Pundits Criticize Clement, Suggest He’s ‘Losing the Players’ and ‘Delusional’

“He’s starting to lose the players.” This strong criticism from Derek Ferguson regarding Philippe Clement’s current standing as Rangers manager comes after the team’s latest defeat, a 2-1 loss to Aberdeen in what was considered a crucial match of the season. This result places Rangers nine points adrift of both the Dons and Celtic after only 10 games. Speaking on Sportsound, former Ibrox midfielder Ferguson further stated, “He’s losing me.” He elaborated, “When he first came in, I was impressed by the way he turned things round but he seems to be seeing a different game from the one I’m seeing.” Ferguson also noted, “I speak to guys who are still involved and they tend to agree with me. He’s under pressure because of the level of performance.” Clement, who assumed leadership just over a year ago and extended his contract until 2028 at the season’s outset, faces heightened pressure following two losses in the last three league fixtures. Even Rangers’ victories this term have been increasingly unconvincing. Ferguson continued his assessment, saying, “There would be a bit of hope if there was a better level of performance but I’ve not been seeing it.” He cited examples: “Against a struggling Hibs side, they were fortunate to win. Against St Mirren, they didn’t deserve all three points.” He concluded, “He needed to win against Aberdeen by hook or by crook and he didn’t. All the flak that’s coming, he’s got to take it on the chin because he’s under severe pressure. The club from top to bottom is an absolute shambles.” Former Rangers striker Billy Dodds expressed his belief that Clement is progressively losing the support of the fanbase. Dodds remarked, “The Rangers fans are on the brink, the edge of the cliff.” He added, “They’ve had enough. The banners have been out saying ‘don’t disrespect the club’. They know that decisions higher up are not correct, and they’re letting them know they’re not happy.” Despite the negative reaction to the defeat at Pittodrie, Clement maintained that his side’s performance was decent, describing it as “one of the better performances from this new squad.” However, former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell disagreed sharply. He told the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast, “Rangers are so, so far off it.” Bell further criticized Clement, stating, “The fans are numb listening to Clement after the game and he’s delusional, the way he’s talking. What he’s trying to put over to the press and fans is completely the opposite to what we’re seeing on the pitch.”