Clement on feeling 'alone in the desert', Rangers protests and 'watching' transfer targets
Yesterday at 01:17 PM
The Rangers manager's gig can be a lonely old chair as Philippe Clement has found out amid corporate chaos in the Ibrox boardroom.
The current Rangers manager finds himself at the centre of fan protests which admittedly run much deeper than Philippe Clement's office at Ibrox.
On the same week that Rangers backed Clement, Ibrox fans group the Union Bears have split opinion with a staged 55th minute walk-out against St Johnstone.
Speaking after the 3-1 win over the Perthshire Saints, Philippe Clement admits that there have been times when being manager at Ibrox has left him feeling 'alone in the desert'.
The Rangers manager also spoke about his team's performance v St Johnstone, the form of Vaclav Cerny & Hamza Igamane and the club's January transfer plans.
Philippe Clement on lack of Rangers 'rhythm'
"We played a very good first half with good tempo, good goals, good positive aggressivity, good pressing, a lot of positives," Clement told Sky Sports.
"Second half we went down in our tempo and made also changes and you saw that we lost fluidity in our game.
"In that way we still had good moments but less, much less than in the first half.
"I don't want (a drop-off) to be inevitable. I want four, five, six, as much as possible.
"But it's also a face with players coming back out of a long term injury that need to get rhythm and they're not at their best yet in that way when they come on.
"No, we wanted more. We could've score more also in this second half but it didn't happen and OK, we need to continue to look towards Wednesday."
Functional Rangers attack 'crucial'
"It's crucial in football. It's for every team who is successful needs good attacking players.
"But also good midfielders and good defenders so you need all of that to be successful.
"So it should be a normal thing here at Rangers, players with quality.
"And you see they are playing now several weeks, months together, so they are more aligned on the running lines and doing things together.
"They have others coming in who come out of long term injury, they have to look to find it again. That's normal."
Clinton Nsiala singled out for praise
"So I see also in that way a very positive two games in a row with Clinton Nsiala, coming out of nothing, out of youth football, doing these things.
"If I see where he was four months ago and where he is now he made really good steps forward and that's what we need to do."
Rangers team must respond to protests on the pitch
"I hear in that moment a lot of fans supporting the team. So I am focused on that.
"I understand that fans are not happy with the away record. Me neither.
"The home record we did really good stuff until now, 31 out of 33. We need to continue in that way.
"My focus is on the team and making the team better, also in this period with all these injuries in the back.
"I know that there still a lot of people behind the team and wanting to support the team, and that was clear also today.
"It's about us on the pitch giving the performances to get everybody behind the team again and get this synergy again.
"What we had not more than two weeks ago with the Old Firm game here and the games before.
"It's about us on the pitch to create that again and I know that if we play good then the fans are always behind so that's our job to do."
Patrick Stewart praised by Philippe Clement
"Normal week as others. No, in a better way.
"Not this week but the last couple of weeks since Patrick stepped into the building.
"That there's clarity now and that I feel that things in the club are moving.
"It's been six months, seven months that I've felt sometimes alone in the desert with a lot of things.
"You see things start to move now and (Stewart) is very motivated to make things better.
"The things I spoke about in the last seven, eight, nine, twelve months, but you feel he's very motivated to change those things.
"I'm happy about that and I am focused about getting results with the team and getting better performances away from home.
"But also to keep consistency at home. You cannot forget that, it's not a guarantee to get the wins here.
"You always need to work hard for that, what the team did today."
Philippe Clement transfer update
"We will see at the end. I saw a lot of players, several good players, that the recruitment team gave us to watch.
"It's now about seeing it to take it over the line so we will wait and see in these next two weeks what is going to happen."
