Philippe Clement has issued a stringent defence of his Rangers’ tenure by insisting the team are still on the right road to success.
Coming after he clocked up one year in the job, Sunday’s loss at Kilmarnock saw the Ibrox men fall six points behind Celtic and Aberdeen in the Premiership table - incurring the wrath of visiting supporters at full-time.
Rangers have now shipped eight points in as many league games, with only one goal claimed in four away matches.
Alongside Ross County, they have the poorest scoring record on the road in the top flight.
After exiting the Champions League to Dynamo Kyiv, Clement also goes into Thursday night's Europa League clash with Steaua Bucharest on the back of a heavy home defeat to Lyon.
Clement keeps his eye on the ball during training on Wednesday
The Ibrox boss believes his side are still on the right track despite recent criticism
Clement and assistant Stephan Van Der Heyden keep an eye on players at training
Asked how current form tallied with his previous prediction that a new-look team would have shown signs of improvement by now, the Belgian insisted there was evidence that it had already come to pass.
‘I said the team will be better in October, November than it was in August,’ he stated.
‘(I said) it will be better also in September. I think everybody was really positive about the Malmo game, for example (a 2-0 win in Sweden on September 26). That was better than in August. So we need to get to that level more consistently. And there we’re working on it.’
Pressed on whether he’d seen enough in the games since the win in Sweden to give him sufficient encouragement, he said: ‘Yes, in certain details.
You can speak about the Malmo game, I think it was a really good away game in Europe, with good football, a good result, with the type of football the fans want to see, with the ball and without the ball so in that way we need to continue.”
Asked if he still believed the team was on the desired trajectory, he replied: ‘For sure. 200 per cent.’
Clement is certain that disgruntled supporters will see a different Rangers tonight from the one that was booed off on Sunday.
‘It was a big disappointment after the game at Kilmarnock,’ he reflected.
‘The players, staff, fans, nobody was happy with the level of performance and the result. So, then you need to switch your mindset and look forward.
You want to react as fast as possible.
‘That’s what’s going on in the dressing room. That’s the same with me. You want the next game to come as fast as possible and to win that one.
That’s what football is all about.
Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence, above centre, says team had an off day at Kilmarnock
Lawrence admits the players have to be quicker, and were lacklustre at Rugby Park
Skipper James Tavernier leads a group of players ahead of Euro clash
‘It’s about the really good moments to enjoy that, but not to enjoy it too much because then a few days later there’s the next game. You need to be ready again and in the difficult moments to switch fast to react in a good way. So that’s what I expect from tomorrow.’
Clement feels a victory over Bucharest could prove to be a turning point, adding: ‘It’s very important. Also, if we would have had six out of six (points) in Europe and won the last game (against Lyon), it was also important to win the next game. That’s what this club is about. So, we’re really hungry towards this game and looking forward to tomorrow.’
The Belgian said he is taking no notice of the fact that Steaua owner and president Gina Becali claims to have picked a weakened team for tonight after going out with all guns blazing in the win over city rivals Dinamo on Sunday.
‘First, I get information there were already two teams that were announced (by Steaua), so not one,’ he said. ‘I hope they only play with one. No, we’re focused on ourselves.’
Clement has no fresh personnel issues from Sunday, although Zak Lovelace looks set to be part of the squad after impressing for 45 minutes in the B team’s 4-1 win over Stenhousemuir.
Meanwhile, midfielder Tom Lawrence insists Rangers simply had an off day at Kilmarnock.
Asked if he felt the level of criticism was merited, the Welsh international replied: ‘I think that’s fair for the game on Sunday.
I don’t think it’s fair for the previous games.
‘I think we’ve created enough chances in previous games.
‘I don’t know why we performed like that, but we need to make sure we don’t perform like that ever again at this club while we’re here.
‘Me being a creative player, I have to create chances, score goals.
‘We just need to be a lot quicker. We were too lacklustre on Sunday. And I’m sure we’ll do a lot better Thursday night.’
Adamant that Clement shouldn’t be the only one at whom fingers are being pointed, Lawrence said: “It shouldn’t just be our manager, it’s us as players.
We need to step up.
“We can’t be putting on a performance like we did on Sunday. We need to do everything we can on Thursday to put it right.’