Philippe Clement

Philippe Clement (born 22 March 1974) is a Belgian professional football coach and former player who currently manages Scottish Premiership club Rangers.
He began his professional career at Belgian clubs Beerschot and Genk between 1992 and 1998, thereafter he joined Coventry City in England for one season. Clement then spent ten seasons at Club Brugge, between 1999 and 2009, where he played 333 matches. At the international level, Clement won 38 caps for the Belgian national team between 1998 to 2007 and scored one goal.
As a manager, Clement led Genk and Club Brugge to Belgian Pro League titles over three consecutive seasons. Abroad, he managed Monaco in Ligue 1 and Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.
Playing career
Born in Antwerp, Clement played as a defensive midfielder for Beerschot, Genk, Coventry City and Club Brugge. Aged 35, at the end of his contract, he returned to his hometown in June 2009 and joined Germinal Beerschot.
Clement played 38 times with Belgium national team, and was in the team for the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, missing the 2002 World Cup through a hamstring injury. His debut was as a substitute in a 2–2 friendly draw with Norway on 25 March 1998, and his only goal on 7 June 2003 was in a 2–2 draw with Bulgaria in Euro 2004 qualification.
Coaching career
Assistant and interim manager of Club Brugge
At the end of his playing career in the summer of 2011, Clement became head of Club Brugge's U21s. Aimé Anthuenis, his coach at Genk in 1998–99 and one of his mentors, recalls: "At Genk as well as with the [national team], I noticed that he was predisposed for the job. He was interested, asked questions, gave his opinion, behaved like a leader and had a great sense of teamwork."
For the 2012–13 season, Clement became assistant coach of the first team. In November 2012, he had his first experience as a manager on a professional bench and took over on an interim basis for two games between the dismissal of Georges Leekens and the appointment of Juan Carlos Garrido. His debut as a senior manager on 8 November was a 2–2 home draw with Newcastle United in the UEFA Europa League group stage, and three days later lost 6–1 at leaders Anderlecht in the league.
Clement then became Garrido's assistant. In September 2013, he took over as interim coach following the Spaniard's dismissal and then remained assistant to Michel Preud'homme, until the end of the 2016–17 season. Brugge won three titles (Belgian Cup 2015, then Championship and Super Cup in 2016), four runners-up and a third place in the Pro League during Clement's stay.
Beveren and Genk
On 24 May 2017, Clement was hired on a three-year deal for his first job as a permanent head coach, at Waasland-Beveren. In December that year, he moved to Genk, where he had previously played. He guided his team to the 2018 Belgian Cup final which they lost 1–0 to Standard Liège; he blamed the referee for allegedly allowing the other team to waste time with trivial injuries. The 2017–18 season ended with Europa League qualification after a 2–0 playoff win over Zulte Waregem and the team made the last 32 in the continental tournament before losing 4–1 at home to Slavia Prague; his side won the league in 2018–19.
Return to Brugge
In May 2019, Clement returned to Brugge on a three-year deal. His team lost the 2020 Belgian Cup final by a single goal to Royal Antwerp, and made the last 32 in the Europa League before a 6–1 elimination by Manchester United. He won the league title in his first two seasons, and was subsequently given a contract of indefinite length. On 17 July 2021, he won the Belgian Super Cup 3–2 against Genk in the Jan Breydel Stadium.
AS Monaco
On 3 January 2022, Clement left Club Brugge after three seasons and joined the principality club Monaco as head coach, following the departure of Niko Kovač. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract until June 2024. He lifted the team from 6th place to 3rd in what remained of his first season, including a run of nine consecutive victories, but came 6th and missed out on Europe in 2022–23, leading to his dismissal.
Rangers
Clement was appointed as manager of Scottish Premiership club Rangers on 15 October 2023, succeeding Michael Beale, who was sacked after less than eleven months in post - as well as Steven Davis, who had been placed in charge of the team on an interim basis between Beale's departure and Clement's appointment. He signed a deal until the summer of 2027.
Career statistics
Club
International
Managerial record
Honours
Player
Genk
Belgian Cup: 1997–98
Club Brugge
Belgian First Division: 2002–03, 2004–05
Belgian Cup: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2006–07
Belgian Super Cup: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Manager
Genk
Belgian Pro League: 2018–19
Club Brugge
Belgian Pro League: 2019–20, 2020–21
Belgian Super Cup: 2021
Individual
Belgian Manager of the Season: 2018–19
Belgian Best Coach of the Year: 2019, 2020
Raymond Goethals Award: 2018, 2019
References
External links
1974 births
Living people
Footballers from Antwerp
Belgian men's footballers
Men's association football central defenders
Men's association football defenders
K. Beerschot V.A.C. players
K.R.C. Genk players
Coventry City F.C. players
Club Brugge KV players
Beerschot A.C. players
Belgian Pro League players
Premier League players
Belgium men's international footballers
1998 FIFA World Cup players
UEFA Euro 2000 players
Belgian expatriate men's footballers
Belgian expatriate sportspeople in England
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Belgian football managers
Club Brugge KV non-playing staff
K.R.C. Genk managers
Club Brugge KV managers
AS Monaco FC managers
Rangers F.C. managers
Belgian Pro League managers
Ligue 1 managers
Scottish Professional Football League managers
Belgian expatriate football managers
Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland
Expatriate football managers in Scotland