Clement provides Nico Raskin Rangers injury update and Cantwell praise

Here is everything he had to say.

What challenge are you expecting tomorrow?

A big one. Of course, we beat them in two games. It's a little bit special as it's my 11th game for the club and the third time against the same opponent but we had to be on our toes twice before to have a really good level to beat them. It's a good team with good organisation and good attacking players. They are super motivated also from what I hear and read about this game to beat us. It's going to be a big challenge for us.

Does the fact you're playing them for a third time add a bit of mind games to it?

Yeah, mind games, it's always like that. You always try to have an idea what the game will be about and how opponents will play their game so it's the same in every league. For me, it's not a big difference if it's several times against the same team because a long time ago when there were no videos it was different because you didn't see each other that much. Now, you have every detail, you can see every game so it's not a big difference.

What were the big positives you took from the weekend?

I think it was that we had control of the game for 90 minutes. We almost didn't give away anything, just two shots from distance but two good shots and two good saves but that you cannot avoid. Our second half was really good with a lot of good movement and speed and ball tempo with several good chances and two really good goals which we scored in that game. It's not easy to break open these walls that teams put with a line of five and a line of four in front of that and then to find spaces to get really good chances and the team did really well, for sure, in the second half.

How's the squad looking injury-wise?

No big difference, I hope, from the weekend. It's afternoon training because we have the AGM today so I will hear more when the players come in. Yesterday it seemed okay, nothing really special, a few knocks, a few bumps. I hope no big things this afternoon.

Has Nico Raskin been assessed yet?

Yes, it'll be a little bit longer than we hoped for. It'll take a little bit more time to be fit. Everybody's working really hard with him from the medical staff at the club doing their maximum but sometimes these things happen.

Is it a different type of rehab he'll have to do?

A little bit of adaption in the things he was doing.

What's Kieran Dowell's situation at the club?

Kieran is training hard and doing his maximum every day. We have a lot of players in that position that he's playing, there's a lot of competition.

Does he still have a future at the club?

Everybody always has a future at the club as long as he's in the club so yes, for sure.

Can you give a timescale on Nico?

No, first I'm not a doctor and we need to adapt his exercises so we need to make steps with him. We didn't follow him the way we expected so we need to adapt with the new exercises to see how it will be.

You say that Hearts will be super motivated, where are you hearing this from?

I don't read everything but people tell me a lot of things. So it was clear the things they put in the press.

Hearts are in form with four league wins in a row.

For sure, it's a good team with a coach that has a history with Rangers so is also extra motivated that way so we know it's a big challenge to go there.

Will you be hoping your team win the duels from the start of the game at Tynecastle?

I give attention every time to that, to be honest. It's not every time you can score. For example, in our game at Dundee we scored really fast and it opened up the game. It's up to other teams to stop us and if we break that by scoring first they need to come out and create space afterwards. It's a point of attention every time for my side

READ MORE: How the Todd Cantwell experiment ended and why No.10 start showed good management

Is this one of the games where you will learn a lot about your team?

I hope to learn as little as possible, it was the same before Dundee my first away game in the league. It’s interesting. I’m not going to learn anything about Hearts away I know what it is. I’ve seen the game, I’ve seen the videos. I’m not learning anything about that but I’m learning to get to know my players better and better. That’s really important. In that way Todd was a really good example this week, we had really good talks and I get to know the player better, like others. That’s going to be a very important thing when we go on training camp in January where I always take time to do individual talks with players. It’s going to be hard work in training and evenings, with the staff together with the players individually. To really get to know them. We are six weeks here, a lot has happened already, getting people in like a Director of Performance and Recruitment, it was also aside from all the things that happened during games. But I get to know the club and the players better and better

Are you looking at reshaping the squad in the transfer window?

Of course, thats’ the same in every team. Reshaping in January is much more difficult than in the summer, that’s also reality in football for everyclub so I am realistic with that.

But you will do some business in January?

Yeah, that’s the idea to do some things. It will not be a lot of things, it needs to be the right things.

In terms of outgoings, have you had conversations?

No, because first we need to make a good assessment. It’s not fair to do it in six weeks. That’s really short to make decisions [on players’ futures] so until January and even in January, players have the time to prove they are the right men for the club and position. It’s an open battle in that way to show themselves.

Will we see Todd at No.10 moving forward?

I don’t think that is the right thing to say, if he performs like he did at the weekend he will play more regularly, it all has to do with performances. It can be also he has to play moments on the right side because the team needs that if we have injuries and not enough players there, that’s part of football. It’s not something special for Todd. Tom Lawrence played a different position to usual at the weekend, he did the job for the team. If everyone does that then we’re stronger. Todd is ready for that, we had really good talks about it. 

Fans and your bosses seem to be happy with your start, that’s nice?

It’s always nice than compared to another way but it’s not about me. It’s about this club, this team and it’s history. I want to bring trophies back here for the club. At the end of my career, I will not count six titles, eight or ten, that will not be so important. I love to do things with people together to bring people pleasure and fun. I love this job when we win games and I see after people happy in the stands. Players happy and becoming better, earning transfers and being proud about that. Working with staff in a good way every day to have a really good dynamic in the club. That is the fuel for me to do this job, not things for myself. I’ve never been like that as a player or manager.

But there is a big demand for trophies from the fans?

Don’t take me wrong. I want to win a lot of trophies. I always want to win. I will not make choices between trophies, I want to win both.