his Rangers return, by Behind The Whistles.

The podcast run by former officials Des Roache and Steve Conroy reacted via X on 7 October to agree the Romanian’s challenge on Benjamin Kimpioka was a sending off, after David Dickinson upgraded the initial booking following a VAR review.

Rangers won the game 2-0 on 6 October after a double from Vaclav Cerny, with Hagi making his 100th appearance for the club, and Clement said afterwards it was a “clumsy” foul but the type of high-footed challenge was something he didn’t want from his players [Daily Mail, 6 October].

Behind The Whistles wrote: “Red Card was correct and credit to his manager for coming out post match stating that he doesn’t want to see his players making these kind of tackles rather than attempting to defend the indefensible.”

They did, however, agree it wasn’t a malicious foul: “It was rusty challenge from someone out a long time who was keen to make up for missed time. It endangered his opponents safety and caught him high. For SFP there doesn’t need to intent. It was the right decision.”

Ianis Hagi sent off of on Rangers return vs St. Johnstone

Clement wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on to protest Hagi’s red card so it would have only made him look stupid to do so.

He arguably strayed into that territory in mounting an impassioned argument against the penalty John Souttar conceded against Hibs on 29 September, again after a VAR review, in a game where Jack Butland saved the kick anyway and Rangers won 1-0.

Clement’s comments after games have probably caused more disquiet among the Light Blues fanbase than outside, particularly with his attempts to mitigate poor losses.

He was accused of not making any sense in trying to defend the 3-0 loss at Celtic on 1 September with the 6-0 win over Ross County the previous week, with Gordon Parks suggesting that sort of thing would get him sacked if he hadn’t just been given a contract extension [PLZ Soccer, 5 September].

For Hagi the culmination of a weeks-long fight to get back into the first-team set up didn’t end how he would have hoped, and he will be frustrated during his suspension.

The 25-year-old was left in the B Team throughout the preseason and the first two months of the campaign while Clement insisted there was no way back [Daily Mail, 1 September], with a contract clause central to the problem [Daily Record, 13 August].

But with the few exit possibilities rejected as Hagi only had eyes for getting back in at Ibrox [Sky Sports, 26 August] the club finally sat down with him and agreed a compromise [Rangers Review, 1 October], with the midfielder giving up the pay rise at the centre of it [Daily Record, 1 October].

He did register an assist for Cerny’s second at Ibrox and it should still be a positive step all round for him to be back in the fold.

In other Rangers news, a hefty price tag has emerged for the Light Blues to sign a top sensation they’ve been after.

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The post 'Credit to...' - Ex-officials laud Clement for reaction to 'Indefensible' Rangers incident at Ibrox appeared first on Ibrox News.