Watch the full episode on Shotstv.com
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 So it won't be long before we're sinking Steins and downing Bratwursts in Germany,
00:11 but moving on from the international talk, let's focus on Rangers who have appointed
00:18 their new permanent manager, it is Philippe Clement on a three-year deal contract until
00:25 2027. He was announced on Sunday afternoon, admitting he was honoured and hugely excited
00:33 to get started with the Ibrox club. Declan, an interesting one, we knew it, came down
00:40 to Clement and Kevin Musket, the Yokohama Marinos boss. They've opted for Clement after
00:48 about a fortnight's recruitment process, we know Graeme Souness was heavily involved in
00:55 that. Clement, who enjoyed plenty of success during his time in Belgium, what's your assessment
01:02 on this appointment? I think just to go down to the two candidates firstly, I think that
01:07 may be something that will please Rangers fans in the sense that they've looked at two
01:09 guys who have won stuff. I think that was really important for whoever the next appointment
01:14 after Michael Beale was, it had to be somebody who had been the course and won something,
01:20 which they've not done for a period of time, with Giovanni Van Bront, of course, if you
01:25 look at Beale, Gerrard, appointing guys, either Clement or Musket, was going to be important.
01:33 Somebody who knew what it took to win a league title. So you maybe take that wee bit of element
01:37 of risk out of it. Again, very different leagues to come into Scotland, obviously Musket being
01:42 successful in Australia, in Japan, Clement being successful in Belgium with both Bruges
01:48 and Genk. It didn't work out for him at Monaco, it's going to be very different. Not just
01:54 the weather, it's going to be very different for him, he's in the hot seat at Irox, the
01:57 pressure's going to be completely different. Interesting first game, obviously they're
02:01 going to be playing Hibs, who have been undefeated under Montgomery so far. At Irox I'm sure
02:07 he'll get a warm welcome when he arrives there and he's obviously right into the European
02:11 action. It's an interesting appointment, every managerial appointment has its risks, we know
02:19 that. It's just, again, it's where probably Rangers fans see this season going, heading
02:27 into this next chapter, until the next international break in mid-November. It's that question
02:34 of can they close the gap in Celtic, that gap that exists of seven points, obviously.
02:39 Can they put their place in the final of the League Cup? That's going to be really important
02:42 I think for Philippe Clement, to get to that final and win the Cup. Obviously, Scottish
02:49 Cup's going to come on later in the season, but they're the two, and can they do something
02:53 to get out of this Europa League group? They're still well in it, outwith the embarrassment
02:59 of Aris Limassol, so they're still well in this group and they can still do something
03:03 in that. So I think they're going to be the three boxes that Rangers fans are looking
03:06 to tick. But again, as I say, it's not going to come without risk, but it's one just to
03:14 see how it goes. Again, he's obviously got that difficulty that he comes in, he's not
03:18 going to have a transfer window until January, so he's going to need to work with what's
03:21 already there.
03:22 As you said, it's been a hugely underwhelming start to the season for Rangers, and supporters
03:30 were quite adamant that a change was needed to be made at such an early stage. You touched
03:35 on the League Cup game, they've obviously got hearts in the semi-final before, potentially,
03:40 if they do come through that, reach the final in mid-December. How important do you feel
03:46 it is for Clermont to hit the ground running and potentially win a trophy within the first
03:52 two months of being at Ibrox in terms of winning over the fan base and getting them onside
03:56 going into the second half of the season?
03:59 It's huge when it's a bit of an unknown quantity, that's no disrespect to Philippe Clermont,
04:02 but before this recruitment process probably started, I don't know how many people's radars
04:07 they would have been on, just the normal punter that goes out to the terraces. It worked for
04:12 Ange-Paul Stokoglou, I think that's something you look at, it worked for the likes of Vimy
04:16 Anson as well. Foreign coaches coming in there, if you can go and make your mark and say to
04:22 the team, "That's the feeling, let's go and repeat it, let's go and deliver again," it
04:26 makes a huge difference.
04:27 And again, looking at what Rangers are up against, the other three teams that are remaining,
04:33 they should win the League Cup. It's no disrespect to Aberdeen, Hibs or Hearts, but they should
04:38 win the League Cup with their resources and whatever else. So to not win the League Cup,
04:43 it wouldn't be a disaster, but if you look at what they need to do to get there, I think
04:49 it's really important that they do go and deliver and get that. And again, if he's not
04:55 able to squeeze Celtic a bit, they're obviously in danger, Lewis, if they go to Celtic Park
04:59 and at the end of December it goes to 10 points, if nothing changes between now and then, Rangers
05:05 keep winning and Celtic keep winning. So I think for his sake, to get Foco onside, if
05:10 they're not already onside, it's going to be important to go and win that first piece
05:13 of silver there.
05:14 [Music]