Rangers are “crying out” for a new brand of football under Philippe Clement, according to Gordon Dalziel.
Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscore (19 October), the pundit and former Rangers man noted that while securing victories is the priority, an entertaining style of football would be the “icing on the cake” for the Ibrox faithful.
Clement will face his first challenge as Rangers boss at Ibrox when the Gers face Hibernian on Saturday (21 October).
Dalziel said: “I think that’s why Rangers fans are excited, to see what brand of football [Clement is] going to bring in. Is he going to make personnel changes? That’ll be another one we’ll be looking at.
“Style of football, because Rangers fans are crying out for some good entertaining football. They pay hard-earned cash to go along and watch their team and as much as winning is everything and, let’s be honest first and foremost, three points.
“But you like a little bit of icing on the cake with a good performance to come away and say I’ve really enjoyed my football today.”
Initially, Rangers fans will be happy just to get some more points on the board, but eventually, they will want to see an effective, entertaining style of play.
The excitement after a new managerial appointment often comes from the anticipation of what they could bring, and based on Clement’s track record, he could prove a success at Ibrox.
However, he faces a fair few challenges before he can think about long-term success, namely getting the best out of the summer recruits. Their poor performances have made the club’s busy and expensive summer window look ill-informed and unplanned, so Clement will need to maximise the resources at his disposal.
Reestablishing some value in these players will be key for the club’s financial future. While the fees Rangers paid for the likes of Cyriel Dessers and Danilo are relatively low, they will be eager to make a profit from their young players down the line.
A brand of football is needed, but Clement has been successful in previous roles and nothing suggests the Belgian can’t replicate it at Ibrox.