Rangers manager Philippe Clement has vowed to work with the club’s medical staff to reduce the number of injuries suffered by players.
The Belgian boss confirmed today that six players will be unable to play 90 minutes in tomorrow’s match against Hibs.
Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo remain fully side-lined, but Kemar Roofe, Ryan Jack, Todd Cantwell and Danilo are expected to make a return to the matchday squad.
More than 50% of Rangers’ first team players have missed at least one match through injury since the beginning of the season.
However, new manager Philippe Clement is hoping to change that. He said:
“It’s also one important thing that you guys need to know; I also work in a very good way together with medical staff.
“I’m really on top of that, so in the beginning the medical staff are a little bit surprised because I want to know all the details. I want to discuss about all of the things.
“I want to work also more individualised with the players towards what they do in the week physically to make them ready for the games. Not only for the next game but also for the next couple of months because I want to create the strongest physical team in the league.
“So, you need to align things, that’s everywhere the same. If they (medical team) say they cannot play 90 minutes, then I will take that into account and I will not break that.
“I have a list here with all the players who are not available for the moment for 90 minutes. It’s too much. You are not happy like that as a manager because you want all the players to be fit.
“It’s also one part of our job to keep everybody fit or as fit as possible. It’s a contact sport so injuries can happen but in all the places that I’ve worked there were not many injuries and availability was above 90%. So, that’s also one of the things we want to improve in the next couple of months, yes.”
