Clément settling to Rangers task

Rangers FC manager Paul Le Guen will be counting on one of his former Olympique Lyonnais protégés to guide the Scottish club towards to the UEFA Cup group stage against Norwegian side Molde FK tonight.

Assured displays
French Under-21 international Jérémy Clément became Le Guen's transfer priority when he took charge of Rangers in the summer, having played under the coach for three years at the Stade Gerland. So far Clément has not let Le Guen down. The 22-year-old has played every minute of every game, with his assured midfield displays one of the main reasons for Rangers' unbeaten start.

'Fast pace'
"Everything has gone very well," Clément told uefa.com. "We've played six matches and we're still unbeaten. From a personal point of view, I'm still getting used to the football here. Everybody gets stuck in and the matches move at a fast pace, but I've always enjoyed the physical side of the game so it hasn't been a problem for me."

Le Guen influence
Born in Beziers, Clément grew up in Lyon and made his Ligue 1 debut under Le Guen in 2003/04. He appeared 18 times for the French champions the following year, but first-team outings became less frequent under Gérard Houllier last term. Clément was therefore delighted when Le Guen asked him to come to Glasgow. "Paul Le Guen was the main reason I joined," he said. "He made it clear that he wanted me and I was very flattered. Having a French coach, and someone I already knew well, has helped my transition enormously."

'My game is benefiting'
Clément did not take the decision to leave Lyon lightly but was drawn by the prospect of extra playing time. "Lyon are a great club but I was growing frustrated," he admitted. "When you're young you need to be playing, otherwise you don't progress. Gérard Houllier couldn't guarantee that I'd play more often which is understandable as Lyon have a huge squad. With Rangers I'm playing regularly for the first time and I can already feel that my game is benefiting."

Passing football
While Le Guen's presence has been invaluable to Clément, the relationship seems to work both ways, with the manager depending on his compatriot to carry out instructions on the pitch. "I'm used to Le Guen's methods and I know how he wants us to play," Clément said. "The training sessions are virtually the same as at Lyon. He places a lot of emphasis on fitness but also encourages passing football. He prefers his teams to keep the ball on the ground and to construct carefully."

Van Bronckhorst link
Strong in the tackle and intelligent with his passing, Clément is already drawing comparisons with Dutchman Giovanni van Bronckhorst who was a major success in the Rangers midfield before joining Arsenal FC and then FC Barcelona. But Clément said: "The comparison with Van Bronckhorst makes me feel uneasy because I'm just starting out at Rangers. I need to prove myself here before I think about what might happen in the future."

'A huge club'
For the moment, Clément is keen to savour his first overseas experience. "Rangers are a huge club with a great history, and playing at Ibrox is amazing," he enthused. "The big crowds, the noise and the encouragement make you want to give absolutely everything. This year our priority is winning back the title, but playing in Europe is also important. If we can get past Molde, who knows? Maybe we could emulate Celtic [FC]'s run to the [2002/03] final."