Philippe Clement’s reign at Rangers was a bundle of joy for all those wearing Celtic colours.
Just like many Rangers managers before, Clement came to Glasgow and watched Celtic lift trophy after trophy, before inevitably being booted out.
Clement was sacked by Rangers in February, as Brendan Rodgers went on to wrap up Premiership title number 55 for Scotland’s most successful club.
During the Belgian’s time in Scotland, he provided some serious entertainment for the Celtic Park faithful.
From drawing 3-3 at home to Celtic last season and claiming it was a ‘moral victory’ for his side, losing the first Glasgow derby of the 2024/25 season, and then telling Rangers fans to remember that they had won the week before, losing two cup finals, and getting booted out of the Scottish Cup by Queens Park.
But now Clement has taken his nonsense one step further.
- READ MORE: ‘£300k per week’ – Simon Jordan surprised by finance experts Celtic and Rangers money claim
Philippe Clement on Celtic gap following Rangers sacking
Celtic have won 14 out of the last 15 titles, for a reason, including Trebles after Trebles.
Yet Clement, who barely laid a glove on the Hoops, including losing two cup finals, claimed that if Rangers had remained patient with him, then ‘we could have closed the gap’, as he told BBC Sport.
Other than Clement winning the final Glasgow derby that he managed – and by then the title was done – he never showed any signs that he was even going to make Celtic look over their shoulders.
“I think it was a vital game,” said Clement about losing to Celtic in the League Cup final.
“If we had won, there would have been more patience with the fans also, and the board could have stayed much calmer.
“It’s a pity that the story stopped, that the board didn’t have the patience, or maybe listened too much to some fans.
“There are other clubs, where there is a difficult moment and everybody sticks together because everybody knows the story, how the work is done inside the building, and they continue and they are successful afterwards.
“In three or four windows, we could have closed the gap [to Celtic] with a good development of players, but the decision is made and you need to accept it.”
Clement’s record against Celtic
As mentioned above, the two cup final wins over Clement’s Rangers are the standout moments, and moments Celtic fans will cherish forever.
But in the Premiership, it was the same old story, with trophy after trophy landing on Celtic’s doorstep.
This is how Clement’s record against Celtic looked on paper.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
