PHILIPPE Clement has ordered his Rangers players to start using the cryo chamber at their Auchenhowie training complex on a regular basis as he attempts to solve what he yesterday described as “the biggest puzzle” and figure out why so many of members of his squad are suffering injuries.

Clement made thinly-veiled criticisms about the training regime under his predecessor Michael Beale shortly after he had been appointed manager at the Ibrox club last month as he bemoaned the number of players who were sidelined.

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The Ibrox squad have been hit with a multitude of issues on the injury front.

Peved Philippe Clement has labelled Rangers injury woes the “biggest puzzle” he has ever faced in football.

The new boss – who vowed to get tough on his players’ fitness when he took over a fortnight ago – insists he has sussed the root of the problem as he works to end the catalogue of crocks. That issue will remain in house at Ibrox. But Clement revealed he has ordered his stars to make regular use of a cryochamber at their Auchenhowie training HQ – which he claims was barely used before his arrival.

That won’t help him in the short term with a number of stars missing or still short of full fitness with Sunday’s Viaplay Cup semi final against Hearts just round the corner. John Souttar is the latest to be added to the injury list ahead of tonight’s clash with Dundee in Tayside. Nico Raskin is also missing after injuring his ankle against Hearts on Sunday while Kemar Roofe and Rabbi Matondo remain out and the game is expected to come too soon for Tom Lawrence.

Clement refused to go into any detail on what he believes to be the problem. But the Belgian did little to hide his frustration at a situation that’s seen him operate with one hand tied behind his back due to injuries.

Assessing the injuries ahead of the trips to Dens, Clement said: “It’s quite a puzzle. It’s the biggest puzzle that I ever saw, to be honest, with all the injuries and players dropping out. Until now, we started with a lot of players not available and some players falling out also in the last couple of weeks.

“So it will be really important every game to look at the minutes of every player and try to build their physical condition, their robustness, in the next couple of weeks and months to have a bigger squad available.”

Asked if he can put his finger on the reason behind the spate of injuries, Clement said: “Yes, but not for you guys. That is something that we are dealing with within the club.” Pushed further and asked if he had been surprised by the condition of some players since his arrival in Glasgow the boss replied: “Next question please.”

Clement vowed from the moment he walked in the door to improve the fitness levels in his squad. But speaking ahead of the trip to Dundee he also revealed a need to educate his players on the finer details of looking after their body to be top professionals.

He said: “I like players who are ambitious and who look at the small margins to become better. We have a cryochamber here that was not heavily used before. We talked about that, that it helps against inflammation and helps in recovery.

“It helps players who have inflammations, which disappear faster so they have less risk of injury. After I said it once, everybody is going now after every game. Those are the things we need to improve as a group all together. We need to educate the players. What it is to be a top professional. I used it myself and I know the effect. It was very clear that it helps.”

Clement’s predecessors Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Beale also suffered from major injury issues in the early part of successive seasons. Clement said: “This is work that’s never short term. That’s impossible. Or you need to use things that are not allowed – and we’re not planning to do that.

“No, this is a long-term project. Creating physical ability and players ready for 90 minutes every three days for months is not something you can do in two weeks training. No-one can. Same with robustness and making them stronger in general. Everyone in the club knows it’s a really important part of the future for Rangers.”

Raskin will be assessed in the coming days over the extent of the ankle knock that saw him stretchered off against Hearts while Roofe is in Belgium visiting a specialist over his injury woes. On Raskin, Clement said: “I hope it’s short term. It’s not guaranteed for the weekend, we’ll see how it evolves over the next couple of days. Tom Lawrence is closer because he’s training now, but he’s not yet fit enough to be in the squad.

“Danilo is ready to play. We will see what is important in this game and if it is necessary he starts, or that he comes in. It depends on the opponent also, what profiles you need, and the physical state of the players. He’s not ready for 90 minutes. That’s logical.”