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7 Philippe Clement press conference takeaways after Dundee Utd win as Igamane value will soar and boss talks pressure

Rangers manager Philippe Clement
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Philippe Clement reckons Rangers HAD to sign Hamza Igamane when they did or they wouldn't be able to afford him down the line.

The Moroccan youngster came off the bench for the club and showed glimpses of class as Gers managed a narrow 1-0 win over in-form Dundee United at Tannadice. The 21-year-old hit the post with a header from a corner and impressed just as he had against Celtic when given a short time to try and make an impact.

Clement is adamant the former AS FAR attacker will prove to be a top talent for the club in future and be part of the transfer policy they want to implement which is buy for cheap and sell on for profit.

READ MORE: Philippe Clement urges Rangers to kill teams off as boss names major Dundee Utd positive

READ MORE: Philippe Clement responds to John Bennett Rangers departure after chairman stepped down

But the Belgian discussed numerous points at full-time including how he felt the game went, what life might be like without chairman John Bennett and if he's feeling the heat.

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How was the game?

That is a hard place to come to. We knew that United is in a really good dynamic, winning promotion, then after having a really good start in the Premiership and they deserve the points that they have until now. So we knew it would be a hard game. We started very well on the ball, with the things that we had done in training. We took the domination of the game and scored a really good first goal. And then you miss a little bit the chance to score a second goal. In the second half, it was more a fight because Dundee United pressed higher and were more aggressive. And then those moments we need to be better to score the second goal or the third goal to kill off the game. But there were a lot of positive things if you see how many new players were on the pitch today. Some even don't know all the names of their teammates yet, like Nedim. So we are building and it's getting better week by week.

Nedim Bajrami debut

Nedim is just in the building. So he had two short sessions with the team. Like I say, he doesn't even know all the names of his teammates. So he's just here. But we know what kind of player he is, what he can do for the team. He showed some things, but he can show much more still in the future.

Igamane's transfer signing plan

And Hamza, like I said, when we signed him, it's a big talent. We had to do it now because if it would have been one year later, we could never afford that kind of players. He's coming straight out of a Moroccan competition, Moroccan culture. Everything is new for him. He was also injured when he came. So it took time to get him more fit. And that's what we're going to do the next weeks and the next months, to give him opportunities to grow as a young player. But you see already a lot of good basic qualities.

Happy with reaction after tough times?

It's the only reaction that I demand, that I expect. It was a difficult couple of weeks, yes, but that was that one result. And it was a really bad result. But it was a long time before we could get another game. I said it before this game, I would have preferred to play three days afterwards. But it was not the case. It was international week, so a lot of players left. So it's not easy to come then to Dundee and to play that way with a lot of players who are new in the building and a lot who have been away with national duty. So I'm really proud of the players, what they did today. And you saw already direct back the synergy with them and the fans. So that's a crucial thing also.”

Bennett standing down

That's not something that you want, of course. So I heard from John as probably one of the first to hear about that during the week. He explained everything to me. It's not his decision.It's a doctor's decision. So it's with a lot of pain in the heart that he had to make the decision. And I wish him all the best to recover as fast as possible. But he will not be away. He will be there at a distance, but he needs to keep a little bit of distance now to recover first.

Oscar Cortes subbed at half-time

No, no. It's just building him up step by step after injury. So, that was the plan before the game already. I stick to the plans also to keep the squad as fit as possible. It's normal after an injury like that and a long time out that he could do this kind of minutes. It was important for him now also to start the game before he was coming in. It's different to start the game. So, that was the next step in his rehab.

Does Bennett exit put pressure on Clement?

I think until now I've been the only one talking outside. So that doesn't change too much. Maybe it will change next week. We will see. I'm not the guy who brings in the cash or the money into the club. My job is to get the best out of the players who are who are in the building and to look for new ones together with recruitment team and to make the right decisions with the budget we have. That's my job to do and I will continue in that way. But I had also a lot of talks before with James and with John about strategic things for the future of the club and to make things better in the club, in everything, but also in Scottish football. So I think it will continue with the new people who step in.”

Have you felt pressure?

No, no, no pressure. There's nobody putting more pressure on myself than me. I want to win every game. I'm disappointed. I told you guys also. I hate to lose. So I hated that and I wanted the reaction of the team. But it's my job also to keep everything calm at the right moments also. Unfortunately, in the past, I could go on the pitch and then change things. That's not the case anymore. But I believe really hard in the potential of this squad.

It's not the easiest thing with the situation that it was with seven players going out of the building for zero pounds, replacing them and then to add strength to the squad. It's a very difficult thing to do. But everybody in the club did the maximum to do it in the best way in this window and we will continue in the next window to improve things.

It's good now that people finally can see also the potential of some players, the way that Hamza came in. I understand that people from outside say, why do they take a guy out of Morocco who never played in Scotland or at the highest level? I understand. But I think people saw already some things today and it can only improve because they're all young boys. Same with Jefte.

He's only 20. People forget that maybe. So, we have a lot of young potentials and it's now with all the staff together and with the players to work really hard to improve that week by week, month by month. And then we're going to grow and become stronger and stronger. That's logic for me.