Hugh Keevins: Rangers fans could turn on Clement today after Dave King remarks

Philippe Clement will no longer be “exonerated” by critical elements of the Rangers fanbase if his side slip up against Dundee United, says Hugh Keevins.

The Daily Record journalist wrote in his column for the paper’s website on 15 September that difficulties at Tannadice later the same day could see the manager targeted by the same fans who called for former chairmen John Bennett and Douglas Park to be removed with a banner outside a recent Q&A [Glasgow Times, 10 September].

Keevins suggested that Dave King had pointed criticism at Clement and Nils Koppen in his defence of Bennett, who abruptly resigned as chair on 14 September for health reasons.

King’s “abrasive observation” was: “Our club finds itself in a largely self-inflicted decline. Individual players cannot be held accountable if the combined result of recruitment and team preparation results in poor performance.”

Keevins wrote: “You could interpret those words as a direct criticism of Clement and his chief talent spotter, Nils Koppen. There is no dubiety whatsoever concerning Sunday’s game at Tannadice.

“Rangers’ sole objective when they play Dundee United is to make sure they don’t make a bad situation even worse. It’s open season on the board, the manager and, despite what King says in their defence, the players.

“Individuals have been named as being obstacles to progress by dissenting voices within the club’s support. The manager has been exonerated by the same dissidents. That show of solidarity might not see the day out if Tannadice proves to be problematic.”

John Bennett resignation leaves Rangers boss exposed

Clement has arguably already started to lose the support of some parts of the fanbase, with his comments in the wake of the 3-0 loss against Celtic drawing particular criticism [PLZ Soccer, 5 September].

There is no shortage of blame to go round at Ibrox currently with issues at every turn and a title race looking fanciful, despite the refusal of some to contemplate the suggestion [Scottish Sun, 13 September].

King may have been pointing the finger at Clement and Koppen, although it is probably still too early to really judge the two Belgians on recruitment yet when the likes of Michael Beale and Ross Wilson caused plenty of the issues that affected this summer’s transfer window.

Bennett’s exit was necessary for his wellbeing but adds to a chaotic situation at Rangers, and in the absence of other obvious figures of authority it is likely to be the manager who increasingly bears the brunt of it if results don’t improve.

Whether he deserves to is another matter but, as with captain James Tavernier, while he isn’t necessarily to blame for all the deficiencies at Ibrox currently his position has been weakened since last season.

Results cure virtually everything so a straightforward win over Jim Goodwin’s men will calm matters, at least until the next game, but results have been much harder to come by for Clement since the title race collapsed last term.

In other Rangers news, a BBC pundit has been hit with a ban after his on-air outburst about the Light Blues.

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