Clueless Clement faces battle for second place and survival- Keith Jackson withdraws support for the Belgian Beale

Keith Jackson has withdrawn his support for the Clement Revolution- and expressed his doubts over giving the Belgian Beale an extended contract.

In recent weeks the veteran Daily Record reporter has been in full cheerleader mode as he blamed the Ibrox Stadium on James Bisgrove and tried to whip up transfer interest in serial losers.

Pre-season results were concerning but can generally be wiped away ahead of the competitive action but the standard of summer recruitment could best be described as underwhelming.

All of the worst fears were confirmed at Tynecastle on Saturday then compounded as the bears sat back and watched the champions take apart Kilmarnock as they opened their defence of the SPFL Premiership.

The visitors team sheet at Tynecastle on Saturday revealed that only Connor Barron had been added to the serail losers that fell to pieces in the run in to the title last season.

A few short months ago Clement was being drooled over as A Proper Football Manager but it seems that a succession of honest mistakes in his opening matches covered up for the fact he is no better than Beale.

With so many warning signs around Chairman John Bennett stuck another 12 months onto Clement’s contract in what was meant to be a vote of confidence in his struggling manager.

A day later that was looking like another act of madness, so mad that even loyal Jackson had to take a step back as he shared his worries with Daily Record readers:

It has the potential to become another hugely expensive mistake if Clement should leave ahead of schedule with a thick wad of pay-off cash burning a hole in his back pocket. Because, in order for this grand plan to work, first and foremost Bennett has to be absolutely certain that Clement is indeed the best man for the job. And, and in the here and now, that seems to be a matter of considerable doubt.

Ten months into the role, there are certainly no clearly defined patterns to the way Clement’s team operates on the pitch. Nor is there any indication of his signature style of play. He talks a lot about high tempos and high presses too but either his players aren’t listening or they don’t understand what he’s being asked of them.

That’s pretty much been the way of it since he first arrived last October and Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Hearts offered little indication that the tactical penny has suddenly dropped over a summer of rebuilding.

Yes, there were sporadic moments of intensity but really only during the second half and, even then, they didn’t last all that long. Certainly, not long enough to shift the momentum of a contest which Hearts never appeared in any danger of losing.

Credit must go to Steven Naismith and his players for that. They got onto the front foot from the first whistle and stayed there throughout even when Rangers upped their levels of energy and enthusiasm after the half time break.

In fact, Naismith appears to have shopped shrewdly over the latest window in an attempt to make his squad robust enough to go the distance both at home and abroad.

There was nothing between his side and Clement’s on Saturday and that may become the story of the season as the pair of them lock horns and fight it out for second place. Because that feels like as much as the campaign is likely to offer Clement. And his new contract might effectively be a way of bomb proofing the boss from the blasts which are about to follow.

Two top flight points dropped already, Clement faces Dynamo Kyiv tomorrow with his side not even remotely close to Champions League requirements.

If the Ukrainians provide further proof of that in Poland by turning Rangers over, then Clement will find the natives are beyond restless on his return to Glasgow.

And then there’s the prospect of the first Old Firm game of the season at Celtic Park on the first day of next month. Already, his record in this fixture does not make good reading for the Rangers support.

Played four, won none, lost three. Of course, there was also a 3-3 draw in there too, which Clement and his players celebrated with a lap of honour, as if the league title itself had just been secured even though Celtic left the home of their rivals on that particular day with one hand back on their trophy.

In other words, Brendan Rodgers appears to have Clement’s number. And if the Northern Irishman chalks up another victory in a few short weeks from now, then Clement’s credibility as some sort of long term solution might be blown to smithereens.

Tomorrow night Clement’s side face Dinamo Kiev in a Champions League qualifier with Robin Propper expected to pull the team together on his debut.

Failure to get past the Ukrainian side will cost the club £5m straight away and condemn them to an autumn of Europa League nights at Hampden while Bennett waits for the boats coming in from Asia to rebuild Ibrox.

With the Elite Sports case starting this week and a visit to Celtic back to start September the perfect storm is brewing with Clement in the firing line just a few months after celebrating a moral victory over Brendan Rodgers at Ibrox.

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