Philippe Clement has today blamed the Dens Park fiasco on Rangers’ dire performance and loss in the Highlands, which, we guess overlooks a tad the same horrible performance v Celtic which had perfectly normal prep.
The manager, speaking after yet another dreadful performance and result, resorted to blaming what hotel his players were staying in instead of admitting he himself screwed it up again as much as his players did.
He said:
“Maybe it was part of what happened today. It is not an excuse, but it’s been all week about anything except football in our club and around our club so maybe that influenced things, but it is not an excuse. We need to win games whatever the situation. That stays a strange situation but it is not in my hands. I need to focus on the football and that is what we will do. You do not even know what hotel you need to take. Okay, but these are decisions above my head.”
We will be factual – yes, the prep wasn’t ideal but that was for Dens Park.
As soon as Rangers came home it was all about Ross County and preparing for that. The management are making excuses about chopping and changing their prep and the scheduling, but is there really an excuse for even a fringe Rangers B side losing to the league’s more or less worst side?
No, there isn’t – few Rangers fans have gone in that direction, blaming the preparation.
Because, while we’re not so arrogant to assume our side only has to show up to win, it REALLY should have enough about it to be able to beat Ross County if it is professional enough.
Thing is, County had NEVER beaten Rangers in history. That’s how superior Rangers’ record v them was.
So making excuses, reasons, any extenuating circumstances isn’t good enough.
Clement has been poor this weekend. Very poor. He’s let himself down badly and lost a lot of credibility in our eyes. Screwing up the selection, getting the tactics wrong, making yet more bizarre subs, then ignoring Don Cowie for the handshake (he later apologised with a pretty weak public excuse). Now, this.
Fans generally still love him, but for Ibrox Noise, the boy’s goodwill earned up till the Celtic draw is gone, and he starts all over again for us.
We support, but we don’t trust. Not like we did. He’s lost that part now.