Even if his side had lifted the Scottish Cup on Saturday, Philippe Clement’s plans for the summer recess would not have changed.
The Rangers manager had already decided to eschew warmer climes in favour of a staycation in Scotland.
This is partly based on the Belgian’s desire to see more of his adopted home, but speaks more to the time he will have to sacrifice in the close season if he is to move his team forward.
Clement did well to get a tune out of a failing side for six months. The League Cup he won last December offered up hope of a ‘special’ season in the manager’s eyes,yet the failings that had cost so many of his predecessors so dear were endemic.
Despite it all going rather flat in the end as Celtic won a Premiership and Scottish Cup double, the 50-year-old retains the faith of his paymasters and most supporters. This is never given unconditionally.
Two years ago, Giovanni van Bronckhorst won the Scottish Cup. He also took Rangers to the Europa League final having only lost the title to Celtic by four points. At the start of the following season, his side beat PSV Eindhoven to qualify for the Champions League.
Clement’s team need to have a fast start to next season or his job is on the line
The pressure tells on Clement as he confronts ref Nick Walsh during Scottish Cup final
It’s yet to be seen if Todd Cantwell will figure in Clement’s long-term plans
Despite the obvious warmth there was for a celebrated former player, Van Bronckhorst was sacked on November 21 after a catastrophic European campaign and a heavy defeat at Celtic Park.
This time last year, Michael Beale was given the keys to the safe and carte blanche to sign who he pleased despite finishing seven points behind Celtic.
PSV Eindhoven got their revenge in a reunion in the qualifiers. Celtic and Aberdeen won at Ibrox. Another autumn brought another managerial sacking at Ibrox.
After all Clement’s talk of closing the gap, Rangers finished a point further behind Celtic this month (eight) than at the stage he came in. The League Cup triumph was important, but it will be long forgotten by the time the first of those two rounds of Euro qualifiers arrive in August.
Rangers will also be due at Celtic Park either later that month or in early September as Clement hopes to win an Old Firm match at the fifth time of asking – an achievement even the much-maligned Beale ticked off.
All told, it’s hard to overstate the importance of a fast start for the manager and his newly-calibrated team. Anyone believing he won’t start the season under pressure has simply not been paying attention.
After coming up short in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final, Clement consoled himself with the fact that even members of Celtic’s backroom staff acknowledged his side had edged the contest.
His team were certainly better than they’d been in the four league derbies this season. They were more compact and aggressive. They didn’t lose an early goal and stayed in the game. It was perhaps a blueprint they could work with.
Skipper James Tavernier may be among those players who are not around next term
Connor Goldson could also depart Ibrox for a new start in Saudi Arabia
Full back Jefte is one of the new faces at Rangers for the season ahead
The trouble is, though, that Clement now must piece together a radically different side to execute it.
Fabio Silva, Oscar Cortes and Abdallah Sima are poised to return to their parent clubs. John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe and Borna Barisic will all be moving on.
Speculation continues to link skipper James Tavernier and Connor Goldson with a reunion with Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia.
Todd Cantwell is also under contract, but it’s legitimate to question if the midfielder will figure in Clement’s long-term plans. One of the lasting images of Saturday was the Belgian dragging the Englishman away from the match referee at the full-time whistle. It was not a good look for the player.
Cantwell undoubtedly has talent but there was far too much talk on social media and too little action on the field from him last season. Is he a luxury Clement can now ill afford?
The manager has made it clear he doesn’t want to lose Jack Butland at any price. Be that as it may, the goalkeeper remains the most likely source of cash to fund the necessary improvements.
Dujon Sterling and Mohamed Diomande have shown more than enough to demonstrate they are worthy of being central to a reshaped team.
Ridvan Yilmaz should be helped by the fresh competition for his position offered by the arrival of Jefte.
The imminent re-signing of Leon Balogun on a one-year deal offers a degree of continuity, while Nico Raskin has shown in flashes that he could perhaps do something under the tutelage of his compatriot.
Despite scoring 22 goals in the season just ended, however, a large question mark remains against the name of Cyriel Dessers. Clement badly needs a forward whose hold-up play is markedly better.
Players like Tom Lawrence, Kieran Dowell, Rabbi Matondo and Scott Wright have ability, but only tend to show it in flashes. When the performance of so many individuals oscillate so greatly, results tend to follow that trend.
Clement needs players who will deliver for him in nine games out of 10. Not one in three.
Clement will hope to avoid same fate as Beale who was sacked a few months into season
Van Bronckhorst was also axed despite having reached a Europa League final
He must land a bundle of them this summer and they will all need to hit the ground running. Working in conjunction with director of football Nils Koppen, he will also have to change a losing culture into a winning mindset. It’s an extremely tall order.
Clement is supremely confident about one thing, though. A recurring theme of his first eight months was that the number of injuries Rangers picked up was not just coincidence.
He lost Danilo, Cortes, Sima, John Souttar, Goldson, Cantwell and Roofe for significant spells.
Convinced that the pattern of absenteeism was down to poor routines and old habits, he plans to bring in a new approach involving the medical, performance and coaching staff. Perhaps a fresh approach can yield a different outcome.
What he can’t control, though, is what happens on the other side of the city.
Despite two underwhelming transfer windows and significant disquiet around Parkhead, Brendan Rodgers delivered a double in his first season back in Scotland.
Guaranteed a minimum of £40million from the Champions League to go with the surplus of cash they had already stockpiled, Celtic have the financial wherewithal to sign five or six big hitters and ensure next year’s title race isn’t quite so competitive.
Clement can clearly do nothing about that. But, as he prepares to head for a brief rest in the Highlands, he will know that his new-look side will still be expected to out-perform their fierce rivals.