Latest news with #Clement
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kemar Roofe airs his Rangers truths in bombshell address as he calls out Clement for brutally snubbing him
For the first time he's spoken about how he was treated by Clement and the heartache at being left out of the 2024 Scottish Cup Final Four managers in four years. That wasn't the scenario Kemar Roofe envisaged when he got the call from Steven Gerrard to join Rangers in 2020. But that's how it panned out. After Gerrard's title win, Giovanni van Bronckhorst was next in the hot-seat. Despite getting to a European final, the Dutchman was replaced by Michael Beale. And finally, Roofe's final season was under Philippe Clement, who is now also out of a job. Roofe won every trophy in Scotland during his time at Rangers and is proud of what he achieved. But there is also a nagging feeling of what might have been, especially if Gerrard hadn't left for Aston Villa. Roofe also believes the club was wrong to get rid of Beale. And for the first time, he's spoken about how he was treated by Clement - and the heartache at being left out of the 2024 Scottish Cup Final by the Belgian. In part one of an exclusive interview with Record Sport, the former Rangers striker discussed his ex-gaffers - and why he expects Russell Martin to succeed with the backing of the San Francisco 49ers. Roofe loved his time at Ibrox but it ended on a sour note when Clement was in charge, after he was left in the stands at Hampden for that vital Old Firm clash. Roofe said: 'How was Clement with me? Yeah, interesting. 'It was difficult. He stopped wanting to use me because I wasn't going to be there the following season. 'I understood that he wanted to work with players he was going to work with. 'But not to the detriment of winning games for Rangers. 'Even if I wasn't going to be there the following year, I was still going to give 100 percent during my time. 'That's just my character but maybe he didn't understand my character. 'I still felt that I should have played a lot more games to help Rangers win more - especially in the Scottish Cup Final. 'It would have helped the manager so I don't understand it. 'It obviously hasn't helped him now. I genuinely felt if I'd played more I could have made a difference. 'He left me out of the final against Celtic at Hampden. I was fit to play but wasn't in the squad and had to sit in the stand. 'Earlier that season, I had a big moment when I scored the winner against Real Betis in Spain. 'That should have proved to him that I was still giving 100 percent. You'd think that would be the case. 'As a manager you need to know your players properly. 'But Clement obviously didn't know or understand me well enough.' Before Clement, Beale had taken over from van Bronckhorst at Ibrox. And despite injuries curtailing his impact on the team at that time, Roofe is adamant the Englishman should have been given more time to build something at Rangers. He said: 'It was frustrating because I hardly played under Michael due to injuries and I wanted to give him something back. 'He's one of the best coaches I've ever had. His coaching is top quality. 'And the way he wants to play football suits me so much. 'When you've got that, it's really enjoyable and you want to play. 'Michael deserved more time in the job. if he got that, he could have turned things around. 'Just because of his way of playing. It was very similar to Steven's and we'd had success with it. It was enjoyable to play in. 'We didn't have that enjoyment of football again. 'I even heard comments from fans saying how boring the games were after that. 'When you keep changing managers at a club, it's not good for continuity or rhythm. 'Everything gets thrown out the window. It becomes too chaotic.' In Roofe's first season at Ibrox, he'd been Gers' top scorer as they won the title under Gerrard. Which was exactly what the manager had targeted when he enticed the striker to Ibrox. Roofe said: 'I was in Belgium with Anderlecht and got a call out of the blue from the manager, Vincent Kompany, saying Rangers had put a bid in and it had been accepted. 'As soon as Steven rang me - with his legendary status - he got my attention. 'I knew how big Rangers were. 'When I was at Leeds, I played alongside Stuart Dallas and Liam Cooper. 'They were big Rangers fans so they'd always go on about the club. 'Steven just spoke about wanting to win the title and playing European football. 'He believed in me and liked my style. When someone of that stature speaks well of you, it gives you ultimate confidence. 'That first season was strange due to Covid. Because there were no fans, it didn't feel like being a footballer. 'You felt more like a machine. You turned up every day to do your job and win. 'Then you'd go home, isolate, before getting up to do the same again. 'But we achieved what we had to achieve that season. The main focus was always winning the league. 'When I spoke to Steven about the aims, it was that we HAD to win the title. 'As much as I wanted to win the Europa League or go as far as we could - it wasn't ever as important as winning the league. 'And after doing it, I realised how important it was and why it was so important to supporters. 'To be part of that team who did 55, and to be top scorer, is a good feeling. We'll always be remembered for that. 'And people forget we were invincible that season as well too." Gerrard's departure the following season to Villa stunned everyone at Ibrox. Roofe is adamant that if the Rangers hierarchy had backed their manager more at that time - the club could have enjoyed more success. Instead, they allowed Celtic to dominate Scottish football again. Roofe said: "The ideal situation would have been Steven staying and making a few positive additions to the squad. 'If we'd have done that, I feel we could have kept growing. 'But that wasn't the case. We weren't able to grow from the season before because the gaffer left and we didn't really get players in to help. 'It was the perfect chance for the club to kick on but we didn't do it. 'We'd won the title and did well in the Europa League. In any business, when you do well you invest to kick on. 'But we didn't do that. A lot of players left, were sold or - contract-wise - weren't in a positive place. 'That affected us the next season. If I could go back, I'd love us to have invested in the squad and had a massive push. 'That's what Celtic have been able to do since then.' Rangers now have Martin in charge after Clement's exit. But it's Rangers' new American owners - and the influence of the 49ers - which Roofe believes can help the club get back to the top. He said: 'I think good times are ahead for Rangers under Russell. 'They've got owners in there now who are ambitious and won't mess about. 'They'll want Rangers back in the Champions League and respected again around the world. 'So they'll want quick results. I've seen what the 49ers have done at Leeds and they've been massive in their success. 'I've spoken to people involved at the 49ers and everything I've heard is positive. 'But at Rangers, it only comes down to one thing - you have to win. 'Before I got there, there was no silverware. And it's the same now. 'They have to get back to winning ways.' ** Kemar Roofe has launched his own Player Journal at **
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
I played for Rangers and PSG under one infamous Ibrox boss and now I am managing a team in France's seventh tier
Jeremy Clement spent a season with Gers in 2006/07 after arriving from Lyon in a £1million deal Paul Le Guen's ill-fated six month stint as manager of Rangers is one that fans of an Ibrox persuasion have tried hard to erase from their memory over the years. And as it turned out, one of the players that the Frenchman brought with him from Ligue 1 didn't last much longer. After taking up the reins in Govan from Alex McLeish in the summer of 2006, the infamous boss moved quickly to sign Jeremy Clement in a £1milion deal. The midfielder was a part of Le Guen's Lyon side that romped to the league title in 2005, the fourth of seven consecutive Ligue 1 crowns won by the club before rivals Marseille and now Pars-Saint-Germain established themselves as the most dominant force in France. However, much like his manager, Clement's spell in Glasgow was far from successful. The playmaker started the majority of his 23 appearances for the Light Blues but was sent packing back to France for £1.8m in the following January, linking up with Le Guen for a third time at PSG just weeks after he had been given the boot at Ibrox. Clement went on to win more silverware in the French capital, helping the club capture the now-defunct Coupe de la Ligue in 2008. After spells with Saint Etienne, AS Nancy Lorraine and minnows FC Bourgoin-Jallieu, the 40-year-old hung up his boots in 2020 to pursue a career as a manager with the latter. Clement held the role for two years before it was mutually decided not to renew his contract at the end of the 2021/22 season. But nearly three years on, the Gers flop is back in coaching after landing the job at amateur club FC Allobroges-Asafia in France's SEVENTH tier. Clement's experiences in the dugout next season will be a world away from some of the big nights he had during his playing career at Ibrox, the Parc des Princes and Parc Olympique Lyonnais. Speaking about his brief Rangers tenure back in 2020, the ex midfielder said: "I wanted to progress as a player so I decided to leave Lyon. "I had opportunities to sign for clubs in France, but I wanted to sign for a manager who knew what I could do, like Paul Le Guen, so I chose Rangers. "Rangers was a great adventure for me. It was my first experience abroad and a big change for me. "The country was beautiful, I met my future wife and Rangers are a legendary club, so I regard it as a great time for me. "I returned to France and went on to play for PSG, St Etienne and Nancy. I've had a great career. "Now I will take my coaching badges at Bourgoin-Jallieu and hope to become a manager one day when football returns to normal."
Edmonton Journal
6 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Blue Jays' winning road trip tainted by a troublesome series sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies
Article content Add it up and it equated into an ugly three-game sweep by the Phillies, who won Sunday's series finale, 11-4, at Citizens Bank Park where the homeside outscored the visitors by a combined 22-6. The following are three takeaways from a horrific loss that dropped the Jays' record to 38-33 as Toronto returns home after going 5-4 on the road, a stretch that saw Ernie Clement record 13 hits, a game that would also see Clement strikeout for the first time in two weeks when former teammate Jordan Romano rang him up to end the eighth inning 1. Wheeler and dealer The Jays caught a break when Philly was in town for a three-game set by avoiding Zack Wheeler, the staff ace, because the veteran right-hander had been placed on the paternity list. No such luck for the Blue Jays on Father's Day. In the opening two games of the series, the Jays were vexed by two left-handers in Ranger Suarez, who held Toronto scoreless in seven innings, and Cristopher Sanchez, who gave up two runs in seven innings.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Philippe Clement in astonishing Rangers blame game as flop boss calls out two players over title collapse
Philippe Clement has pinned a huge part of Rangers' title collapse in his first season in charge at Ibrox on John Lundstram and Borna Barisic. Although not naming either of the duo, he admitted that two players who were out of contract were distracted by trying to sort out their next career move during the tense run-in. Advertisement The Light Blues hauled themselves back into a title race they seemed to be well out of when Clement replaced Michael Beale at Ibrox in October 2023. READ MORE: Rangers transfer news as Russell Martin 'eyes' ambitious Ramsdale reunion and Poku interest escalates READ MORE: Celtic book medical for striker as Kyogo set for emotional homecoming – transfer bulletin But they managed to get back into it and even hit top spot in the league at one stage before falling away spectacularly towards the end. They lost at Ross County and drew against Dundee at Dens Park with a defeat at Celtic Park in the final derby of the season. Advertisement Rangers eventually finished eight points behind their rivals. The contracts of Lundstram and Barisic were both ticking towards expiring and they ended up joining Turkish side Trabzonspor. John Lundstram applauds Borna Barisic (left) Clement, in an interview with BBC Scotland, said it wasn't an ideal situation - and one the club should always be looking to avoid. Barisic was hooked early in the 3-2 defeat in Dingwall and the Croatian defender didn't featured at Dens Park. And they were both left out of the XI for the Scottish Cup final against Celtic at the end of the season, with Lundstram coming on for the final minute. Clement said: 'There are some stories if you look back. Indeed, in the first season nobody in Scotland expected Rangers to come back in be in a title race when we arrived in October. Advertisement 'The players did it but in the end we lost the game at Ross County and three days later dropped points at Dundee. 'If I look back, two players who were not good in those two games they left at the end of the season on a free transfer. 'They were at that moment busy also talking with other teams with their agents, about their future and all those things. 'Probably, and maybe, it had an affect on them. Did they not want to become Rangers? For sure not. They wanted to become champions and give everything. 'But the situation to be at the end of the contract at that moment of the season was also not a good one. Advertisement 'You need to see as a club that it's about stability and consistency that you don't come in these situations too much in the important moments of the season. Rangers' John Lundstram -Credit:SNS Group 'You want everything to be clear so players can focus solely on football and I think it played a part in that end of the season in those two games where the shift was made in the championship.' 'It's a pity we couldn't win the championship coming out of a situation where nobody thought we could win it. The Belgian admitted that league loss was his biggest regret, with the Premier Sports Cup win over Aberdeen at Hampden his proudest. He was axed this season, with Russell Martin named permanent successor last week. He said: '(My) most proud (moment) - because all that matters is winning things - would be winning the league cup and biggest regret would be being close for the title in that first season and not getting it over the line, and also the two cup finals where were very close.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
As Blue Jays continue to surge, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hasn't kept pace
The good times keep rolling for the Blue Jays, a team many felt would be rolled over when its offence was rendered completely inept. As they enjoy an off day before a three-game series in Philadelphia awaits — beginning with Friday night's 6:45 p.m. first pitch — it's worth noting how this run of edge-of-your-seats entertainment started on May 28 in Arlington, Tex. The evening began with Bo Bichette out of the starting lineup because of back tightness. It would end with Bichette used as a pinch-hitter with one out in the ninth inning in a 0-0 game. He went deep for a two-run blast to give the Jays a 2-0 win on a night when five pitchers combined on a one-hitter. That moment would help catapult the Jays to their four-game sweep of the Athletics, help ignite a 2-1 series win over the Phillies and serve as the impetus for the team's current 5-1 trip. Since that night in Texas, the Jays have gone 11-2. The team's pitching has held up, despite Bowden Francis' struggles, closer Jeff Hoffman being so prone to serving up longballs and the absence of a bonafide starter outside of the Big 3 of Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman. Alejandro Kirk suddenly has emerged as the team MVP. Addison Barger has the earmarks of a major-league thumper and George Springer's renaissance seems real. The list goes on, which includes Ernie Clement and the remaining unheralded cast that has taken turns in stepping up in big moments. The bullpen has been kept together in the wake of challenges. But still, no one is quite sure if this streak is sustainable. For now, no one should be overly concerned because the Blue Jays have become must-see TV. 'Every time we get punched in the mouth, we punch right back,'' Clement told reporters following Wednesday's win in St. Louis. 'That's just so exciting when (opponents) score a run and you score two. It's the most fun we've had as a group this year and in past years.' While no one can argue with anything Clement had to say, there nonetheless are some matters that have to be corrected. Pitching is right at the top because no team can sustain what is, in effect, a three-man starting staff. When Francis is scheduled to make the start Saturday, it will loom as his biggest during his brief big-league career. The Jays have survived, in fact they've thrived, on bullpen days, but no one believes this can be a long-term solution. And somehow the Blue Jays have been able to go on their current run with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lacking that thump factor. While his US $500-million contract extension doesn't kick in until next season, Vladdy Jr. needs to provide some pop to the offence. He was given the day off in the series finale at Busch Stadium, but the Jays managed to complete their sweep of the Cards without him. During this run, which has seen the 38-30 Jays move into second place in the AL East and within four games of the division-leading New York Yankees, Jonatan Clase and Tyler Heineman have as many homers (one each) as Guerrero. During this run, Clement has gone yard three times while driving in seven runs on 10 extra-base hits. Barger has launched five home runs and driven in 11 runs. Kirk has produced 12 RBI, while going yard twice. Bichette has 13 RBI as does George Springer, who has knocked in at least one run in six straight games. Combined, the pair have hit eight home runs and produced 13 extra-base hits. Meanwhile, Guerrero has recorded five extra-base hits and seven RBI. Not to dismiss Vlad Jr.'s play, but more is needed knowing this team can only rely on players many deemed situational for only so long. One has to tip their hat for Vlad Jr. for stealing second twice during this run, but it is an indictment knowing he has more base swipes than belts. Blue Jays earn sweep against St. Louis Cardinals as their momentum keeps picking up steam Surging Blue Jays beat host Cardinals to move season-high 7 games above .500 Granted, the Jays have persevered through the injury absences to Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho, have pieced together a pitching staff without the services of Max Scherzer — who is scheduled to start Friday night in Buffalo as part of his rehab assignment — and Yimi Garcia. No one can take away the gains this team has made in the past two weeks and no one should forget the fine line this team is trying to navigate. A slugging Vlad Jr. is more than capable of pushing the Jays over the line, but he has to produce. Getting on base by forging a career-high streak is commendable, but a big moment in the clutch has been elusive. In many ways, the Jays have been able to excel during this run in spite of Vlad Jr. He's the face of the franchise and will be for the entirety of his major-league career, but he must face the fact that more is needed at the plate. Hopefully two days off, including Thursday, will recharge his power because eight home runs on the season simply won't cut it. fzicarelli@
