'Dented' - Hugh Keevins admits Clement concern amid 'Damaged' infrastructure at Rangers

Philippe Clement’s reputation has taken a hit since he took over a Rangers side with a “damaged” infrastructure, says Hugh Keevins.

The Daily Record journalist said live on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on 15 October that the Belgian’s stock was falling since his side’s form collapsed last season to hand the Scottish Premiership title to Celtic.

He also admitted it was a “concern” that the Gers boss’ side aren’t showing obvious signs of developing a tactical identity after a year in charge, but did highlight the caveat of how much disarray has been occurring around him at Ibrox in that time.

Keevins said (1h 9m 45s): “Philippe Clement, like stocks and shares, they rise and they fall. He, at the moment is in fall and the Rangers supporters, I can easily say, are split over Philippe Clement…

“Philippe Clement came in with a sizeable reputation and I think it has gradually been dented.”

Asked if the lack of a clear style of play was an issue he said: “Yeah, that would be a concern. I also have to throw in the fact that he’s taken over Rangers at a time when the infrastructure has been damaged.”

Hugh Keevins assesses a year at Rangers for Philippe Clement

It remains difficult to accurately pin Clement’s time in Glasgow so it is no surprise that the fans are split at this stage.

He may have been a victim of his early success when a more moderate uplift from the nightmare end of Michael Beale’s reign wouldn’t have increased expectations too far.

But having pulled off the improbable of overturning Brendan Rodgers’ advantage in the title race it can’t be anything other than a major disappointment to throw away the challenge so meekly.

There are no shortage of mitigating circumstances at Rangers for Clement to point to, including the lack of a budget in the transfer window without selling players first, the Ibrox building work chaos sending his side to Hampden Park for weeks to start the season, and the endless turnover at key positions.

John Gilligan is holding the fort as interim chairman after John Bennett resigned on health grounds, but there is no chief executive since James Bisgrove jumped for Saudi Arabia, academy head since Zeb Jacobs went to Feyenoord, and now director of football operations Creag Robertson has also resigned [Scottish Sun, 9 October].

For now it is a moot point as to how much of the struggles have been Clement’s fault, with performances arguably less convincing than results suggest, as the club have decided to back him come what may this term [Rangers Review, 10 October].

But with no wins in five against Celtic he has raised the stakes hugely ahead of the January meeting by insisting his side would be a different prospect from the one which was demolished 3-0 on 1 September, and if he doesn’t back up his words the club’s hierarchy, or what is left of one, but reconsider.

In other Rangers news, a highly-expensive Gers ace should have been “out the door” already but remains.

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