Norwich City stunned much of the football world with their decision to appoint Philippe Clement as their new head coach — and comments made earlier this year by one of the sport’s biggest managerial names may offer a warning to supporters about what to expect.
The Canaries moved quickly after sacking Liam Manning, announcing earlier this week that Clement had signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at Carrow Road. The Belgian inherits a huge task. Norwich sit 23rd in the Championship, ahead of only a struggling Sheffield Wednesday, and have not recorded a league victory since late August. Even more alarming, they have lost all seven of their home league matches this season.
Clement’s last job came at Rangers, where he was dismissed in February following a poor run of results, including a shock Scottish Cup exit to Queens Park. And comments made not long after his departure — by none other than Jose Mourinho — cast fresh doubt on Clement’s suitability for turning around a club in crisis.
Before Fenerbahce’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Rangers, Mourinho was asked about facing Barry Ferguson, who replaced Clement at Ibrox. In a clip shared by Sky Sports on X, Mourinho made remarks that many interpreted as a thinly veiled critique of Clement’s approach — especially his rigidity and reluctance to adapt tactically, an issue that had repeatedly frustrated Rangers supporters prior to his exit.
A detailed report by Rangers Review in late 2024 highlighted similar concerns. Former colleagues of Clement told the outlet that while his Club Brugge sides eventually developed multiple systems, he typically waited an entire year before adding tactical variety. At Brugge, for example, Clement primarily used a 4-3-3 and only later introduced a 5-3-2.
In modern football, where in-game adjustments and formation shifts have become crucial tools for managers, that lack of flexibility stands out. Clement’s preference for a direct, aggressive, wing-focused style can be effective, but it raises questions about how he copes against teams content to defend deep and deny space — a challenge he struggled to overcome in Scotland.
Still, Clement’s résumé is not without major achievements. He enjoyed tremendous success in Belgium, capturing three consecutive league titles with Genk (2019) and Club Brugge (2020 and 2021). Norwich supporters will hope that he has learned from the setbacks he faced at Rangers and does not wait an entire season before offering a more adaptable tactical plan.
Mourinho, meanwhile, did not hold back. While saying he knew little about Ferguson’s coaching philosophy, he implied that facing the new Rangers boss would be more difficult because Ferguson would be pragmatic, grounded, and focused on on-pitch execution. Of Clement, Mourinho remarked that the previous coach seemed “more concerned with theory than what actually happens on the pitch,” adding, “You win matches on the field, not in your head.”
Rangers ultimately progressed against Fenerbahce on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate score, while Mourinho himself was later dismissed following Fenerbahce’s Champions League play-off defeat to Benfica.
In the end, Clement’s tenure at Rangers was undeniably hindered by tactical inflexibility — and that’s a factor Norwich City must be wary of as they enter this new era under his leadership.
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