Chris Sutton believes that Phil Clement is in the final week of his time in charge at Ibrox. Brendan Rodgers has some form on the issue.
A year ago hopes were high as A Proper Football Manager prepared for his first match against Celtic, the hoops were vulnerable after suffering back -to-back defeats earlier in the month against Kilmarnock and Hearts in the SPFL.
Cameron Carter-Vickers had been injured at Dundee, Reo Hatate hadn’t played since September, Luis Palma was on the on-form winger in the Celtic squad of think pickings. David Turnbull and Mikey Johnston came off the bench before January departures.
Rodgers had rarely gone into a Derby match with a weaker hand to play, he called on his own experience and ability to fashion out a 2-1 victory as Clement and the Ibrox PR machine bleated about VAR issues with one of their toxic fan media outlets given the message that Willie Collum shouldn’t be involved in any future matches.
Clement has had five more attempts at beating Celtic, he is still waiting with the patience of Ibrox fans growing thin, after losing away to St Mirren the League Cup Final sob stories have been forgotten.
Sutton has watched it all unfold, he has watched Rodgers thrive in one particular fixture and believes that Clement is one more defeat away from becoming the latest victim of Rodgers as Celtic push ever closer to winning their 55th title.
Writing in the Daily Record the former Blackburn striker set out the consequences for Clement of facing up to an absolute specialist in delivering results in the Glasgow Derby:
Rodgers has ruled the roost in Glasgow over a couple of terms with Mark Warburton first to be dismissed on the back of suffering to Rodgers. Pedro Caixinha and his dogs and caravans were next.
Graeme Murty barely counts given that he was a caretaker. Steven Gerrard did at least actually win a game against the Celtic manager, but he didn’t win the battle and only got his title when Rodgers had departed for Leicester. Michael Beale was a fleeting opponent and now it’s Clement who is being battered.
If he delivers another boot to the Belgian on Thursday, Rodgers will be onto his next challenger from across the city because, contract or no contract, I don’t see how Clement can survive yet another Old Firm reverse. Any time he puts some credit in the bank, he always finds a way to empty his account.
On that day Rodgers spoke, Clement had faced Rodgers for the first time. Celtic weren’t in great form, whereas his team were flying. Rodgers won. Since then, it’s been an endless cycle and Clement can’t bridge the gap. The Belgian does some good stuff, then completely fluffs it.
That April game at Ibrox last season. Rangers had a chance to make a serious surge towards the title. He draws 3-3 at home, does a lap of honour and talks of moral victories. May, Celtic Park, the last chance to salvage the title race after letting it slip. Defeated.
Scottish Cup Final at Hampden. Rodgers’ team not firing, yet they still win it at the death through Adam Idah. September in the East End. Scudded. Back to Hampden just under a fortnight ago. Whatever the nonsense and statements, silly talk about replays and credit for the performance, it was defeat. Again.
Listen, I understand that Clement was on the backfoot when he took the role and that Rodgers had a head start on him in terms of personnel. But you can’t go seven games against Celtic without a win. Especially, not when your team is chucking in performances like they did in Paisley on Thursday night.
Sutton doesn’t mess around with his assessment and views, there is only space for one winning manager in Glasgow.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst beat Celtic, won the Scottish Cup and reached a European final but was chewed up and spat out by Ange Postecoglou after 366 days in charge at Ibrox.
Rodgers knows the stats, his track record and CV but also knows that each Glasgow Derby has its own story-lines.
Going to Ibrox on Thursday without any fans to face a baying mob will be a huge challenge but if Celtic can get in front the baying mob will have a new target for their anger to focus on.
No trophies are handed out for seeing off managers at Ibrox but with his background Rodgers knows the kudos that will come his way with another victory in the Glasgow Derby likely to be a costly one for the Belgian Beale spewing out deflection stats for the failings of his exciting young team.
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2 Comments
by Johnno
Hopefully the scum haven’t got the money available to pay off the Belgium waffler, after we beat the scum again on the 2nd.
Would like to see how he is going to manage the January transfer window all the same?
What hasn’t been mentioned yet, is the scum can only make 3 changes to there Europa league squad.
And this without the Romanian haggis and the dildo not even in the squad at present?
So not as big of a cut back in wages as the Belgium waffler likes to try and claim, because they already have to many foreign players, for the allocation within their squad at present?
And yet there is a demand for more players to be signed still?
The thick hun scum zombies and it’s cheerleaders, refuse to look at the overall current situation, that the Belgium waffler has created regarding the scums squad?
Could be a case of adding haggis and dildo to the Europa squad, which in turn means 2 currently within it, have to be dropped?
Even getting a loan player means another has to be dropped?
Would make for a happy changing room, and wonder who the waffler could blame for something of his own making?
Wouldn’t be surprised if deep down the Belgium waffler would be quite happy for us to beat them, and not having to face the squad calamity that’s he’s created?
by TicToc
I really like Big Chris but “…….I don’t see how Clement can survive yet another Old Firm reverse.” is “disappointing”, to quote an infamous new hun captain.
You should NEVER use that O** F*** crap, Chris, it’s just a derby match as the O** F*** died a bit over 12 years ago. Get yer act together!