Nsiala gets Rangers chance which could lead to summer exit
Yesterday at 02:04 PM
Philippe Clement will be hoping that the porous Rangers defence is considerably more water tight against a Dundee.
The Dens Park outfit will be targeting the soft centre of a team that has consistently shot itself in the foot and sees the manager struggling to keep a hold of his job.
With several players out injured, Clement has made a brave call at centre-half as Rangers look to put behind their domestic woes away from home to bed against Dundee.
Philippe Clement makes Rangers centre-half call
Robin Propper isn't suspended, despite claims from Sky Sports, and a lot will rest on his shoulders in a new look defence.
Liam Kelly, as backup keeper, will be protected by two left-backs with Ridvan Yilmaz now the 4th choice right-back.
Alongside Propper will be Rangers – at best – sixth choice centre-half in Clinton Nsiala.
The 20-year old France youth international is being trusted to make his debut at the venue where Rangers title challenge all but ended last season.
What he has though, is the chance to stake his claim, not just for the short term, but also for next season and beyond.
If he does well, the left-footed stopper could easily work his way up to third choice next season and replace Leon Balogun who will be 37, the Nigeria international isn’t going to get any more robust with age.
Clement explains Rangers opportunity for Nsiala
It is a huge opportunity for Nsiala to prove that he can play a part for Rangers going forward with Clement hoping that adversity becomes opportunity:
"Now, the moment that this offensive part is growing and getting better, you lose a lot of players in your defence, and you need to find their solutions. So, in that way, it’s been difficult to create consistency.
"But it creates also opportunities for other people to stand up, who maybe didn’t have a chance.
"If all these players were fit to show themselves, now we have the opportunity to show themselves.
"And you come in moments in all the clubs in the world that you can get really positive surprises, and I count on that moment. Like Ridvan was a really positive surprise as a right full-back for example."
