Before the new season, Rangers manager Philippe Clement asks for patience while Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers aims for a domestic treble.
Watch Rangers’ opening Scottish Premiership match against Hearts live on Sky Sports on Saturday at 12.30 p.m., and Celtic’s home debut against Kilmarnock on Sunday at 4.30 p.m., live on Sky Sports.
August 2024 13:31, UK
Rangers supporters can watch a “interesting” team play live on Sky Sports on Saturday at Hearts, according to Philippe Clement, although he acknowledges it might take months for his revamped team to get going.
On the same day that news broke that the Belgian had extended his contract at Ibrox until 2028, he was speaking.
Clement has signed nine players in his bid to wrest the title back from Celtic albeit defender Robin Propper, who signed from FC Twente on Thursday, could be denied a debut this weekend due to paperwork, while Vaclav Cerny is unlikely to start and Hamza Igamane is a long way off appropriate fitness.
You’re going to witness some interesting stuff, I believe. Although we are not there yet, even at our finest, it would be asking the impossible. Nevertheless, I am confident in that.
“It makes sense that patience is required.
Some players adjust to new situations quickly, while others need weeks or months to adjust.
“There isn’t a manager in the world that can foresee it. It is not feasible to accomplish it. Naturally, you require time.”
Clement declared he had “fallen in love” with the Ibrox club after inking his new contract.
The Belgian took over from Michael Beale last October and sparked an upturn in form that included a League Cup triumph and briefly brought them back into title contention before Celtic pulled away in the closing stages.
“I have a really open and transparent relationship with the board,” the manager told Gers’ website.
“In every meeting that we have had you feel the passion and desire to make the club better and that is the same for me.
“I have fallen in love with the club, with the fans, the stadium and with the city.
“I see huge potential and now we need to make the club better and stronger in every department, that is our goal, and we are all really aligned about that.”
Before the new season, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers expressed his “burning” desire to enhance his club and pursue a treble and European advancement; yet, he is aware that he still has to bolster his roster in order to carry out that strategy.
Rodgers’ first season in command of Celtic finished on a strong note as they won 11 of their last 12 games to complete a double.
There were strong signs his team could carry on that form when they put four goals past each of DC United, Manchester City and Chelsea on their pre-season tour of the United States, with the coordinated pressing of the team showing an improved understanding of Rodgers’ tactical demands.
But they go into their Scottish Premiership opener at home against Kilmarnock on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, without much difference to their squad.
Kasper Schmeichel has replaced the retired Joe Hart while Celtic brought back Paulo Bernardo on a permanent deal following his loan spell from Benfica. A similar deal for Adam Idah, if Norwich can be persuaded to part with the forward, could get Celtic basically back to where they were at the end of last season.
Rodgers remains relaxed about the transfer plans with four weeks left of the window and is confident his side can hit the ground running.
“Our objective is to win every domestic trophy,” he said. “You can’t hide behind anything other than that.
“We’re in an exciting Champions League format, so we want to get into the play-off stage of that.
“But alongside that for me it will be looking at the football performance and the consistency of that. There were spells last year where we played some fantastic football and probably more so towards the end with some sporadic games in between.
“But now the clarity is there with everything and how we’re working then I would expect us to really be a lot more consistent.
Celtic defender Alistair Johnston tells Sky Sports News he has been impressed by their level in pre-season and expects them to hit another level when they kick off their Scottish Premiership title defence.
“From the tactical aspect, we’ve worked on some things over the pre-season, especially in America, against some really good opponents.
“And it was interesting because one young player of mine who played for Chelsea, a former player, he said after the game that ‘it’s a Brendan team we’re playing’.
“So that was a good sign for me on a personal level because he has played for me before and knows what I expect and demand and he can see it in a different team, but playing the same way.
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