There’s a Rangers quote that strangled a season at birth and simply must never be mentioned again – McDermott
The line summed up where Rangers were – and probably still are – as a club which is accepting second best.
(Image: PA)
It was the quote that KILLED Rangers’ season from day one.
Ultimately, the line that told you Philippe Clement’s time as Rangers manager would soon be up.
And almost a year on, it should act as a brutal warning to the current Ibrox regime in their search for his replacement.
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The big Belgian was well-meaning when he said it. And there’s no doubt he believed it to be true.
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But whether you were a punter or a pundit, you feared the worst the second the words came out of his mouth.
It was the first week in August last year. Rangers were preparing for their season opener away to Hearts.
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And Clement was speaking as the club announced his new, extended contract.
He’d just signed nine players in his bid to wrestle the title back off Celtic.
The latest one was Robin Propper which, with hindsight, was probably enough to tell us the writing was on the wall.
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Incredibly, Rangers’ campaign was already off to a shocking start with the news that Ibrox wasn’t fit to host their games.
Clement would have to try to get his team off to a flier with Hampden as their temporary home.
So the fans were already on the back foot.
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That’s why they didn’t need to hear what their manager said next. Looking back, his comments didn’t just define his ill-fated spell in charge.
More worryingly, they summed up where Rangers were – and probably still are – as a club. Accepting second best.
When asked about his team’s prospects for the season, Clement said: “I’m 200 per cent sure we’re going to be much better in October, November, December and the months after that.”
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That alone should have been enough to set alarm bells ringing.
But he continued to dig an even deeper hole.
Philippe Clement during Rangers’ defeat to St Mirren(Image: Getty Images)
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“That’s normal if you see how many players left, how many came in and how many of our young players still have to learn things,” he said.
“It’s a squad with a lot of potential.
“Does it mean tomorrow we are going to see the best Rangers? I think you’ll see some interesting things.
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“But we are not there yet, at our best. That is asking the impossible.
“It is logical that there needs to be patience. Some players need weeks, some need months to get used to things.
“Of course, you need time.”
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And that, in a nutshell, put the tin lid on Rangers’ title hopes before a ball had been kicked.
The season was written off before it started.
Because in Glasgow, time is a precious commodity not often afforded to Old Firm managers.
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And having thrown the league away the previous season, it was certainly in short supply for Clement a year ago.
As so many people predicted, hitting form in November was NEVER going to be good enough and by that point Celtic were racing off into the distance.
It was the last thing supporters wanted to hear.
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Needless to say, Rangers were held to a draw in that first game at Tynecastle and were playing catch-up from that moment on.
You’d like to think, as a club, they’d have learned from that whole experience. Surely the mistakes from last summer can’t be repeated?
But as it stands, the way this hunt for a new gaffer is going, it appears doubtful.
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In 57 days’ time, they’ll have their first Champions League qualifier. A pivotal, monumental tie for whoever’s in charge – and critical to the club’s finances, irrespective of the riches that might come their way via the imminent San Francisco 49ers takeover.
Before that, the new manager has to get in, take pre-season, assess the squad – and decide who stays and goes.
By anyone’s standards, that’s a tight turnaround.
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Andrew Cavenagh, Paraag Marathe, Patrick Stewart (Rangers) and Gretar Steinsson at Ibrox ahead of the Rangers takeover
Andrew Cavenagh, Paraag Marathe, Patrick Stewart (Rangers) and Gretar Steinsson at Ibrox ahead of the Rangers takeover(Image: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record)
Remember, Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart hasn’t just been tasked with finding Clement’s successor in the last couple of weeks.
The Belgian was fired on February 23.
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Now, obviously the expected US takeover and involvement of Andrew Cavenagh and Gretar Steinsson will have complicated matters.
But fans were told categorically that the appointment of a new boss WASN’T dependent on the impending buy-out.
So what has Stewart been doing in all that time?
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Surely, the groundwork of speaking to candidates, compiling a shortlist and knowing what it would take to get each of them, could have been done during the time Barry Ferguson was in interim charge?
Instead, we’re almost in June and – by their own admission – they’re still weighing up who might be best suited to the job.
And look, the more optimistic fans might say they’re taking their time over it because it HAS to be right.
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That’s true. If this goes wrong, it won’t be a great start for Stewart, new sporting director Kevin Thelwell – or the Americans.
Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell
Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell(Image: Getty Images)
But at this point, you can’t help feeling they’re behind the eight-ball already.
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The incoming gaffer has to hit the ground running. Supporters expect – quite rightly – a serious title challenge from the off.
But unless the new guy gets their feet under the table in the next week or so, that looks highly unlikely.
No doubt, at his first press conference he’ll say he needs time.
But after what happened a year ago, that would be foolish.
The club can’t afford to write off another campaign so flimsily due to a lack of preparation, planning or organisation.
If they do? Well, come October, November, December – Celtic and Brendan Rodgers will have five-in-a-row wrapped up.
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