Writing in The Sun, Bill Leckie has described Phil Clement as the Belgian Waffler.
For a mainstream publication it seems that a line has been crossed with the Waffler phrase popular on social media to lampoon the hapless Ibrox boss.
Dear old Walter Smith or good guy Alex McLeish would never be subjected to that sort of terminology even though both of them had their struggles while wearing the blazer and brogues.
When Smith’s side lost 4-1 at home to Unirea Urziceni in 2009 the Scottish media refused to ask the genial Rangers manager a single question while big Eck was still treated as a friendly Uncle even after leading the club into third place behind Hearts in a two horse race.
Since losing at home to Motherwell at the start of March the image of Clement has been flipped, or flip-flopped as some would describe it.
Until the point he had been as dull as dishwater, duller than Giovanni van Bronckhorst and being praised for not being Micky Beale, a man with way too much to say for himself when his football greatest football achievement was laying out the cones for Gary McAllister’s training sessions.
When Clement celebrated a 3-3 Moral Victory over Celtic his mask slipped, ever since then he has specialised in deflection tactics with some incredible excuses conjured up to deflect from his multiple failings.
Celtic’s 0-0 draw at Dundee United gave bears hope that 2025 would be the one where they get to cheer success.
One point from six away to St Mirren and Motherwell burst that bubble with Leckie leading the attack on the Ibrox manager with some very undiplomatic language used.
The Rangers board aren’t doing their job if Clement is still in charge for Celtic clash – he’s not fit for purpose, writes Bill Leckiehttps://t.co/6unbx8djyr
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) December 30, 2024
IF Philippe Clement hasn’t lost his job by the time you read this, someone in power at Ibrox isn’t doing theirs.
That’s how far beyond saving he is now. That’s how far the final shreds of his credibility have been flushed down the stank.
It’s not just that he demanded in September to be judged in January and his time’s now quite literally up.
It’s not even the latest shambolic Rangers performance that leaves them 14 points adrift of Celtic in what we’ll laughingly call a title race.
No, what’s finally done for the Belgian waffler is the admission he left his only two attacking threats on the bench at Motherwell because they were too tired to play from the start.
Can you imagine if anyone dared pull that one with Walter Smith? Or Jock Wallace? Or, for that matter, any manager at ANY club with half an ounce of pride in their job?
They would have been pinned to the wall by the same spittle-flecked reaction:
“Tired? TIRED?? I’ll decide when ye’re ******* tired! The fans who work like dogs all week to afford tickets’ll decide when ye’re tired! Now get out there and earn the fortunes we pay ye, ya lazy ****!!”
With language like that in the mainstream the pressure is mounting all around Clement.
Fans have had enough, the on-message fan media sites are finally turning against a serial failure in the dug-out. They’ve been backed into a corner with their credibility on the line in exchange for a press room invite.
There is no suggestion of pressure from the nodding dogs of the Ibrox board but they will be feeling the heat from angry fans with corporate customers less likely to be splashing in the new year.
On Thursday Clement is given a seventh opportunity to beat Celtic, something that even Beale and van Bronckhorst achieved but which has eluded the Belgian waffler.
If Clement fails again some stronger language is likely with Alex Rae and Barry Ferguson waiting in the wings to install the spirit of Sir Walter on a group of players that have allowed Celtic to become Scotland’s Most Successful Club with #title55 the next target for the magnificent hoops.
RELATED READING
2 Comments
by BriBhoy
Looks like the new CEO has been told that he can use the Agent Orange forces in the media to hound Clement out. If he goes of his own volition, that saves them potentially £6m, if the reported cost of binning him are correct.
by TicToc
Nice to see a filthy rag like The Sun going down the “stank” along with their favourite Scottish club even though it’s only 12 years old.
Smoke and mirrors,
Cheats and lies,
They’ll disappear before your eyes,
Never to be missed nor seen again,
As The Glasgow Celtic do the TEN!
All the Best for twenty five, it’s just some time to be alive! 🙂