Yahoo News The Rangers message Philippe Clement WON'T let new boys forget and why challenge is 'much bigger' than last season
Philippe Clement has told his Ibrox new boys that a game against Dundee United is just as important as facing Manchester United when you’re at Rangers.
The Belgian boss takes his team to Tannadice for a noon kick-off in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday against the newly-promoted Terrors. With Gers now eight points behind joint-leaders Celtic and Aberdeen at the top of the table - anything other than a victory for Clement’s side would be unthinkable for supporters.
And the manager knows that mentality will have to be drilled into the batch of players who have just arrived in Glasgow this summer. Early next year, Rangers will face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Europa League group phase. But Clement insists a trip to Tayside on league business is just as vital.
READ MORE:'Honest' Tony Watt will be fuming about his miss, says Motherwell boss
He said: “That’s the nice thing about here, every game is super-important. Because you can never lose points and you can never lose games. Or almost never. Maybe if we go to Man United, people will understand. Although we’ll even go there with an ambition to win also.
“That’s what the players need to embrace here. And it’s what I need to get into the heads of the players who are new here. All of these young players need to learn about the circumstances. To learn what it is to be a Rangers player.
“So it’s an interesting one and a good test on Sunday. Dundee United are a team who have done really well in their first four games.
“They have a lot of ambition and it’s their first game against the Old Firm. They will want to show themselves in a good way and it’s going to be a hard battle for us. But I’m happy with that. Every three days I want a battle and a good challenge for us. That’s the only way to go.
“But do I have to emphasise to the new players that at Rangers playing Dundee United is as important as Manchester United? Yeah, of course.”
Dropping more points - after a draw at Hearts on the opening day of the season and a derby defeat to Celtic last time out - would be a disaster for Clement’s side in terms of a potential title race. When asked if he could afford to fall further behind, he said: “That’s a really negative question.
"I don’t think that way. I only think about winning and there’s 34 games to go. That’s 102 points to play for and it’s about going into every game trying to win them. Whether it’s now, next week or next month - there’s never a moment when it’s good to lose points in the race.”
Clement also insisted he never contemplated leaving Rangers in the summer. The Belgian knew there was a squad revamp required at Ibrox with several out-of-contract players leaving the club.
Clement was also aware there would be limited funds available to replace the likes of John Lundstram, Borna Barisic and Kemar Roofe. To do that, while somehow building a side to challenge cash-rich rivals Celtic was always going to be difficult. The gaffer said: “I was very determined when I stepped in here and there’s no difference now.
“But I know the challenge is much bigger than it was last season. I know that. But I chose that, also. I had a choice to make in the summer, to do that or not. But I love it here. I love that challenge. It’s massive but with all my body and mind, with everything, I want to go for it.”
That suggested Clement could have bailed out on Rangers given the testing circumstances. But he added: “Was there opportunities for me to go? No, no, I don’t want to go into that. I want to be in Glasgow. “
