Clement Won’t Tolerate Excuses About a Busy Schedule

Philippe Clement, the astute manager at the helm of Rangers, is vocal about the challenges posed by the hectic festive fixture list, yet he remains steadfast in his refusal to accept any alibis from his squad regarding the grueling schedule.

With a staggering 11 matches looming on the horizon, Rangers find themselves battling on multiple fronts—the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup, and Europa League all beckoning fiercely.

As they navigate this intense period without a winter break, Clement reveals that squad rotation will be paramount in safeguarding performance levels and player fitness. His strategic thinking will be put to the test against St Mirren on December 26.

“This is the first time in the history of football that this has happened so we need to have a squad that’s physically and mentally ready for that,” Clement states, articulating the urgency of the situation.

“The more you complain about it, the more excuses you have, and I don’t want to give excuses to the team because they all want to play football, they all want to win things.

“It’s like running a marathon but only wanting to run 20 miles. Those are the rules, that’s what was decided. Is it good for football? I don’t think so and everybody agrees with that but we need to focus on ourselves and be ready.

“And in that way it can be an advantage for our group of players that there needs to be a rotation. It means everybody has to be on their toes, ready to show themselves as there are more opportunities to get chances.

“But then you need the depth in your squad to keep the same quality and that’s going to be the challenge for us in the next few weeks.”

As the tension mounts for their upcoming clash, Clement foresees a “big challenge” in Paisley on Thursday, emphasizing the necessity of winning personal duels against Stephen Robinson’s combative side.

After edging ahead of Aberdeen to secure second in the league with a hard-fought victory over Dundee, Rangers find themselves looking to maintain momentum, while the Buddies recently clinched a gritty 2-1 success at Ross County, currently placing them in sixth.

“We know St Mirren is a big challenge,” Clement remarked. “It’s a team with lots of physicality and a manager who always prepares his team really well.

“We know it’s going to be a tough battle and we’ll need to compete to win and then you can show your football quality. If you don’t win your duels, you’ll get into trouble.”

Reflecting on the typical robustness of Scottish football, Clement draws on his extensive managerial experience spanning Belgium and France, asserting that the physicality displayed in the Scottish Premiership is not unique to it alone.

Moreover, he expresses confidence in the continual development of his midfield triumvirate—Nicolas Raskin, Mohamed Diomande, and Connor Barron—as they adapt to the rigours of the league.

“Don’t forget that Raskin was injured for eight to nine months so it’s impossible to be at your best after that long out right away,” he explained.

“Diomande is here less than a year. He had to adapt to things. Barron knows the league but is still a young player who can still grow, that’s normal.

“The three of them are in the midfield and it’s important to win the duels; it’s important in Scotland.

“People always say this about Scotland but the Belgian league is also the same; in the French league, it was the same. It’s not as if you don’t have physicality there.

“You need it in every league. I think in every good league it’s a big part of football, an important part of football.”