Neil McCann is amazed by the job Philippe Clement has done at Rangers ahead of Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen at Hampden Park.
Clement is unbeaten in his first 14 games at Ibrox, overseeing the revival of a Scottish Premiership title bid, the winning of their Europa League group with a shock win away at Real Betis and the reaching of a League Cup final this weekend.
Ex-Rangers player McCann is delighted by the Belgian’s start to life in Govan and he expects his former club to win against Aberdeen.
Speaking on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene on Saturday night (16 December), McCann said: “I don’t think he could have wished for a better start in his Rangers career.”
After being told that Clement has gone unbeaten in 14 games, McCann added: “It’s unbelievable.
“I think the group is getting stronger and to go over to Spain and beat Betis, who hadn’t lost at home all season, in their own backyard is quite an exceptional result to go into the last 16.
“I see a side that is getting better and is getting stronger.
“Everything indicates towards Rangers getting a positive result.”
Must-win
There’ll be a lot of people saying that Clement and his players need to treat this game like any other.
But that’s wrong.
This is a cup final, this is a chance for Clement to start cementing his name in Ibrox history. And this is also a chance to right wrongs against Aberdeen, who’ve already won at Ibrox this season.
Michael Beale was a joke of a manager.
It hasn’t taken long for Clement to start getting players like Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers to put in solid shifts while also picking up the steady stream of points that have the Gers breathing down Celtic’s necks.
Beating Aberdeen, on paper, should be a doddle but football isn’t played on paper, is it?
It’s a cup final and the pressure is ramped up. If players are told to treat it like any other game, that’s when the pressure will start to get to them.
They need to be prepared for a massive one, a must-win game.
Clement won’t come under fire if he loses but no one will talk about his 14-match unbeaten run if he does suffer defeat. He’ll always be seen as the manager who lost a cakewalk of a final in his first chance to win silverware.