Philippe Clement claims his Rangers team are fighting for their futures ahead of next season.
But the Ibrox manager believes that it’s no different for any team in world football as the pressure cranks up in Govan.
The Gers’ slip up against Ross County has once again brought into sharp focus this squad’s shortcomings and there remains big questions over Rangers’ mentality in the title race.
Speaking ahead of the must-win clash away to Dundee, Philippe Clement has claimed that he will get to know his players better in the heat of the Dens Park battle.
And whilst he’s looking for his Rangers team to stand up and be counted, things would be no different if he was in charge of any team in the beautiful game.
Philippe Clement claims Rangers stars are on trial
Speaking to a press conference ahead of the Scottish Premiership clash with Dundee, Philippe Clement has been clear that he’s expecting a reaction from his Rangers team.
The Ibrox manager has invited his stars to prove they have what it takes to play for Rangers in one of eight Cup Finals between now and the end of the season.
“I will get to know the team again better, to make the right decisions towards next season,” explained Clement.
“It doesn’t mean that it’s only a decision about tomorrow or something, it will always be a decision after the seven, eight months together, but these are important moments also to show as a player, I’m here of course.
Pressed on the comments, Clement said: “Don’t take it so literally but that’s always part of the story, that after a season the decision is made what is the group for next season.
“That’s always part of the story for every team in the world, that I just want to say. It’s not that there is an exam now the next six weeks but it’s always a part of if you want to grow, if you want to be successful then you need to make decisions at the end of the season so of course it’s important to perform.
“But it’s in every team in the world the same.”
Bouncing back a test of Ibrox credentials
With the Ross County defeat a sore one for everyone to take, the Rangers boss is not expecting any of his players to have a hangover heading into the Dundee clash.
The Gers have one Scottish Premiership win in four matches and two victories in seven games in all competitions.
It’s the most disastrous run of Clement’s tenure to date with the wheels threatening to come off Rangers’ season at the worst possible time.
Expanding on those comments about the Rangers team proving their bouncebackability, the Belgian reckons that if one defeat is enough to see the squad crumble then they’re not fit to wear the badge.
“If that’s the case then you’re not at your place at Rangers,” said Clement when asked if he had to reinstall belief into his players following the weekend’s result.
“If you lose your belief with one bad performance or losing points, then you are not ready for that, to fight for trophies, to fight for titles. Because it’s just part of the journey.
“There’s not one team in the world who wins title by every game being the best, and we were better, we had more chances, we could’ve won the game, but every game to be that everybody said after ‘wow, this team was really good’. It doesn’t happen. Not one season, not one team in the world.
“So what are the good teams? The teams who make faults and they react directly and they don’t lose belief. So that’s part of being a winner and a successful player and it’s that kind of players that we need here in the building, to achieve what we want to achieve altogether.”
Rangers’ clash with Dundee is set to go ahead at Dens Park after the pitch passed an inspection on Tuesday morning.
