Philippe Clement admits his 'frustration' after failure to deliver at Rangers led to his Ibrox exit

Philippe Clement has expressed his ‘frustration’ at being unable to consistently deliver on expectations during his 16 months in charge of Rangers.

Reflecting publicly on his tenure for the first time since being sacked just over a week ago, the Belgian admitted he had left the Ibrox club with ‘a heavy heart’.

Fifty-year-old Clement was dismissed after the 2-0 home defeat by St Mirren which left Rangers 13 points adrift of Celtic at the top of the Premiership and staring at the prospect of a trophyless season.

It was also the team’s second home defeat in a row following the seismic Scottish Cup defeat to Championship side Queen’s Park on February 9.

Clement won the League Cup two months after his appointment in October 2023, while progress to the last 16 of this season’s Europa League – where Rangers face Fenerbahce in the first leg tomorrow under caretaker Barry Ferguson – was the other notable highlight of his time in charge.

In a social media statement released on Tuesday, the former Genk, Club Brugge and Monaco manager said: ‘It has taken me a few days to fully process and accept the end of my time with this exceptional club.

‘I leave with a heavy heart, frustrated and disappointed that I couldn’t consistently bring the team to the level we all expected. I understand your frustrations, and I share them.

‘We worked passionately, day and night, and while we faced challenges, I will never forget the many great moments we had together.

‘Your unwavering support and the energy from the fans made those times truly special. In those moments, it felt like we were one big family.

‘For that reason, Rangers will always hold a special place in my heart.’

Rangers fought back to beat Kilmarnock 4-2 in Ferguson’s first game in interim charge, having trailed 2-0 at Rugby Park, but the team lost their third game in succession at Ibrox when they were beaten 2-1 by Motherwell last Saturday.

That left the team 16 points behind city rivals Celtic in the Premiership table.