Phillipe Clement Faces Pivotal Week, According to Rory Loy

Former striker Rory Loy has described the upcoming week as a “season-defining week” for Rangers manager Phillipe Clement. The Ibrox club is scheduled to host Tottenham in the Europa League tonight, followed by a match against Celtic in the League Cup final on Sunday. Loy, an ex-Rangers forward, considers this period to be “a make or break” moment for the Belgian manager, Clement. Speaking on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast, Loy stated, “Rangers are not going to win the league.” He further elaborated, “If they don’t win on Sunday, they’ve lost the League Cup, and they’re not going to win the Europa League, so all that’s left at that point is the Scottish Cup.” Loy characterized the situation as “a season-defending thing for Clement.” He added, “I think he’s come to a crossroads where he’s done enough in the last eight games for people to go, right, OK, let’s see what happens on Sunday.” While the outcome of Sunday’s match remains uncertain, Loy expressed a desire to see captain James Tavernier on the bench. He further commented, “Team selection is huge,” and specified his preference: “I wouldn’t play James Tavernier on Sunday. I would play him against Spurs, though.” Loy concluded by asserting, “I think his team selection, for both games, could make or break him.”