Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Jonny McFarlane

Philippe Clement's steely Rangers focus laid bare in unseen celebration reaction

As Todd Cantwell swept home Rangers' second in the 2-1 win over Sparta Prague, sending Ibrox into raptures, one man was focused amid the wall of noise and entanglement of limbs.

Philippe Clement has shown himself to be nothing if not detail-oriented during his short spell in Scotland and there has been perhaps no better indication of this than the sight of him cutting short his English playmaker's celebration with teammate Danilo.

The pair's Samba dancing after the goal certainly sent a jolt through the Belgian manager who clearly called on the men to refocus on the game.

While keen not to temper joy or the forging of a connection with the fans, Clement is looking for sharp focus at all times - a feeling exacerbated by facing a talented, dangerous opponent.

"I want the players to be happy and feel the joy and energy with the fans and that they express their feelings," he said. "That's really important and also nice for the fans. But I want them to stay focused as well. 

"I knew that in that moment the game wasn't finished so I don't want players who switch off and stay satisfied. That can come after the game. The moment the referee whistles again- we need to have top focus. 

"I want a team who goes for the third goal and after the third goal goes for the fourth goal - not one that stops after 2-0 and then kills the game by not creating anymore and only defending. That, I don't want also."

This is all about mentality of course. A manager building a unit, a machine.

When Celement arrived, he talked about the four pillars of his football philosophy; technical, tactical, physical and mental. 

Now six games in and undefeated, how Rangers evolve in terms of psychological strength will be key to their season.

"You see the team is growing every three days so that's a very satisfying thing to see," he admitted.

"And not only in the team and the games but also the vibe here in the building with everybody around the team is also different to how it was three and a half weeks ago. But, I want to see how we react after the first disappointment because teams who do that and react directly are the ones who go for trophies. I want to create this stability in the team but also in the building to be ready for anything and always to keep on fighting and not starting to doubt."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.