Philippe Clement has explained a new method to improve the pathway between the Rangers youth academy and first team.

The Rangers manager, speaking after his side's 5-2 win over Dundee, was asked about the ability of young players like Cole McKinnon and Robbie Fraser to break into the first team. The duo, alongside Ross McCausland, were involved at Ibrox in Rangers' final home league match of the season.

And Clement used McCausland's training time with the first team as an example of what's changed under his management to improve the chances of academy players making the grade.

"We are working from October, from the first day, on the integration of all the young lads, we are busy with that also for next season and also guys who are not in the selection today to get them into the squad," he said.

"It is an important thing. They have been training a lot with us to get the principles, to understand the demand in the first team.

"For example, Ross McCausland last season trained five times with the first team. Five trainings with the first team. You cannot be ready to step in. We are busy with this programme to get integration into the first team as much as possible in our training."

McKinnon, who scored on his Rangers debut two years ago, came on at right-back with Clement missing 11 players through injury. Fraser replaced Ridvan Yilmaz at left-back after an hour.

"It is not like suddenly Cole McKinnon or Robbie Fraser needs to play with Tavernier next to them. They have so many times in the dressing room together, so many times on the training pitch together that they feel comfortable with them. The other guys also. They know the qualities. We are going to continue with that. It is a major part.

"The club needs for the future to get also money in by producing or making players better, getting young players in and to make them better to sell them. Also for sure out of the academy making players who can be starters in the first team. That needs to be a model that we will build the next couple of years, it is not the work of one week, two weeks, six months, or even one year or two years.

"It is an important thing and it was important we gave chances to Ross to be a symbol of the Academy and out of that Cole, Robbie and Jonly and the others they feel it is also possible and it gives belief. That is what they are showing. Does it mean they are ready to start every game and to play every game? Not yet. But I hope they are going to challenge all the others. For me it is not important how old somebody is."