Belgian challenges kids to step up

PHILIPPE CLEMENT has thrown down the gauntlet to his young players to take responsibility for their own development.

Only Ross McCausland has grasped the nettle and become a regular first-team starter since the former Club Brugge boss arrived in October last year.

The Belgian had Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni under his tutelage at Monaco before an €80 million move to La Liga and saw first hand how a talented kid making the most of his gifts can go to the summit of the game.

Clement says the France international’s determination to improve took him to football’s highest level.

And while the manager sees

Rangers as a perfect place to develop young stars in the years to come, he is aware of the balance required to continue winning.

Experienced first-teamers are always key to winning trophies and Clement name-checked five of his squad who take an active role in developing the stars of the future.

He said: “There’s still a way to go but I don’t believe in putting a bar on the maximum potential of somebody. It depends on a player and how hard he wants to work on certain points to become better.

“For example, Tchouameni at Real Madrid, when he came into Monaco, he arrived with another midfielder. They were almost the same age and everybody was saying the other player was better. But Tchouameni became the better player. He took a step forward and the other player is still in Monaco.

“So, it’s about players developing themselves. It’s about us as a staff giving them the tools to develop.

“We have some quite interesting young talents now and we have brought a few in the January transfer market. We will keep doing that in the next few months and years, but you need a balance because you cannot do it with only young lads who don’t have experience.

“That is why it has been important to have players like Jack Butland, Connor Goldson, [John] Lundstram, [James] Tavernier and [Leon] Balogun in the squad. They help the young boys to develop and become better.”