Graeme Souness has urged Rangers to provide Philippe Clement with the support he needs after their latest Old Firm defeat to Celtic at Parkhead.
The loss on 1st September extended Clement’s winless run against Rangers’ Glasgow rivals, as Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side comfortably dismantled the Light Blues.
Clement’s post-match comments, where he remained positive despite the defeat, drew criticism from both pundits and fans.
However, speaking on Up Front with Simon Jordan on 5th September, Souness stressed that the Belgian needs backing in this challenging period.
“He needs help, that’s a real bitter pill for him to swallow losing yet again,” Souness said. “I’ve been in football a long time, I know how quickly things can change. Celtic did nine in a row, for the Rangers supporters they’ll be thinking this is it with the negative thought.
“Some people will think we’re never going to come back, they came back and Rangers did nine in a row.”
While Clement has been at the centre of criticism following the Old Firm defeat, it would be overly simplistic to lay the blame solely at his feet.
The Belgian manager inherited a troubled squad from Michael Beale, and many of the issues within the team predate his arrival. Despite some questionable decisions in recent months, both on and off the pitch, Clement has had to work with the tools he was given, which has not been an easy task.
Rangers’ problems go beyond their manager, and the club is facing a larger challenge in turning things around.
Clement has now been given the backing to shape the squad according to his vision during the transfer window, and improvement on the pitch is essential in the coming months.
Financial constraints have further complicated matters for Rangers. Ideally, Clement would have had more funds to work with, but the club’s limited budget has forced them to rely on selling players to bring in new signings. This is the reality Rangers face, and it’s a difficult one for Clement to navigate as he attempts to revive the team’s fortunes.
The pressure is on, but with the right support, Clement could still make progress at Ibrox.