Seven takeaways as Rangers manager talks Spurs, Danilo & Hamza Igamane after Ross County win
12/08/2024 11:40 AM
Philippe Clement has been addressing a post-match press conference following Rangers' thumping 3-0 victory away to Ross County.
The Gers continue their Scottish Premiership resurgence with three goals and a clean sheet in Dingwall ahead of a monumental week in Glasgow.
With Spurs to come in the Europa League and then Celtic at Hampden, it's all to play for at Rangers and Philippe Clement faced the press come full time.
Here's the big takeaways from the Rangers manager's press conference following a strong victory over Ross County in the Highlands.
Rangers 'starting to gel' under Philippe Clement
"(It was) a very clear victory, what's not easy in this place with the reputation they have and already last season with this manager. So well deserved.
"Three really good goals, we could've scored more. We had several really good attacks also with a few good saves of the goalkeeper.
"Our finishing is getting better, more shots on target. You see the development of the team week by week, what we've been working.
"All the things that three months ago we made mistakes in a way, two months ago a little bit less, one month ago a little bit less.
"It becomes better and better that whoever we are putting, they all know their job to do on the pitch individually and collectively and their responsibility in those things.
"So you see that things are starting to gel together better and better, what is a normal process.
"But it's massive to win these kind of games also with three goals difference and to keep the clean sheet and to play a mature game like the team did.
"But it's because of all the things that they've been through the last couple of months, to learn out of that."
Rangers manager demands 'Cup Final' focus
"I don't think it was only first half, also second half with other players coming on the pitch.
"Nedim (Bajrami) came also in really good positions with a few good shots for example.
"Of course, it's about knowing the role and it's really important the timing of the run, when to do do it, and also the timing of the pass, where to give it at which moments and you need experience in that way to make it better and better. So the team is very focused.
"They showed today it was from the first second on the front foot, with having a lot of respect for Ross County also and what they've performed the last couple of months in their home games.
"So I want to see that respect for opponents every game, whoever we play against, that my team goes like it's a Cup Final."
Spurs 'one of the best teams in the world'
"That it's against a team that is out of league normally, financially for sure.
"It's a kind of game that you only have things to win, it's a little bit of a different situation than the normal games we have but we're going to fight.
"It's really interesting in that way to see also with this squad what they can do at that level. It's going to be a first test against a team of that magnitude and that quality of player.
"So I'm really looking forward to that. You see physically, technically, the team is growing, also in all the automatism.
"Now we're going to see that against one of the best teams in the world so that's going to be interesting.
"You can give every team a contest. My team's did it in the past against really big teams. I believe in this team there's a lot, a lot of quality and this is just the start of something with this squad.
"So there's a lot of potential in this squad if we can keep on working in this way and they keep focused in that way, so for them it's also a really big test for them against Tottenham to see where we are at that level.
"So I am really looking forward to that like I was in the past with other teams playing against much bigger teams."
No comment on Rangers v Celtic Cup Final
"I said this now already one year and it's my mindset. It's about game after game. You can start talking about other games or the other game after Thursday, now everything is on Thursday."
Rangers' 'physical level' growing
"I see that the physical level is growing with the team, you need to be smart in moments to make decisions.
"To not let somebody start or to take somebody out during the game, like it was today with Vaclav. There was no reason, totally physically, that he was that tired but he cannot play every time 90 minutes so you need to use those moments really well and I will do that game after game.
"And not only this week, also the weeks to come. It's the only way to keep your squad fit, to keep them on their toes also. Because it's good to have this competition.
"I see also the last couple of weeks that's also part of the story, there's more competition in the team and that raises the level of the team, if everybody is with the right mindset.
"And the mindset is that it's only about the team and not about themselves. That's what they've been showing until now. I'm going to keep a close eye on that.
"That's a crucial one to have a successful team, that you can have rotation but that everybody is pushing each other."
Danilo still raising his levels at Rangers
"I'm very happy for Dani and for the team of course, and for myself also. I missed him 11 months that he was not available.
"You see also the difference he can make, so we missed that in a lot of games in the past. So it's now raising his levels, he's not at his top yet, cannot be after that period. But he's showing already the good things that he showed before.
"He's not yet at the level that he was in the moment that I started to work here but he's working hard on that and only time will help in that way and more minutes and more training minutes also.
"Dani is a very positive guy, always with a smile. Not always, because he had some dark moments with the injuries and we had a lot of talks in these moments also to get him out of this difficult period.
"But he's somebody who loves football and he's somebody who likes attacking football and that's what we're doing.
"That's the style we want to play, to create a lot of chances. Then it's also nice for attacking players to play in that style."
Talismanless Rangers 'need competition'
"I don't like the word talisman, because it means if he's not playing we cannot win games.
"That's what you want to say now. So we don't want to create a team like that because then it becomes easier for opponents. We need this competition.
"You see everybody is pushing each other in that way. Hamza scored goals now the last week, Dani scored goals, Cyriel scored goals.
"And that's what you need to be a top team playing every three days in four competitions, you need this competition and everybody standing up in the moment they are playing.
"You see a really good team spirit already from the beginning of the season, we get some knocks because we needed some time to gel everything together but you see the team grow and I feel it also from the fans today, that they start to understand that."
