Rangers hero looks back on Ibrox exit with sour taste as former manager's actions described as 'not on'

Rangers hero Ryan Jack has expressed his frustrations towards former gaffer Philippe Clement in the way he handled him leaving the club.

During the 34-year old midfielder’s seven years at Ibrox, he accrued over 200 appearances, helped the club lift three trophies and reached a European final. However, in May 2024, while having an idea his time was up, he wasn’t allowed to say a proper goodbye to the fans.

That is because in a midweek league clash against Dundee, Clement decided to leave him out of the matchday squad. With Celtic having already secured the title weeks earlier, the match was effectively a dead rubber and despite just returning from injury, Jack felt he could still help the team. However, speaking to the Herald, he claimed the current Norwich City boss went down in his estimations that day for leaving him out without prior warning.

Jack blasts Clement for Rangers exit

The Scotsman said: “I took along all my family that night thinking, ‘it might be my last home game’. I had been to the hotel all day with the team and had lunch and a sleep before the bus to Ibrox. We got to the stadium pre-match and nobody had said a word to me, so I am thinking I am in the squad and might play…”

After finding out he wasn’t selected, his felt betrayed by the Belgian boss. That was after seven years of graft and putting my life into every day and playing through pain barriers, because that’s what you do. That night against Dundee was when I thought that it was not going to work out for Clement at Rangers. Because when other people see you treat players who had been there for seven years like that then they say, ‘nah, he’s miles off it.’ Players are human and it’s like any walk of life. If your boss does that you think, ‘nah, that’s not on.'

Senior players stood with Jack

The former Aberdeen man, who is currently without a club after two years at Turkish side Esenler Erokspor, also claims that several of his old teammate agreed he was treated unfairly - including captain James Tavernier, who also bowed out in controversial circumstances last season under Danny Rohl.

Jack continued: “I actually remember," Jack said. "Guys like Jack Butland, Conor Goldson and James Tavernier and John Lundstram saying to me, ‘that’s an absolute disgrace what the manager has done to you.’ When that happened the penny dropped that I was definitely going to be leaving for sure.”

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