Clement "If you have a draw there you can still become champion"

robbo89 said:
"I don't totally agree [that this is 'must-win' if Rangers want to become Champions]. If you have a draw there you still can become champion. Even if you lose but that's a really really long shot and too long a shot for me. But with a point also." PRESS CONFERENCE | Philippe Clement | 10 May 2024

I thought he nailed this media narrative bang to rights today. The narrative has been spun that Rangers have to win tomorrow but Celtic can draw, all in a rather obvious attempt to pile more pressure on the Rangers camp.

The scum have failed to win three out of four games against Kilmarnock this season. This idea that they're just going to romp to a victory at Rugby Park is laughable. Killie have beat them twice already and next Wednesday they could be fighting for fourth spot and a place in Europe.

I think our manager has been a master so far at dealing with the media, he speaks the truth plainly, calls out bullsh*t when he hears it and always bigs up the team and our chances of becoming champions.

The perfect man for the big seat at Ibrox imo.
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Come on. Rangers have to win tomorrow. That will make what happens in Kilmarnock pivotal. With them having their biggest hitters back, I'd still fancy them to win there. Also.. . What does it say about Rangers if we're giving the team a pass to not beat Celtic at the third time of asking, but we're hoping Kilmarnock will do us a favour? Winning at parkhead, then winning on weds v Dundee piles tonnes of Pressure on them; that's the only way Rangers have a chance of winning the league.
 
Albertz78 said:
Technically he’s right but none of us will be happy with a draw tomorrow if we are being totally honest. It’s a must win, simple as that.
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Going on what I’ve read on here lately I think some are so at ease with second place they’d make peace with a narrow defeat never mind a draw. Either way, it’s a must win game for us. If we don’t win tomorrow, it’s done.
 
I'm of the opinion that what a manager says in a press conference is absolutely not his actual thoughts or feelings, nor his beliefs. Well most of them anyway, especially the good ones. It's all a psychological mind game, with his players, the press, the opposition. For this reason I never read much into it.

Anyone in the country that understands football and our league, knows, without doubt, if we lose this game we lose the league. If we draw this game, the league is gone too. The definition of a must win.
 
He’s just saying that. He wants a win it’s who he is.

It’s possible what he says too but in no way does he set his team up for a draw or end up losing.

First ten mins put them under pressure and play.

We may set up to hold them from the start but not letting them get into a stride.

We can do it but we need all 11 on it.

First bit of pressure we put on them we will get more confident. We’re playing Celtic and we are the underdogs against that shower.

We can clearly Beat them, let’s do it.
 
Draw is nowhere near good enough, don’t beat them in 4 attempts and we don’t deserve to win the league. Hoping we show up big time but I’m worried, anything but a win by 2 goals (barring Killie going ham) gives them the league I think
 
We’ve been in worse positions with 2 games to go than 3 points behind, but no chance we make up the goal difference even if Killie or St Mirren take points off them. All about tomorrow; unfortunately the games vs Ross County & Dundee have made it must win
 
It’s clearly a must win game but I understand the managers comments.

The last thing the manager needs to be doing right now is piling the pressure on our players by calling this a “must win game” in the press. He knows that they don’t react well to pressure.

I think the manager understands how mentally fragile this group are and is acting accordingly.
 
Tpol_rfc said:
Clearly not. What the hell should he say though?

If we draw the game and he's previously said it's a must win what can he say then?
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How about:

"We came here to win today so we're obviously disappointed to leave without the three points. We know this result makes our task of becoming champions more difficult but we still believe and we are going to fight until the very end to achieve that goal."

I'm sure a decent manager or wordsmith could phrase it a lot better than me but anything along those lines would be grand. It's good to just speak the truth sometimes, no Rangers fan would have an issue with that. We don't need the manager to pretend this game isn't must-win and if he had admitted that, nobody would be criticising him for being straightforward and honest.

This game is absoluely must-win. If we do draw it, we'll have much bigger problems than some journalist asking "You said this was must-win. Is the title fight now over?"
 
mac192 said:
How about:

"We came here to win today so we're obviously disappointed to leave without the three points. We know this result makes our task of becoming champions more difficult but we still believe and we are going to fight until the very end to achieve that goal."

I'm sure a decent manager or wordsmith could phrase it a lot better than me but anything along those lines would be grand. It's good to just speak the truth sometimes, no Rangers fan would have an issue with that. We don't need the manager to pretend this game isn't must-win and if he had admitted that, nobody would be criticising him for being straightforward and honest.

This game is absoluely must-win. If we do draw it, we'll have much bigger problems than some journalist asking "You said this was must-win. Is the title fight now over?"
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The hypothetical quote you've come up with absolutely isn't the truth as to how we are all feeling and we absolutely would have an issue with the manager if he said that.

We have had first team players coming out in the past few weeks admitting that they don't believe they can win the league ffs.

If the manager was really being truthful then he'd say something like "I have no confidence in this group of players to get a result in a "pressure" game but you never know in football and miracles do happen sometimes". Because let's be honest, that's how we are all feeling going into the game.
 
robbo89 said:
"I don't totally agree [that this is 'must-win' if Rangers want to become Champions]. If you have a draw there you still can become champion. Even if you lose but that's a really really long shot and too long a shot for me. But with a point also." PRESS CONFERENCE | Philippe Clement | 10 May 2024

I thought he nailed this media narrative bang to rights today. The narrative has been spun that Rangers have to win tomorrow but Celtic can draw, all in a rather obvious attempt to pile more pressure on the Rangers camp.

The scum have failed to win three out of four games against Kilmarnock this season. This idea that they're just going to romp to a victory at Rugby Park is laughable. Killie have beat them twice already and next Wednesday they could be fighting for fourth spot and a place in Europe.

I think our manager has been a master so far at dealing with the media, he speaks the truth plainly, calls out bullsh*t when he hears it and always bigs up the team and our chances of becoming champions.

The perfect man for the big seat at Ibrox imo.
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We don’t win the league if we don’t win today. Simples.
 
It’s win or bust for us unfortunately, anyone thinking differently is only fooling themselves.

clement can’t say that however, little bit of mind games.
 
When Clement first came to Ibrox I thought he spoke well. However as time is going on I am getting frustrated with his comments at press conferences.
 
He's just taking the pressure off. He knows we need to win, but what good does it do announcing further pressure publicly?

It's a psychological masterclass by Clement. We will win this game, and suddenly people will realise he's been the smartest in the room all along
 
TDurdenn said:
It’s a must win for us. Full stop
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He knows it.
They know it.
E'body knows it.

However hes smart enough to also realise we have a puncher's chance at best and these players have let him down at the most crucial stage of the season so things have to be played carefully. If nothing else hes deflating their 'winning' the title today and thats the right thing to do.

robbo89 said:
The perfect man for the big seat at Ibrox imo.
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Exactly.
 
Ashley5518 said:
When Clement first came to Ibrox I thought he spoke well. However as time is going on I am getting frustrated with his comments at press conferences.
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I’d say don’t read too much into answers to loaded questions from journos in press conferences, trying to catch a headline.

Make no mistake, the message behind closed doors will be different. He and the players will be under no illusions regarding what’s required today.

If the result goes our way then it matters not a jot what’s been said beforehand.
 
Johnny Yen said:
The gaffer should know when to stop talking fanciful nonsense to be honest, a draw tomorrow isn't good enough, deep down he knows it, an idiot could figure that out.
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So if we score a last minute equaliser it’s not worth celebrating because it doesn’t make any difference? We should just forget about the last 2 games because we’re 3 points behind?
Are you serious? Are you too young to remember Helicopter Sunday?
 
He’s basically saying if we draw, there’s still pressure on the tims to finish the job.

Immediately after that, he firmly says we’re going for the win.

For how often folk moan about the media narrative etc, they can’t help but lap it up every single time.
 
Brian_Fantana said:
He’s basically saying if we draw, there’s still pressure on the tims to finish the job.

Immediately after that, he firmly says we’re going for the win.

For how often folk moan about the media narrative etc, they can’t help but lap it up every single time.
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Yep, so many people are headline writers dreams.
It’s why they do it.
 
Johnny Yen said:
The gaffer should know when to stop talking fanciful nonsense to be honest, a draw tomorrow isn't good enough, deep down he knows it, an idiot could figure that out.
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I think I prefer the big bad Rangers manager who use to growl at press conferences, and only answer questions in soundbytes.
Now he’s this smiling lovable likable guy, always trying to crack jokes with the media, and not always succeeding and answering questions with 4 minute answers.Many which will be used over and over again, against him.
His demeanor in front of the media for me has changed, and not for the better.
 
mac192 said:
I agree with you that that's what the manager was looking to do.

What I don't agree with is the manager trying to keep the pressure of a "must-win" off the team.

They should be happy to live with that pressure. Every game against the scum ought to be considered "must-win." And the team should be under no illusions about what is needed to be champions this season.

As others have said, hopefully the manager communicated a different message within the dressing room and the team know that nothing less than 3 points will do. But I would have preferred the manager be plain and simple about what's needed tomorrow in the press as well as with the team.

In my view his words here have become a distraction and it would have been better to just speak facts.
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He won't be keeping the pressure off them behind closed doors mate. He's simply controlling the narrative to the media and public.
 
Dado_Prso_9 said:
The more I sit here and think about this, we’ve really been bullied into submission by a narrative that we’re playing some football superpower tomorrow.

It’s Celtic. Not f**king Real Madrid.
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Nice try, but it’s not the people in this forum, you have to convince.Philippe.
Once again these battle scarred pros, that crossed that white line, failed to show this hunger you talk of!
Getting slightly tired of you defending these players who literally have thrown numerous managers under the bus.
And if you don’t wake up to this fact, you, will be next!
 
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3 points it’s game on. Dropped points it’s game over. Come on Rangers get into them from the start. Let’s score first and see what they are made of.
 
Please, for the love of god, no!

A draw is absolutely no use whatsoever. Also, if we go out playing for a draw today we’d be as well not turning up at all. At best it would be a carbon copy of the first hour at their place in December. At worst most of us would be switching off after half an hour!
 
hypothetical final fixtures to win the league if we only draw today .
Rangers 5 Dundee 0
Kilmarnock 2 celtc 0
celtc 2 St Mirren 1
Hearts 0 Rangers 2
Long shot ?
Of course but
Its never over till the helicopter turns
 
Johnny Yen said:
The gaffer should know when to stop talking fanciful nonsense to be honest, a draw tomorrow isn't good enough, deep down he knows it, an idiot could figure that out.
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It’s worrying if he doesn’t think it is a must win.

Today will tell with what Clement is really made of.
 
No need to even talk of a draw. One of our few advantages is the simplicity of the team-talk. There's a possibility - all be it slim - that they suffer from indecision when choosing to stick or twist. A bit like Aberdeen in 1991. One can only hope!
 
Johnny Yen said:
The gaffer should know when to stop talking fanciful nonsense to be honest, a drawing tomorrow isn't good enough, deep down he knows it, an idiot could figure that out.
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I'm sure he's not an idiot and I'm also sure he's just saying we'll fight to the death no matter how unlikely winning the league will be if we don't win today. He was just responding to a question and covering all the bases with his answer.
 
mac192 said:
How about:

"We came here to win today so we're obviously disappointed to leave without the three points. We know this result makes our task of becoming champions more difficult but we still believe and we are going to fight until the very end to achieve that goal."

I'm sure a decent manager or wordsmith could phrase it a lot better than me but anything along those lines would be grand. It's good to just speak the truth sometimes, no Rangers fan would have an issue with that. We don't need the manager to pretend this game isn't must-win and if he had admitted that, nobody would be criticising him for being straightforward and honest.

This game is absoluely must-win. If we do draw it, we'll have much bigger problems than some journalist asking "You said this was must-win. Is the title fight now over?"
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You do understand the game hasn't happened yet?
 
Bigbluebear said:
Would be good if the OP included the entire passage of conversation rather than trying to set a false narrative.
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I literally provided the link to the presser in the original post so everybody can watch it for themselves, as well as the managers response when he is asked by a journalist, "I take it, it goes without saying that this is a must-win if you want to become Champions at the end of the month?"

I think Clement did brilliantly reminding everybody that the league title is not a formality if we draw today. I shared his quote and my positive opinion of his response with others on here. Where and what exactly is the "false narrative" I'm trying to set?

You've taken a pretty snide attitude to a Rangers supporter praising the Rangers manager if you ask me but maybe that's just another "false narrative" I'm trying to set.
 
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