Philippe Clement handed keys to Rangers kingdom and there’s one thing he MUST get right to make strong start count – Kenny Miller

Philippe Clement handed keys to Rangers kingdom and there’s one thing he MUST get right to make strong start count – Kenny Miller

Upon joining Rangers, Philippe Clement took over a club that was playing their way out of the contention for the championship.

Nevertheless, in some way, while playing for him, the same team is now squarely engaged in a league flag fight with Celtic.

Despite Clement’s first loss as manager, a close loss to the Old Firm with 10 men at Parkhead a week ago,

that’s a fantastic accomplishment for the Belgian in such a short amount of time.

Since taking Michael Beale’s place in October, he has shown incredible improvement.

Rangers were seven points behind Celtic when he arrived.

Now, the difference will be reduced to two if they win both of their games remaining,

which they ought do. Many will claim that it’s because Brendan Rodgers’ team has given up points that they shouldn’t have.

However, that is precisely how a title is gained or lost.

In the end, since his appointment, Clement has lost fewer points than Rodgers.

Even though it was a close match and Leon Balogun’s red card was one of the mitigating circumstances,

he might have lost his first derby.

I’ll tell you what, Rangers teams better than this one have lost at Parkhead.

The 2-1 outcome won’t determine Clement’s hopes of winning the title.

He obviously has the mentality required to be a gaffer in Glasgow and is the proper kind of person for this position.

Some people only use words when they talk in sound bites.

However, there’s more to this person than that. He understands.

He is aware of the challenges faced by a team like the Rangers.

Despite having already received a prize, it’s obvious he still has a want for more.

There were things he HAD to do when he first arrived.

His primary goal was to get greater performance from this group of players because there were three months until the next transfer window.

I wasn’t expecting big, dramatic departures from what I’d been seeing under former head Beale.

What I wanted to see was these players who were constantly critiqued generating more and still winning.

Clement didn’t have an easy task, yet he succeeded in it.

A League Cup semi-final was approaching. With Celtic out, he had to win the trophy.

Delivering that cutlery was under serious strain.

And he succeeded in doing so as well, appearing unfazed.

Although leading Rangers to the Europa League knockout rounds was a task,

they went above and beyond expectations by winning their group and making it to the round of 16.

Even worse, Clement had to learn his lesson the hard way,

drawing Aris Limassol at home before defeating Real Betis in their own stadium in Seville.

So he’s completed almost everything he needed to. He has fulfilled every expectation,

save for the outcome at Celtic Park.

Add in Ross McCausland’s rise to prominence, Abdallah Sima’s enhanced goal total,

and John Lundstram’s comeback.Naturally, they’re back in the race for the crown.

Is there anything more that Clement could have done? Not in my opinion.

Recruiting is the next step in his role as Rangers manager now that January has arrived.

There were blatant shortcomings in this area last summer.

The good news for Clement is that he was not responsible for any of his past errors.

In many ways, he now holds the keys to the kingdom. And he needs to do it correctly.

He has already brought in Wolves loanee Fabio Silva.

For someone who is only twenty years old, a lot is expected of him.

Though it remains to be seen if he can make the same kind of impact as Jota did when he first joined Celtic from Benfica.

Even with Silva joining the team, I believe Clement should add another attacker during the transfer window.

This attacker could be a wide player, as Sima may miss a month of the Africa Cup of Nations,

or a center-forward like Lawrence Shankland, about whom I have written in this column.

Rangers have occasionally struggled with injuries in the midfield,

but I think Clement will address that this month.

He wants a creative guy in there who can score goals and make assists.

Right present, there are a lot of rumours regarding Todd Cantwell holding that role.

Happy in Glasgow, is he? We cannot be certain.

We do know that he hasn’t produced the same level of form that he displayed at the conclusion of the previous semester.

He needs to give Clement more.

I’d want to commend Dujon Sterling for his outstanding performance there.

However, he isn’t the imaginative kind or someone who could win a title contest.

For this reason, I believe the management will try to improve that section of the pitch.

I do not anticipate that his defence will change until the summer window.

The fates of Ridvan Yilmaz, Borna Barisic, and Ben Davies are unclear.

Balogun only agreed to a one-year contract upon his return,

thus Clement needs to address the entire left side of his back line.

However, I don’t think you can address everything in January, and it’s not a top concern at this time.

Please understand that if I had the opportunity to sign Owen Beck from Liverpool,

who has truly impressed me while on loan at Dundee—I would. If he is free to sign,

he would be a great addition. I would also do it right away in order to enter before someone else does.

Rangers are adequately covered at the back other from that.

It’s a difficult challenge for Clement to offload players in this window.

Everyone seems to be talking about Sam Lammers,

and it would seem likely that he will relocate his loan away from Ibrox.

However, it can be difficult to let go of guys who you recently purchased for a high price and who are well-paid.

Probably, he would like to cut three or four people from the team. But this time of year, that’s not so simple.

That’s the task Clement has as he gets ready for the campaign’s second phase.

He has so far aced almost every exam that has been given.

It will be largely determined by him if the Rangers are champions in May if he plays the same manner in January.

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