‘Alone in the desert’ – Clement bares his soul in searingly honest Rangers truth bomb and the regression he’s witnessed
Philippe Clement has admitted that he felt “alone in the desert” at Rangers for months before Patrick Stewart’s arrival. By the end of Sunday’s match at Ibrox, that sense of isolation likely returned, as frustrated fans made their dissatisfaction clear, and the pressure on the Belgian manager intensified.
Results over recent months have fueled doubts among supporters, some of whom even called for his dismissal last week.
However, Clement, alongside Stewart, the new chief executive, is committed to restoring Rangers to a healthy and thriving state. A comprehensive review of the football department at Ibrox begins today. This department has been in disarray, making a title challenge between now and May highly unlikely.
There are no more excuses for Clement, who has finally been given full backing with a complete support team after months of operating without a CEO, full-time chairman, or sporting director.
In his first public statement as CEO on Saturday, Stewart expressed his support for Clement, stating he would not give in to fan pressure to sack the manager. Stewart, drawing on his experience at Manchester United, emphasized that firing the manager would not be a simple solution.
However, he did make it clear that results must improve. Clement, aware of the situation, believes with Stewart’s support, he can turn things around and win back the fans.
Clement shared, “I’ve spoken with Patrick a lot already. He’s new to the role but I’m happy he’s here. For the last six or seven months, I’ve often felt alone in the desert, trying to improve the club or address issues I’ve seen. Patrick is highly motivated to make things better, which will help the football department and the club as a whole. I’m glad we can have open, sometimes critical, discussions about what needs to be done.”
Stewart confirmed that the review, which began this morning, would cover everything from the academy to the first team and would take between six and twelve weeks.
Clement recognizes that change is necessary and is ready to be part of the process. He noted, “We’ve already had a kind of review last season, but there are things that need to improve for Rangers to reach the required level.
This will be discussed internally. There’s always room for improvement, even when things are going well, because teams that don’t evolve won’t get better.”
In the short term, fans are eager to see new players added to the squad, especially to strengthen an injury-hit defense, with the Europa League and Scottish Cup fast approaching.
Stewart confirmed that the club is looking to bring in up to two new players. Clement mentioned he has already identified players he wants to sign before the end of the month.
He stated, “It’s frustrating to concede goals like that today, especially since the organization is clear, and it’s about winning duels and positioning.
I won’t speak about specifics outside, but everyone in the building knows what we need. I’ve seen many players in recent months who could add quality to the squad. Now, it’s about making those deals happen.”
Rangers comfortably defeated bottom-of-the-table St Johnstone, despite losing the second half 1-0 after easing off. While it doesn’t significantly affect the standings beyond narrowing the gap to Celtic to 15 points, Clement reflected on the match: “The first half was good, with strong attacking football, pressing, and creating chances.
We showed more movement behind the defense compared to our last game against Dundee, and the goals were well-deserved. In the second half, we started well but lost momentum as the game went on. It was a deserved victory, but we need to maintain that level for the full 90 minutes.”
