'Going through the motions' - Clifford slams pre-season showings of exit-bound Rangers players

Rangers being below-par in pre-season has been due to exit-bound players “going through the motions”, according to Stevie Clifford.

Writing in the Rangers Review (27 July), Clifford wrote that the Gers’ lacklustre pre-season performances haven’t been helped by players who knew they’d be leaving the club this summer.

After an early 5-2 defeat of Hamilton at Auchenowie, the Gers have been winless since, with consecutive losses against Ajax, Manchester United and Birmingham City since a goalless draw with Standard Liege.

Clifford didn’t hold back in his assessment, saying: “What has happened is very telling – This pre-season has been players going through the motions and not giving everything.

“We’ve witnessed players lacking the real desire to chase or win tackles, and the reason for that is we now know many won’t be here.”

Philippe Clement will want Rangers rebuild to be concluded soon

After a three-week period in which the Gers’ highly-anticipated squad overhaul seemingly ground to a halt, transfers business both in and out of Ibrox has kicked back into gear in recent days.

Vaclav Cerny’s arrival on loan from Wolfsburg and Sam Lammers’ sale to FC Twente for £2million (Mail Online) were confirmed on the same day, with the latter’s move freeing up much-needed funds for Clement.

On top of the imminent exits of both Jose Cifuentes and Connor Goldson [Daily Record, 27 July], Todd Cantwell handing in a transfer request to the club could open up a further three places in the squad.

The latter duo have both featured regularly for the Gers in pre-season thus far, and that may be adding to Clifford’s statement that players bound for the exit door haven’t been giving their all.

The Ibrox faithful will certainly be keen for Clement to jettison such players as soon as possible, and after a quiet couple of weeks, it appears the Light Blues are well on course to move them on.

In other Rangers news, Clifford listed seven players who could still be sold by the club this summer as Clement’s rebuild continues.

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