Rangers manager Philippe Clement and captain James Tavernier discuss the upcoming challenge of facing Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Europa League
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00:00Good evening everyone, welcome to the Rangers press conference, it's the head of the match.
00:27It reminds me to come on with our top captain, James Tavernier.
00:30We'll start with David.
00:32Tully, because of the situation in the European squad, you may have to make some changes tomorrow night.
00:40Is this an opportunity for some players to come in and demonstrate to you what they can do on a very big stage?
00:45They don't need to demonstrate to me, it's for themselves, for the club, for the team and what the team has been doing.
00:52We will miss quite a few players, I think around eight who could be starting at eleven tomorrow because of injuries,
01:02the European list, suspensions also with Dio.
01:06But it's about all teams, all squads, digging in together and getting results like they've been doing the last couple of months.
01:15So it's not a new situation.
01:17Who's the squad? Who's Jack Bolton?
01:20Jack is back training and he feels fit, as simple as with him being the number one before he got injured,
01:28as simple as he just came back from the game.
01:31I never give my starting eleven before the game, but it's clear what Jack has done before.
01:40For the club, it's also very good what Liam Kelly has been doing the last couple of weeks for the club.
01:47So I will make a correct decision tomorrow towards that.
01:53I'm happy to have really two good goalkeepers.
01:58Also Mason gets the experience now in the cup and that was also important.
02:04But it's important to have two good goalkeepers, but there's also a certain hierarchy in that way,
02:10after the performances of all the time that I've been in the club.
02:15The last time the club were here in 2010, Sir Alex Ferguson joked about his friend Walter Smith,
02:20he said he should be fine because he played 6-7 at the back.
02:24What is your approach to coming here tomorrow?
02:26Do you believe this is an opportunity for you to come and attack this Manchester United team?
02:30You want my tactics for tomorrow?
02:33That's a good question.
02:37We have our game plan like we always do, and that's clear from the team.
02:43We discussed that today, we will discuss that more tomorrow.
02:47Like I said from the beginning, I'm not somebody who believes in only parking a bus in front of goal,
02:54and hoping that nothing happens, and hoping to come one time on the other side and then to score a goal out of that.
03:01So we will play out of our qualities also, but of course we need to look also at the qualities of Manchester United.
03:08Like we did in the other European games, the last months, and like I did before also with other teams.
03:14Phil Boone spoke today, he talked about how nervous Manchester United are right now.
03:19Can you take advantage of that?
03:21I'm totally not busy with that.
03:24If other teams are in high confidence, or in low confidence, or all these studies before,
03:31we had it a few weeks ago before the old firm, that nobody gave us a chance.
03:37And the team proved what they can do in big moments.
03:42So it's about the moment, being there and be focused on ourselves.
03:46What we want to do on this pitch, not what the other team wants to do.
03:50We're focused on ourselves.
03:52Are you confident that your team can hurt Manchester United?
03:55They've had to go 12 games without a clean sheet.
03:57No, I'm not busy.
03:59You're talking again about their stats, I'm not busy with that.
04:03It's just about us.
04:05And I'm convinced that our squad, our team can hurt every opponent.
04:10But we need to be very united, we need to work really hard, we need to work hard without a ball.
04:19Otherwise these chances will not come.
04:21We need to do a lot of things right to get a good result here.
04:24But the team is here also in a good position in the Europa League,
04:28because they did that already several times in Europe.
04:31This season, but also last season.
04:33If I remember the Benfica games and the games against Sevilla also, for example.
04:42So we need to get that kind of performance to get a result here,
04:45but everybody is very motivated.
04:47You have spoken about the difficulties of winning away from home in Scotland,
04:52but in Europe you've had good results away from home, haven't you?
04:55Why is it different sometimes?
04:59I said it already a few weeks ago.
05:02We shot a lot of times in our own foot in these domestic games away from home,
05:08that we were dominating the game, that we were creating the chances,
05:13not scoring that moment, and then getting one chance against,
05:17and then making individual mistakes and getting goals against,
05:20giving a lot of belief to the opponent and chasing the games.
05:24A few games that we chased in too much rush.
05:29We learned lessons out of that, we spoke with the team about that.
05:32They did better also in the last couple of weeks.
05:36So, yeah, we need to take lessons out of those games,
05:40but we hurt ourselves a few times with individual things.
05:44We didn't do that in Europe.
05:48So let's continue in that way tomorrow.
05:50If a top eight finish took a victory tomorrow,
05:53it would be a huge step in going into the top eight.
05:55How much importance are you putting on that,
05:57considering the busy domestic schedule?
06:01I'm only busy with getting the best out of the team,
06:06and the team is only busy with trying to win every game.
06:09We're not looking ahead and calculating,
06:12OK, then we have two games less or two games more or whatever.
06:15I think they all like to play football, they all love to play football,
06:19so we will play all these games,
06:21and we will need to put all our hunger in every three days.
06:25So this is a massive game to play, it's a nice game to play.
06:29All the players are happy if I see them coming into the stadium and looking around.
06:33You see also the pitch.
06:36Everybody wants to be on that pitch to play football,
06:39because it's top quality.
06:41So let's go out and enjoy it and put all our power into that.
06:46Have you played or managed here at Old Trafford before?
06:50I've been here one time as an assistant,
06:52I've been here one time as manager before.
06:55In terms of bringing the Rangers here, is this the biggest game for you?
07:00What does it mean for you to bring the Rangers here?
07:03No, I never think that way.
07:06Because for me also, the last game in the cup, I treat with the same respect.
07:11The team knows that also.
07:13And not another preparation towards our cup game that we had a few days ago,
07:17then towards this game.
07:19We have respect for every opponent, we try to look at what are their strengths,
07:23what are their weaknesses, and how can we play our own football.
07:27And of course we need to adapt and tweak things against every opponent.
07:32But the way we treat opponents, the respect we have for them,
07:35it's for all the same.
07:37Did you learn anything from your previous visits here that you can take into tomorrow night?
07:41No, not really, because I know it's a very good pitch,
07:46I know there's a lot of fans, but that's also in other stadiums that we played before.
07:54We had a good game there, it was 0-0 after 22 minutes,
08:01and then one moment my centre-back thought it was a goalkeeper,
08:06and he made a penalty fall like that,
08:08and we got a penalty against the goal, and we played with them the rest of the game.
08:12So you cannot make those things, if you end with 10, it's of course more difficult.
08:19But those are things that the group knows, not to take unnecessary red cards in games,
08:25because it makes life more difficult.
08:27That's one of our principles always in our games.
08:29You must be confident, Philippe, that your players can embrace this big stage?
08:34Yes, of course, they did a few weeks ago in this old firm.
08:37And they did another game in Europe also,
08:40and this is again a really, really big challenge.
08:43All the spotlights are on them, and on the team, and on the club,
08:49and it's a massive opportunity to play against teams of this size,
08:54of this budget, with the best quality players in the world.
08:58On the other side, it's a challenge for players,
09:01and I know my team and my squad embrace those moments.
09:06It's also, if you're a small boy and you start to play football,
09:10you dream of being in stadiums like this,
09:13and play games like that against good opponents.
09:17So they all love that.
09:19Can I just ask James the same sort of question?
09:22Do you feel as captain, your players sort of rise when the spotlight is on the team,
09:27when the expectations are high, and when you come to these big matches,
09:30is that when we see the best of that dressing room?
09:33Not necessarily.
09:35Obviously we've lacked the consistency, probably this season.
09:39We wanted to go out and play,
09:43but I feel that obviously in Europe we've handled ourselves really well.
09:48Obviously this competition has always been good for us.
09:51We're rising to the big challenges,
09:54and tomorrow's going to be a big challenge for us,
09:57and we're all really looking forward to the game,
10:00and what it's going to bring.
10:03Everyone who's asked to play a part,
10:06we're going to give 110% for the club and the fans,
10:09and we'll give it our all until the final.
10:12James, you made it to home record recently,
10:15I was worried that you were talking about anxiety playing in front of your own fans.
10:20They're losing the first goal quite often and quite early.
10:23Is it possible to even contemplate the fact that it's maybe a good thing to come here and play?
10:29Well, this is a team full of top quality players,
10:32and obviously what they've done in the past,
10:35they've consumed it early,
10:37that's obviously been happened of late.
10:39But we're just going to stick to our game plan and stick to what we know best,
10:42and we're going to try and get right in the faces,
10:45and we're going to try and get after them.
10:47And obviously we're going to try and take our chances,
10:49and try and hopefully keep a clean sheet.
10:51So that's our hope,
10:53to come away tomorrow with three points,
10:55and hopefully we can get a clean sheet and a few goals.
10:58How difficult is it to feel the atmosphere drop,
11:02because you've done your job right for the first 10-15 minutes?
11:05Yeah, obviously you can experience that,
11:07especially not for home games,
11:09and the big European games.
11:11It's obviously important to try and keep the crowd quiet,
11:16and yeah, we've just got to stick to our game plan,
11:20and hopefully that can happen.
11:22James, you've enjoyed some big away nights yourself in Europe,
11:26how special would it be to get a result here tomorrow?
11:28It would be definitely special,
11:30especially being a Leeds fan.
11:32You didn't tell me that!
11:35No, it would be special.
11:39Yeah, I've only played here once a long time ago,
11:42in the Calvary Cup and lost,
11:44so obviously I'd like to come here and get a good win.
11:47But yeah, I'm really excited.
11:49James, can I ask you about coming up against Anna Biala?
11:52You only showed flashes of his quality in his appearances,
11:56but how did you like playing with him?
11:58Do you always come down to him to come out on top?
12:00Yeah, I was always convinced that he showed really good signs at Rangers,
12:05and obviously he was a kid in our team.
12:07He had a really bright spell at Sunderland on loan,
12:11and he's continued that at Man Utd,
12:14and he's really showcasing his talent.
12:18He'll be a danger that we'll have to be aware of for tomorrow,
12:21because obviously he's really informed.
12:23But yeah, I'm looking forward to playing against him.
12:25I think that's a good learning experience for a couple of years,
12:28even without playing a great game.
12:30Yeah, because you obviously get tested on an odd firm,
12:35or you can go away to places where there are only a few fans,
12:39so it's a different learning curve,
12:41and I think it would have taught him something.
12:45Yeah, he's really progressed since then.
12:47James, what do you remember about your other visit here?
12:51The only thing I remember was when Rooney was in centrefield
12:54and he was running the show,
12:55so yeah, he's obviously not playing now.
12:58What was it like coming here as a youngster?
13:01Well, I was obviously young.
13:03It was obviously a little bit daunting,
13:05because obviously young, you're coming to Man Utd.
13:10But obviously what I've experienced now is you block a lot more noise out,
13:16and you just really focus on the game.
13:17I know everyone in the team have got that in them,
13:19because they've all mostly been involved in big games,
13:22so we'll be fully focused on what we need to do tomorrow.
13:25Are you going to be under extra pressure for tickets?
13:27Have you got friends and family to get here?
13:30Yeah, I've got a lot of friends and family to come here,
13:32but yeah, everyone moves slowly.
13:34In terms of what it means to you,
13:36potentially leaving the team out here,
13:37or whoever's leaving the team out here in this stadium,
13:39in this European arena,
13:41how big is that for you?
13:43Yeah, it's obviously a massive occasion,
13:46but it's a massive occasion every time I lead the team up.
13:49If it's the weekend against Frisburg,
13:51or if it's against Man United,
13:53it's always a massive honour to lead the team up to any single game.
13:57So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to it.
13:59Do you know what you can expect?
14:03You've seen Man U draw with Liverpool at Anfield,
14:06beat Man City at the air-ground,
14:08but you've also conceded a lot of goals
14:10against the likes of Bolingbroke and Nottingham Forest,
14:14and people like that in this stadium.
14:15Do you know what to expect tomorrow?
14:16Yeah, don't worry, I've seen all the games.
14:19Yeah, of course we know what to expect.
14:22The most important thing for my group is to be focused on ourselves
14:27and not all the noise around them.
14:29It's about a football game.
14:31We need to show our qualities,
14:33we need to get the best out of everybody, out of each other.
14:37So it's not about all the noise around us,
14:40it's about what we do on the pitch, with and without the ball.
14:43And the team is doing better and better the last couple of months.
14:48That's what we need to show tomorrow, to write history here.
14:52It's, I think, a very long time ago that the Rangers won at the English Cup,
14:58so let's go for the challenge and give everything that we have.
15:04And that's what my team needs to do tomorrow,
15:06to be fully focused only on that.
15:08Are the Rangers and Man Utd both clubs in a similar place right now?
15:12No, it's two totally different clubs.
15:18It's two totally different ways of working also.
15:24So, no, I don't think so.
15:28I can speak again about budgets and what teams have spent,
15:32so I'm not going to do that.
15:34But it's a totally different world, clearly.
15:36I was thinking about two huge clubs, though,
15:38who are maybe not in a great place domestically.
15:42Is that not fair?
15:44Yeah, it's fair about our away results.
15:48But you speak about the Man Utd home record,
15:51you can speak about our home record also.
15:54That's been very good this season.
15:56So, it's about these away games, not shooting at our own foot,
16:00and that's what we're going to do the next couple of months,
16:02come back where we want to be.
16:06We changed a lot, we had to change a lot,
16:09with a lot of young guys.
16:11Again, I don't like to repeat myself too much,
16:14maybe you guys don't like to hear it also too much,
16:17but you ask me every time the same question also,
16:20so I need to keep on repeating myself.
16:23If you see the evolution of all these young players
16:25and a lot of young players in this squad,
16:27together with the experienced ones around them,
16:30there's a positive evolution in that way.
16:33That's clearly for everybody, we need to stick to that plan
16:37and to keep on investing with work in this team
16:41to make it better and better.
16:43And then good moments come, and there have been several good moments,
16:46but we punished ourselves several times in these away games.
16:50And that's a pity, in the past we need to learn lessons out of that
16:54and we need to be better in the future.
16:56That's all.