Earlier today, I covered the press conference which Phillip Clement gave over the weekend, but I have to talk about the one from yesterday as well. It contained a claim so daft it deserves its own spotlight.
Once again, this was a deflection tactic to avoid scrutiny of his managerial style. He talked about how some of his players need time to settle and singled out Nicolas Kuhn as an example of what can happen when people show some patience.
His contention was that Kuhn needed time to settle before showing his best form.
That’s fair enough on its own, but Clement went on to claim that Kuhn didn’t start regularly at Celtic last season. And I’m afraid that’s just rubbish.
Even factoring in European games, he has appeared in fewer matches this season than he did in the last campaign. At the start of this season—before it became clear he’d play a key role—I pointed out how well he did for us last year. He played games, scored goals (like the one at Hampden in the semi-final against Aberdeen), and created plenty of chances.
Clement’s argument here is transparent. He’s defending his signings, claiming they just need a little room to breathe before they come good. That might turn out to be true, but based on the evidence so far, it looks highly unlikely. There’s little to suggest that they have signed top-class players, and even less to suggest these guys will settle in and hit those heights.
Clement is trying to paint a picture where some players take time to adapt while others hit the ground running. The problem with that is, there’s no evidence that any of his signings have hit the ground running. Their fan sites might make a case for Connor Barron, but beyond that, it’s a barren field.
The players he’s defending aren’t in the same conversation as Nicolas Kuhn. Comparing them to him is as ridiculous as his earlier comparison between his team and Manchester City. The fact he used the best player in the country as a reference point only underscores how deluded he is.
Let’s be clear: I’m not saying that Kuhn was the creative force last season that he is now. But we all knew he was talented, even if some so-called Austrian football expert tried to argue otherwise. When he joined us in January, there were extenuating circumstances holding him back from showing his full range of skills, including medical issues. We were told that once those problems were resolved, we’d see the player’s true potential—and we have.
What’s made the difference? Fitness for a start, yes, but Kuhn is also working with a manager who has a proven record of developing players and making them better. You can see the evidence in half a dozen members of this squad. Contrast that with Clement. Name one player at Ibrox who’s improved under his watch. Just one. You can’t, because there isn’t one.
Clement operates like many modern managers: by relying on the chequebook.
He can’t improve players, so he’s always looking to sign better ones. That approach only works if your club has the resources, and even then, a manager needs the ability to develop and elevate the players he brings in.
And then there’s the pettiness of the man, which is a constant with him. When talking about Kuhn, Clement couldn’t even bring himself to use Celtic’s name. Instead, he referred to him as “the better player in the offensive part on the other side of town.” It’s embarrassing language, showing Clement up for the person that he is.
Kuhn played plenty of games last season and contributed to our domestic double. Any settling-in issues he had were down to his health, not his talent. On paper, Clement’s comparison might seem reasonable, but in reality, it’s nonsense. Using our player as a shield to deflect scrutiny from his own failings is weak.
What’s worse, many of the people in that press room knew how absurd that was. They know the comparison is preposterous. They know there’s nobody at Ibrox who even approaches Kuhn’s level or looks capable of getting there.
The real damage here isn’t just to Clement’s credibility – which might be severe – but to whoever comes next at that club of his. The next Ibrox boss will inherit this squad, which will be described as “expensively assembled” and “full of potential.”
By the time the truth becomes clear, it’ll be too late. And with the average manager at Ibrox lasting about a year, Clement’s replacement won’t have long to figure it out.
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Talking pish as usual and given a platform to do so by the toadying media.
Everyone knows that Kuhn had medical problems when he came that affected his ability to play.
He started to improve when these cleared up, and has made remarkable progress since then.
However, the ability was always there, and that is the difference between him and the second rate zombie players.
Clement is talking utter nonsense. His assertion would be reliant upon any of his squad having the quality and ability of Khun. Unfortunately, none of his squad has any real quality or ability and this makes his remarks stupid. No amount of time will bring any of his players upto any celtic players standard. It is nonsense designed to buy himself more time.