Marvin Bartley has disclosed that some players in the Rangers dressing room felt they could “outlast” manager Philippe Clement, prior to his recent contract extension. The decision to extend Clement’s contract on the eve of the new Scottish Premiership campaign caught both pundits and fans by surprise.
While some critics have labeled the extension as a misstep, Bartley, a pundit on Clyde 1, supports the club’s decision. He believes it reflects the current divisions within the Rangers first team.
“Obviously he was given a new contract and I’ll be honest I was in agreement with it,” Bartley stated during an appearance on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on October 23. “From what I was hearing coming out of the dressing room, there were one or two players who had the mentality of I’ll outlast the manager.”
Bartley, drawing on his own experiences in dressing rooms, emphasized the challenges this mindset poses for any coach. “It is very difficult for a manager to turn around if players think that’s a possibility. But they need to do more,” he added, hinting at the necessity for players to step up their performances.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Clement and the Rangers squad to see if they can resolve these internal tensions and deliver the results expected by their supporters.