Former Rangers manager Philippe Clement is set for a swift return to the dugout and will be unveiled as the new boss of English Championship side Norwich City later today.
The Belgian, who has been out of work since his dismissal from Ibrox in February, is expected to take training almost immediately and could be in the technical area for the Canaries’ trip to St Andrew’s to face Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon.
Clement’s spell in Scotland was a turbulent one, defined by early promise, a brief sense of revival, and ultimately a sharp decline that coincided with boardroom upheaval at Rangers.
Appointed in October 2023 following the sacking of Michael Beale, the former Monaco and Club Brugge manager initially steadied the ship and injected renewed belief into a faltering squad.
His first major achievement came at Hampden in December, where a James Tavernier strike was enough to secure the Scottish League Cup against Aberdeen.
“We wanted to bring winning habits back to the club,” Clement said after that final, a line that now feels like a snapshot of a moment when both he and Rangers still believed the trajectory was upward.
For a period, it was. Clement dragged the team back into a Premiership title race that had looked beyond them by autumn, tightening performances and providing improved results from a previously disjointed squad.
However, the momentum stalled badly. Rangers faded in the run-in and their form never truly stabilised heading into the following campaign.
The disastrous Scottish Cup exit to SPFL Championship outfit Queen’s Park proved pivotal. The shock that hung over the club for weeks. Though Clement insisted the group would “show character and respond”, the response never arrived.
With the club undergoing significant structural change ahead of the anticipated 49ers-led takeover, the Belgian was relieved of his duties later that February.
Across his 86 matches in charge, Clement posted a respectable record of 55 wins, 16 draws, and 15 defeats, giving him a 64%-win rate, the sort of statistic that suggests competence, even if his tenure will be remembered as one of instability rather than sustained success.
Now, Norwich City appear ready to hand him the chance to rebuild his reputation. It is understood Clement edged out former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil and ex-Blackburn and Malmö coach Jon Dahl Tomasson during the final interview stages.
Club insiders have described him as “a leader with presence, clarity, and a track record of demanding high standards,” qualities Norwich believe can reinvigorate their season and move them away from the relegation zone – they currently sit 23rd of 24 sides.