Michael Stewart reckons there is a bit of needle between Philippe Clement and Dujon Sterling – and senses a ‘power struggle’
The pundit delivered his view on the situation between the pair at Ibrox with the versatile former Chelsea man once again left out of the starting team that came from a goal behind to dump Motherwell at Hampden in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final to book a return to the national stadium next month to face Celtic in the final as they bid to retain their trophy they won last term.
This season Sterling has found starting minutes a real rarity and he wasn’t introduced in the south side against Stuart Kettlewell’s men until the 67th minute when he replaced skipper James Tavernier. Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton expressed he look ‘disinterested’ as he watched him at Hampden but hailed him for his on-field impact, but did state his demeanour looked off. Fellow pundit Stewart – speaking on The Scottish Football Social Club – branded the defender a winner and someone who improves the Light Blues’ team when he plays and Clement has to find a place for him stating that they ‘aren’t in the position where you can dismiss someone like that’.
Hutton said: “I was watching him as the teams came out, he looked disinterested. I watched him in the warm-up, he looked disinterested. I watched him at half-time, he looked disinterested. It was a worry.
“He even strolled by the manager, head down, he didn’t even look at the road he was on. It felt to me like something was going on. Don’t get me wrong, he then came on and burst into life, so fair play for that, but his whole demeanour looked off.”
Stewart continued: “Every time you see him, he looks like that. There clearly is a bit of needle there. For me, Rangers aren’t in the position where you can dismiss someone like that. This comes down to a manager’s own preference in terms of a power struggle.
“You put down your foot and you say ‘you’re not training hard enough or showing the right attitude, you’re not going to play.’ Or you twist it a little bit and get the best out of him.
“Any time Sterling is on the park, he improves Rangers’ team. He’s one of those characters who I think, from the outside looking in, he’s someone you can rely on.
“I don’t think he ever lets the team down. He’s a winner, he tries his all, and he has quality. If the manager was just to put an arm round his shoulder and say, ‘How are you? Are you feeling OK? You’re starting on Saturday,’ give him that (boost).
“I don’t think Rangers are performing well enough with enough good characters to play hardball with Sterling. You’ve got to find a place in the team for him.”