Philippe Clement expressed his bewilderment over the composition of the team’s European squad. Clement’s comments came in the wake of Rangers’ successful journey to the Viaplay Cup Final, where they secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over Hearts at Hampden. With this victory, the Light Blues find themselves just 90 minutes away from potentially clinching their first League Cup title in 12 years, with only the 2014 winners, Aberdeen, standing in their path.
Despite the promising start, Clement remained cautious and was quick to emphasize that nothing has been won yet. His immediate focus has shifted to Thursday’s crucial Europa League clash against Sparta Prague. Nevertheless, Clement hinted at his surprise regarding the squad selection, which was done by the former Rangers boss, Michael Beale. Notable omissions from the squad, such as Ridvan Yilmaz and Leon Balogun, left Clement with a perplexing situation.
Clement addressed the issue, stating, “On Thursday we have a really big game. We still miss a couple of players, we also miss some players that I cannot select because they are not on the European list, that I didn’t make in the beginning of the season.” This situation has presented Clement with a puzzle that he expects the team to solve, as they prepare for the upcoming challenging match. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the team’s performance both on and off the ball.
He added, “I am most satisfied about that, the concentration and focus of the players in the last couple of weeks in every game, towards every detail that we talked about with the analyst. It is a very important thing in our football.”
Clement’s ultimate goal is to build a winning machine at Rangers, capable of competing on all fronts. Winning the League Cup on December 17 would be a significant milestone, showcasing the team’s remarkable turnaround since the end of Michael Beale’s tumultuous tenure.
Clement concluded by saying, “First, it’s not my cup final, it’s the club’s final and the players’. I’m really happy with that because it’s really well-deserved.” He praised the dedication and hard work of the players and staff, noting that their commitment deserved recognition and that the club’s journey was a collective effort.