Rangers plot 'inventive' transfers as Philippe Clement has say on Jack Butland, fitness issues and what Celtic staff said to him

Ibrox boss plans summer of change as team comes up short in Old Firm match once more

Philippe Clement defended Jack Butland after the Rangers keeper failed to hold a shot from Paul Bernardo to allow Celtic substitute Adam Idah to score a Scottish Cup-clinching winner at Hampden.

However, the Rangers manager admitted big changes will need to come next season if the Ibrox club are to alter the current trend of coming out second best against their rivals. Rangers have lost four and drawn one of five meetings with Celtic this season. Even at Hampden, where most observers felt they were the better team, they could not come out on top.

Clement revealed that Celtic staff members conceded that the Ibrox side were the better team. “Even people of Celtic were saying – and they are not really neutral – that we were the better team today," he said. "In that way, it is mixed feelings. You are disappointed because you do everything to win and everyone worked really hard for that the last weeks, last months. I am also proud about what the team have shown today.”

Rangers manager Philippe Clement looks on after the defeat by Celtic at Hampden.

Butland, Rangers’ best player this season, could not cope with a late shot from Bernardo that seemed to move in the air. Instead of at least pushing the ball to the side, he pushed it straight out again and Idah converted with relish. Clement was asked whether the 'keeper might have done better at such a significant moment.

“I don’t think so," he said. “It is a really difficult shot. Jack was in the rest of the game really good, and Joe Hart was really good. So, no. I don’t think ... You can always talk about details and he should have pushed the ball to the side but the ball was really going like that (he made zig-zag movements with his hand). That is an unlucky moment.”

Clement did complain about the goal Rangers had disallowed in the second half following a VAR review. Nicolas Raskin was adjudged to have pushed Hart in the back before half-time substitute Abdallah Sima kneed the ball into the net following a corner. The Rangers manager pointed out that Celtic defender Liam Scales had made a more obvious push on Dujon Sterling in the first half on the edge of the box and yet nothing was given.

“It is a much bigger push than what happened with Joe Hart,” he said. “If I see also how all the Celtic defenders are grabbing my players and having their arms around their neck, around their waist, it is a really big call to make to disallow that goal.”

Jack Butland looks on after the Celtic goal.

Clement repeated his frustration at the way Rangers’ season has been so affected by injury, with the manager having already resolved to make significant changes to the way players prepare for games at the Rangers Training Centre. He lamented having to bring on substitutes who were not match fit.

“I think all the group pushed the last piece of energy out of their body the last couple of weeks and now it is about rebuilding the squad, making the staff also better around the team to go into next season," he said. "It cannot happen anymore where we have 10-12 injuries at the same time. That is a crucial one. In those moments you need to bring in fresh players who can make the difference and in that way it was difficult today.”

Clement also stressed that the hunt for new players is well under way, with Brazilian left-back Jefte having already joined. “You need to rebuild the squad,” he said. “We have several players out of contract who will leave the building so you need to replace them without money coming inside. That is also one thing. We need to be really inventive in our transfers and doing the smart things. It is going to be really challenging but we have been busy already with that for months within the club.”