KEVIN THOMSON insists that Rangers’ title bid is still alive — despite them blowing a chance to pile pressure on Celtic.
Philippe Clement’s side drew 1-1 at Aberdeen just 24 hours after the Hoops were held by Motherwell.
2
2
Former Gers star Thomson reckons next month’s Viaplay Cup final is crucial for the Belgian boss after a positive start.
But he also believes there is plenty of life left in the title race ahead of a busy period of Premiership action.
He said: “Rangers are chasing a very good Celtic team with a very good manager who have been over the course and distance many times now.
“There’s plenty of consistent winners in that squad.
read more rangers stories
“It’s a difficult cycle to break, but you have to have belief that you can turn the tide.
“Listen, I still think Celtic are going to be a tough nut to crack, but the fact there are still three Old Firms to play and Rangers are only five points behind if they win their game in hand gives them a chance.
“Bearing in mind Rangers have already sacked their manager.
“Rangers need to win the cup, which would set them up well, but there are other games within that period, and they need to win every one.
“The good thing the new manager’s got in his favour is he has earned a bit of slack.
“It’s obviously Michael Beale’s team. There was a big rebuild and they signed lots of players in the summer.
“I know things can turn quickly against managers, even when you’ve inherited someone else’s team.
“But I think he’s started well enough and the fans have related to him quickly and given him a wee bit of credit in the bank.
“If they win the cup final, I think it’ll give him a wee bit more time.
“He could have come in and not got the results, and he’d already be under pressure within a few weeks because the team’s not performing.
“But that hasn’t been the case, and I also think he’s bought himself a wee bit of time by the way he has carried himself.”
Clement takes Rangers into a key Europa League match against Aris on Thursday as he bids to make the knockouts.
Thomson also likes the way the Belgian gets his message across and hailed him for being honest and open in interviews.
He told Safebettingsites.com: “I like the early signs for Clement.
“I like his interviews, I like how direct he is, how relatable he is, how he speaks and how he presents himself.
“I don’t feel like he takes you on a wee merry dance when speaking to the press.
“You feel as though you get an honest, straight-to-the-point answer from him without trying to pull the wool over your eyes, which I think has happened in the past.
“I think people were starting to see through that in the past, and even more so when the results weren’t coming.”
Meanwhile, Aris Limassol’s sports director Kostas Papadopoulos says Gers are a ‘completely different team’ under Clement to the one that slumped to defeat in Cyprus.
The Ibrox side welcome Aris to Ibrox for the penultimate game in the group and will qualify with a game to spare if they win the match.
But that looked highly unlikely last month on the Mediterranean island when they were stunned in a dismal 2-1 loss under caretaker manager Steven Davis after former boss Beale had been axed.
However, since Clement has taken on the job, Rangers remain unbeaten and on the brink of qualification to the next round of the Europa League.
And Aris, who have been fighting a virus in their squad ahead of their trip to Scotland, have been impressed by their progress.
Papadopoulos said: “Our attention is turned to the game against Rangers, who we managed to beat in Cyprus.
“I have the impression that the team we defeated then has no relation to the one it is now.
“They have changed managers and they have improved a lot. It will be a very difficult match.
“We managed to get a very important victory from a psychological point of view at the weekend against APOEL and that will help us.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
“But we have problems for the game with injuries and a bug. Eric Boakye is out and there are major doubts over Yannick Gomis, Leo Bengtsson and Franz Brorsson, and Slobodan Urosevic has been sick too.”
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page