Philippe Clement has Rangers pundit gasping 'is somebody winding me up' as Michael Stewart slams 'mental' call

Pundits have been left baffled by some of the decisions made by Philippe Clement in Rangers’ weekend shocker against Queen’s Park.

The Light Blues have come under criticism from all angles in the wake of a woeful Scottish Cup fifth round elimination at home against Championship opposition. It was a game they were expected to stroll through but they toiled against Callum Davidson’s side and succumbed to an early exit.

One big decision the embattled boss made in the game was taking off Bailey Rice at half-time for Nico Raskin. The youngster was handed a chance from the off against lower league opposition but got just 45 minutes, sparking anger and bafflement from pundit Michael Stewart.

‘Mental’ Rangers call

The former Hearts and Hibs man has a bee in his bonnet when it comes to the call and believes Rice was far from the issue. Then taking off playmaker Ianis Hagi for left-back Ridvan Yilmaz later in the game sparked further fury and disbelief.

He told Premier Sports: “This is where I’ve got a real gripe with managers and in particular what Philippe Clement has done there. Bailey Rice did not deserve to get taken off at half-time.

“I thought it was a deplorable. The team was lacking urgency. Bailey Rice, youngster, first start at Ibrox, doing absolutely fine by the way. The more experienced players in and around him are the ones that you are looking for that urgency and that intensity from.

“Bailey Rice has got great technique and ability, and he will be brought along with those more experienced players. If you are looking to make a sub, you do not sub the youngster because you’re damaging him psychologically, and even more so now that the result has gone the way it has gone because he’ll be feeling like he was the problem.

“He absolutely was not the problem, and then to take Hagi off, who wasn’t having a particularly great game, and putting a left-back on. Mental, mental.”

Hutton’s Rangers bafflement

Alan Hutton was also on the show and the Rangers hero was left wondering if someone was at the wind-up when it came to the Hagi substitution Clement opted for. He added: “That has happened to me as a youngster and it did affect me, so I do know what Michael is talking about. My debut against Partick Thistle, I got taken off and it’s difficult to deal with.

“I think at half-time he hit the panic button. I think he’s went ‘this is not good enough and I need to change it.’ He did it at St Mirren. He hit the panic button there and he did it again. Bajrami, by the way. It just passes him by. Offered absolutely nothing so can totally understand him coming off.

“But later on, Hagi didn’t have his best game but why are you taking him off and putting on a full-back? Are you expecting him to deliver more? I mean, is somebody winding me up?”