Unthinkable not to win it. A travesty if they lose.
When a mild-mannered guy like Jamie Murphy starts using those words about Rangers in a semi-final, you know they’re in trouble. But the former Ibrox winger knows it’s reaching breaking point now for Philippe Clement. Gers’ damaging defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie – as well as the manager’s bizarre post-match comments – have piled on the pressure ahead of today’s Hampden clash with another of Murphy’s old clubs, Motherwell.
Clement is feeling the heat. It feels like the Belgian is now surviving on a game-by-game basis, knowing one more disaster might spell the end for him in Glasgow. Murphy isn’t privy to what’s going on at Auchenhowie these days. But he has been there during tough times.
When he arrived at the club in January 2018, Graeme Murty was in temporary charge – with a League Cup semi-final loss to Motherwell contributing to Pedro Caixinha getting the boot. Rangers finished the campaign third in the table behind Celtic and Aberdeen – a scenario that now looks increasingly likely this term.
New players who were signed by Caixinha weren’t up to the job. And Murphy fears that history might be repeating itself now under Clement. That’s why the 35-year-old knows Rangers MUST see off Well today and reach the Premier Sports Cup Final.
He told MailSport: “It’s unthinkable for Rangers to lose. If it doesn’t go their way there will be big problems. To lose ground to the team who are second in the league – never mind the team in first – then go out of the cup would be a huge no-no.
“It will be a travesty if they don’t beat Motherwell. From being there myself, I know that winning by a scrappy goal isn’t enough when you’re at Rangers. You need to play well in doing it and that just hasn’t happened.”
When he reflects on his arrival at Rangers from Brighton almost seven years ago, Murphy senses a similar negative vibe now. Back then, players who weren’t producing had to be let go.
And he hopes Rangers don’t find themselves in the same position this January. He said: “When I got there it was pretty obvious that things needed to be fixed. That year we should have done a lot better and Aberdeen were good against us.
“But we had signings that were never going to stay and have an influence. I wouldn’t say it’s exactly the same now but there are definite similarities. There are things that remind me of when I came in. New players not making an impact is probably the biggest one.
“That year, we had seven or eight who, by January when I came in, were just there. They weren’t actually participating. Rangers won’t want that happening this season.”
When Steven Gerrard was appointed that summer he turned things around and made Gers competitive again. Murphy reckons his recruitment was key and insists if some of Clement’s current crop don’t have the mentality to play for Rangers, they won’t be there much longer.
He said: “You know pretty quickly when players come in if they’ll handle the demands and expectations. I knew the ones who thought they were just signing for any other club.
“By the same token, there were others who did know the size of the club and how hard it would be to play for them. Most of the boys Gerrard brought in were of that ilk. The likes of Scott Arfield, Connor Goodson, Joe Aribo were at it from the start and grasped it quickly.
“Some of the new players at the club now have probably been surprised by how big Rangers is. Clement is asking for time but at Rangers you don’t get it.”
The Belgian angered fans after the Dons defeat by claiming Gers produced one of their best displays so far and were unlucky not to draw. Murphy – like most fans – wasn’t fooled and reckons Motherwell’s players will believe Clement’s side are there for the taking at Hampden.
He said: “It surprised me to hear the manager say if they’d got the offside goal, they might have got a point from the game. Rangers fans are clever. They know some of the stuff coming out isn’t right.
“Everyone associated with Rangers wants them to win and they SHOULD win. But it’s going to be difficult.
“Motherwell have to think there’s a fragility about Rangers and this is a great chance for them. If there’s ever been a time to beat an Old Firm club at Hampden and reach a final, it’s now. I’d still expect Rangers to win but not by a lot.”