Why Philippe Clement referenced Zombies in his Rangers press conference as 'negative question' addressed

It has not been an ideal start to the campaign for Clement and his players, who were forced to play their opening home matches at Hampden Park due to delayed construction work at their traditional Govan home.

Already restless over the off-field issues, the Rangers fanbase were further aggrevated by results on the pitch with a disappointing early exit from the Champions League at the hands of Dynamo Kyiv followed by a resounding 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park in the first Old Firm match of the season.

Despite a solid 1-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice last weekend, Rangers are already five points behind Celtic and Aberdeen in the title race. However, Clement rebuffed a suggestion that a lift is required at the club as his side return to Ibrox for the visit of Dundee in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals, albeit with the Copland Stand only partially open.

"It's quite a negative question,” Clement replied. “If you talk like that it's like everybody's running around here like zombies with their head down. And it's not the case.

"You saw the game last week, moments in games in the weeks before. You see we're rebuilding a squad, new players coming in. There are a lot of positives here. I don't like to speak about individual players too much, so I will not go into that.

"But you start to see the first fruits of the seeds that are planted and it's just the first start. We're just starting with that. So I want to see confirmation of that and becoming stronger and stronger week by week, month by month. That's the thing.

"Of course, if it's in Ibrox with all the support behind, it lifts players in that moment. And I think it will be for the fans also totally different. They will be back with the people they are used to being with in the stands, next to them, behind them, in front of them, to have the talks again like they had before, to have the memories of before

“It’s like coming home with your family. That will be the feeling. Of course the most important thing stays what you do on the pitch, what the players show from the first second of the game.

“We know it’s a tough game always against Tony Docherty’s team who play good physical football. They adapt to the opponent and they are strong in the transitions.

“With (Simon) Murray, they brought a really good player in that style of play also. He showed that at Ross County last season.

“It’s really important to come back to Ibrox and have a good atmosphere. Yes, but the most important stays what we show on the pitch. We cannot forget in that way.”

Rangers have not played at Ibrox since May 14, when, coincidentally, they beat Dundee 5-2 in a William Hill Premiership game but Clement admitted it has felt like 10 years.

The Belgian boss added: “To be honest, it’s a buzz. You feel it in the building. I was there yesterday because there was a commercial thing there to do and you get a special feeling coming back there.

“I know it’s the same with all the players. I feel it already this week in the training. It gives something extra and I think it will be the same with all the fans also.

“It’s like coming home after a really long time. It felt like we haven’t been there for 10 years or something. It’s not that long but we have that feeling so we’re really happy that we can be back there.

“Of course it always helps (to be at home ground), the enthusiasm of the fans and in that way, Hampden was more difficult and we know why.

“It’s not only here. It’s with a lot of clubs in the world. It’s the same playing for your fans for sure, at Ibrox, with so many people and passionate people. ”