Philippe Clement: Under pressure Rangers boss insists club is ‘200 per cent’ behind him as he prepares for St Johnstone test | Football news

Rangers manager Philippe Clement will go to training on Friday as the club prepares for Sunday’s game against St Johnstone.

Tracking Gers draw 1-1 at Dundee many fans at Dens Park have directed their frustration at the Belgian and believe his time at Ibrox should be up.

Clement, however, insists the club’s board – who have a new chief executive in Patrick Stewart – are “200 per cent” behind him, despite Rangers 15 points adrift of Celtic after a terrible run of away results that has produced just three wins in 11 games.

When asked about the fans’ criticism, Clement said Sky Sports: “It is normal that they are dissatisfied. I am also dissatisfied that we did not take three points. I know that I am the face of the team, that is part of my job.

“I am busy with the club, with the team, to let this team grow. In the last few weeks, with all the changes, we lost some stability and maybe confidence. Some players had to play all the games and we see a lack of freshness.

“Now it’s about reacting as a team on Sunday and taking the three points.”

Sunday’s game against St Johnstone is the first of three successive home games, with Aberdeen following on Wednesday – live on Sky Sports – while Fraserburgh are the opponents in the Scottish Cup next weekend.

The Gers then return to the away side at Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Europa League before traveling to Tannadice Park to face Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership, live on Sky Sports.

Boyd: A decision has to be made about Clement

Speaking on Sky Sports after Rangers’ draw at Dundee, the former Ibrox striker Chris Boyd he said:

“It’s just excuse after excuse,” said Boyd, the former Rangers striker Sky Sports. “Rangers have got a team that should come here and wipe the floor with Dundee but they are holding their own.

“Thirteen points from 33 away is a disgrace. You can talk about progress but there is none. You talk about players who are tired and low in confidence. You absolutely destroyed Celtic a week ago or 10 days ago – you destroyed them.

“And you’re struggling for confidence. Lose two, draw the game and lose the game before the Celtic game. There was no confidence in the Celtic game and now after that, you’ve drawn two games again and there’s a lack of confidence in them that just doesn’t make sense.

“I just look at the club right now and on the pitch, it’s broken. There’s no patterns of play, there’s nothing. You always go back to the Celtic game as Rangers’ best performance of the season.

“But it can’t just be a one-off, we know that. It’s an absolute disgrace that Rangers are in this position.

“And you see you didn’t spend money. Money was spent. Yes, there was cost-cutting, but money was spent.

“There’s no improvement. We’ve also talked about improving the injuries. I mean, it’s actually worse.

“You can talk about moving players and needing extra minutes. Guess what? You’re a football player. That’s what you’re paid for, and that’s minutes.

“There is no progress whatsoever. It’s over.

“It’s over [Rangers CEO] Patrick Stewart, because I’m telling you now, those are the last two guest appearances we’ve been on.

“Those fans have had enough and it will get to a stage where they will stop coming to games and then you will see the real problems start to materialize for Rangers, because this cannot continue.”

Sutton: Brendan opens the champagne

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton on Sky Sports, after the draw at Dens Park:

“Philippe Clement has to take responsibility, but the players on the pitch also have the knowledge and understand how to win games.

“You look at the Rangers team and you think, ‘does the jersey fit many of these players?’ I said before that there is a losing mentality at the club and nothing has really changed, and it doesn’t just apply to Philippe Clement.

“This has been going on for years and years and years. And look how distasteful that performance was tonight. Celtic are laughing at them.

“Brendan Rodgers, he’s going to open the champagne tonight, laughing at them. It’s a shame that we’re in the early part of January and Celtic are 15 points clear at the top. It’s shocking and unbelievable.

“We talked before the game, me and Kris [Boyd] he thought Philippe Clement should have left a long time ago. But now they are at a crossroads of sorts because can it continue? The club is in regression.

“And so are we going to look at that or is Patrick Stewart going to look at the bigger picture and not just one game against Celtic where they raise their game or, you know, the odd game in Europe?

“Clement will come out and talk about Celtic having a bigger budget, but Rangers shouldn’t be dropping 19 points against sides who have a far, far smaller budget than them, and he never mentions that.

“We hear excuses week in and week out. And that’s not good enough. And it’s about time he took ownership, but he won’t.

“But this Belgian waffle will go on and on and on. It won’t stop until it’s decided.”