‘Clement has to challenge Celtic with one hand tied behind his back’

Rangers’ defeat on Tuesday night by Dynamo Kyiv could have pretty seismic implications for the season to come and beyond, and it appears supporters are fearful of what lies ahead.

Already trailing in the financial wake of title rivals Celtic, the failure to reach the Champions League means Celtic will earn around £20m more before a ball is kicked in European competition.

Philippe Clement spoke before the second leg against Dynamo of the boost Champions League qualification would provide as he tries to build a squad capable primarily of regaining the Premiership title from Celtic and perhaps giving a decent account of itself in Europe.

He will now have to try to engineer that scenario with one hand tied behind his back.

Already stymied by the inability to sell players he either doesn’t want or who don’t want to be at the club, Clement and the club’s director of football recruitment Nils Koppen will have to pull a few rabbits out the hat in the next few weeks if the squad is to seriously challenge Celtic.

You have to imagine with the recent new contract given to Clement, the board will stick with him no matter how this season unravels, rather than go through the messy and expensive process of deciding mid-season that the wrong decision was taken once again.

The Belgian must now show his mettle, his tactical nous, his ability to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts; otherwise this season will prove to be another familiar story for both Glasgow clubs.