The Rangers manager, Philippe Clement, was speaking following his side's 2-1 friendly defeat against Birmingham City. Here's every word of his press conference.

What did you make of tonight?

You learn a lot, that's the idea of pre-season. In the first half we lacked aggression and lost too many duels. We weren't aggressive enough with several players. We know also we have players who have been out for several months with an injury like that they don't come back to their old level in two to three weeks time. They need to gain minutes like now in pre-season and training. Those are normal things, in other players I was disappointed in the first half in the aggression and quality on the ball also. In that way, the second half was much, much better and we were the dominant team again and the one creating chances although we had a few good chances in the first half where we missed conviction. It was not aggressive enough in the first half but in the second half a much better Rangers team with, of course, a young squad today and that was the choice to give them moments like this. For a lot of players, it was the first time they played at this level and they need to learn these things otherwise they will never grow. 13 players of 23 were from the academy today. It's very interesting, some guys had plus points and some had minus. That's the story of the game but the reaction in the second half was much more what I want to see.

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Connor Goldson, is he in Cyprus?

No he is not in Cyprus. He was with us this afternoon so it was the idea to play with Connor and start like that but there is now concrete interest for him and I allowed him to travel back to have these talks. It's not too far away.

Do you expect that to happen soon?

I don't know, you never know with these things. That's pre-season also and why every manager is happy when it is September 1st. Connor has been giving everything in the period we've been together and the last couple of weeks in every training session and minute in the dressing room. Then you allow someone to go to have this talk today.

James Tavernier started - what can we read into that?

Yeah that he is not fit yet at his level, that's normal he is just training a few days. Important to get these minutes today.

Sam Lammers?

He has been training with the second team because it was really clear he doesn't fit in the plans for this season, we were clear about that a few months ago. We cannot train with a squad of 50, we're above 30 for the moment. Sam is getting closer and closer to have a good solution and make a transfer. I don't think anything is done yet. I cannot go into details [about talks] - if I have to talk about rumour my job is just that.

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Are you worried with your shape off the ball?

No because tactically second half was just the same. It is about intensity, running, doing things together and not being static and passive. So that is the minus and if we had the ball also not to be brave enough. There was no difference in tactics in the first and second half and you saw two different teams. Nothing about tactics, it's about intensity and the willingness to fight and work hard.

Vaclav Cerny, is that close?

Like every rumour I am not going to go into that, you see now a name and I saw in the last two weeks 20 others also and several we were not on contact with. I will not say anything about names until they sign at Rangers.