Rangers

Image source, SNS

Manager Philippe Clement says he will not quit Rangers regardless of how tough his job could get in the coming weeks.

The Ibrox side sit 18 points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic with some challenging fixtures over the next month to come.

Clement's men welcome Aberdeen on Wednesday and face trips to Manchester United, Dundee United, Hearts and Kilmarnock before the end of February.

"I'm not a quitter," the Rangers boss said before the midweek visit of the Dons. "I'm somebody who knows what he wants and we're going to get it together."

The Belgian dragged his team into a title race following his arrival last term, but his side's poor away form has severely impacted their current campaign.

He has also had to deal with huge upheaval across the club's board and playing staff since he joined the club.

Asked if the challenge has proven to be bigger than he anticipated, he replied: "It's totally different. So now I expect different things. But it's also not a problem.

"Things were clearer in June, but of course there are also other circumstances about selling players and for how much you sell them and how much money you can use in the transfer market.

"So there are a lot of circumstances. That's always the case, it's finding solutions."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been speaking to the media prior to Wednesday's visit of Aberdeen.

Here are the key points:

• Clement insists his belief has never wavered despite sitting 15 points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

• Some fans walked out during Sunday's 3-1 win over St Johnstone in protest at results and the board, however the Belgian says "the bigger the challenge the more hungry I am", adding that he is "a winner and I've always been."

• On the crowd, Clement acknowledges that they have to "continue rebuilding to get this synergy back".

• Clement says he is aware that some fans are angry about more than results but stated he is there for "the sporting side" and "I know my part of the story is to get better results".

• He admits he knew before coming to the club that it was a big challenge and that the challenge is "totally different now", but his focus is on "finding solutions".

• He wouldn't comment on how long he expects an internal review of club operations to take.

• Captain James Tavernier and centre-half Leon Balogun returned to training and their fitness will be assessed before Wednesday's match.

At long last, you can catch the highlights of Rangers 3-1 win against St Johnstone on Sunday. Available to UK users.

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

After last week's draw at Hibs, it was important to bounce back against St Johnstone and with the board publicly backing the manager, it was even more important for him to get the three points.

The 3-1 victory was routine as it gets. The first 30 minutes were good. Fast, dynamic, attacking football and goals from Igamane, Cerny and Diomande. All three had very good matches and they are becoming three very important players for the team.

The second half was a complete non-event, and we go again and concede a completely avoidable goal. Our home league form is almost perfect this season so far, but it will be a tougher challenge on Wednesday coming up against an Aberdeen side who have already given us a bloody nose once this season.

On the 55th-minute walkout, I believe people should be able to protest or leave or stay or do whatever they wish. I didn't agree with the booing, and agree that the club have fallen asleep since 55 and Seville. We aren't getting value for money on the park and we lack leadership and vision off it too.

It's falls on Patrick Stewart to make sure he can turn both things around as quickly as he can.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty says transfer talk around Rangers-linked midfielder Lyall Cameron, 22, is "purely speculation". (Courier - subscription), external

Docherty is unsurprised by reported Rangers interest in Cameron but remains hopeful the midfielder will stay at Dens Park. (Sun), external

New Aberdeen defender Kristers Tobers, 24, was recommended to Celtic and Rangers in 2017. (Sun), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

Former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell says fan discontent shouldn't affect the players on the pitch.

Philippe Clement's side were 3-1 up at home to St Johnstone on Sunday when a section of the support left the stadium in an effort to show their discontent with recent results.

Rangers are 15 points behind Celtic and have just two wins from their last six games.

"I was at Rangers when at a time of real turmoil," Bell told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They were in the lower leagues, there was a lot going on up the stairs with discontent with the board at that point as well and I don't think it does affect you as a player.

"Yes, there's a real split in where the club is at the moment. Yes, you've got this group that are really unhappy with the board at the moment and the way things are going. You've got the other fans that are just wanting to back the team and try and get the best of what's on the pitch at the moment

"Does it affect you as a player? It certainly shouldn't.

"You've got to just concentrate on what you can affect and that is the game of football.

"Rangers dropped off in the second half, their performance was completely different from the first and it's frustrating for the fans, frustrating for the manager because when you go 3-0 up after 25 minutes, you've surely got real confidence to go on and try and really batter a team and really put them under the cosh for the full 90 minutes.

"Rangers just stepped off their game and allowed St Johnston back into it. Performance-wise, second half, was disappointing."

Image source, SNS

Rangers players "trust" Philippe Clement and his style, with everyone "trying their best" to deliver it, says Mohamed Diomande.

The Ivory Coast midfielder scored the third goal at Ibrox in the 3-1 win against St Johnstone, where a section of the support staged a walkout after 55 minutes.

Diomande admitted he didn't notice what was going on in the stands "because I was focused" and added he could, "hear a lot of noise, and the noise was like the support they've been giving.

"So I felt they were supporting us, and I didn't really know what was going on."

The 23-year-old was also asked about Clement, who received of the Rangers board over the weekend despite frustration in the stands and mixed results on the pitch.

"He is all of us together," Diomande said. "He brought me in and I trust him, and I'm sure other players do also.

"They trust his tactics and what he wants to bring to the club, and we just need to deliver what he shows us in training and we need to deliver it on the pitch for him also, to get the maximum points we all want and to achieve our goals.

"We are all trying to do our best and we are all learning from each other. We listen to him and we try to improve together as a team.

"I'm just trying to be the best I can be and to learn from him or the assistant, also my team-mates. We got a win and that's what you want to do.

"I've had good games, and also not good games, but I'm happy that I was back on the score sheet, and I want to continue doing that."

Watch Sportscene analysis of Rangers' 3-1 win against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership. Available to UK users.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Ridvan Yilmaz: Has looked instantly at home at right-back for Rangers. Actually think he is playing with more confidence and assuredness after switching flanks.

We asked for your views on Rangers' 3-1 win against St Johnstone.

Here's what some of you said:

Tim: The board have obviously settled for mediocrity this season and I feel we are simply limping our way through every game. I fear the already toxic atmosphere at Ibrox will get worse, which if not addressed, could tear the club apart.

Robert: Three goals in nine minutes and then the square root of hee-haw. If that was the other team from across the city they would have been relentless and would have scored at least seven or eight, but you can't play for 10 minutes and then take your foot of the gas. There lies the difference between the two teams. One is relentless the other goes through the motions...

Wattie: What ever happened to 'we don't do walking away'. They are not true supporters.

Steven: Jekyll and Hyde. If a game summed up our season, this was it. Team coasting for the first half and a completely different team came out for the second half - much like our home and away performances. Too many players so far off it in the second half. Dessers and Dowell look like they can't be bothered. McCausland and Cortes nowhere near it also.

Elaine: Yes it's three points but yet again after we go three up after 25 minutes, we switch off. The rest was going through the motions. Disappointed Bailey Rice wasn't even in the squad. A perfect game for him. Wednesday will be a tougher game but I'm sure we'll be up for it.

Alexander: This team are incapable of producing anything for longer than 20-30 minutes. Against a better team today and Rangers would have struggled.

Passing was poor, giving the ball away, sloppy defending, three points hides nothing. Can't say I blame those that walked out, protests have to start somewhere and have to mean something, reduced crowds next season.

Image source, SNS

• Rangers have scored in each of their last 14 games in the Premiership, scoring 29 goals in that run.

• Nicolas Raskin attempted 110 passes in this game, the highest total for a Rangers player in the Premiership this season.

• Rangers are unbeaten in their last 10 Premiership matches when leading at half-time (W9, D1) dating back to 14 April 2024 against Ross County (L2-3).

• St Johnstone have failed to win in their last nine games in the Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 5 August 2023 to 28 October 2023.

• St Johnstone have scored six goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, only Celtic (10) and Aberdeen (8) have scored more in the Premiership this season.

• St Johnstone have failed to score a first-half goal in 16 of their 23 games, only Dundee United (17) and Kilmarnock (17) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.

Gheorghe Hagi has revealed his son Ianis' relationship with under-pressure Rangers manager Philippe Clement has "improved" - but the Romania legend says he did not speak to the Belgian about the playmaker. (The National)

Clement has confirmed he has identified "several" players he believes can help Rangers in the January transfer window. (Glasgow Times)

Clement says he did not need the public backing he received this weekend from Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart as the manager did not feel under pressure and already knew the club were behind him. (The Herald)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.