Alan Stubbs, a former Celtic star, anticipates that Phillipe Clement, the Rangers manager, will be feeling the pressure from the intense rivalry with Celtic if the Hoops win the Scottish Cup following their 12th title in 13 seasons. Although widely commended for his revitalization of Rangers earlier in the season, Clement faced setbacks with defeats to Motherwell, Ross County, and Celtic, dashing their hopes to overtake the dominating force in Scottish football.
Stubbs suggests that Clement’s recent statements in press conferences have missed the mark, and he now faces the task of defeating Celtic at Hampden to alter the narrative. In an interview Stubbs acknowledges the stumble Rangers faced towards the end of the season, raising questions about Clement’s performance. He notes that if Rangers lose the cup final, Clement could face early season pressure. While recognizing the positive impact Clement had in initially turning around Rangers, Stubbs questions whether the team’s progress is truly substantial considering their potential points deficit compared to when Clement took charge.
Moreover, Stubbs points out some peculiar aspects of Clement’s press conferences and warns against taking criticism personally as a manager of Celtic or Rangers. Drawing from his own experiences winning titles under Wim Jansen and Martin O’Neill, Stubbs feels that despite Celtic’s season not being their best, their ability to consistently avoid defeats to Rangers has boosted their confidence while diminishing Rangers’ belief.
Looking ahead, Stubbs predicts significant changes at Celtic in the upcoming summer, citing dissatisfaction from Brendan Rodgers towards the current squad. Despite Clement having a full squad at his disposal in some instances, they have still struggled to overcome Celtic in Old Firm matches. Stubbs emphasizes the importance of turning the tide for Rangers and believes Clement must deliver results against their rivals to ease the mounting pressure on him.
