Philippe Clement eyed for shock boss job on other side of world but ex-Rangers boss needs to recover from major surgery
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FORMER Rangers boss Philippe Clement is reportedly being eyed for a return to management.
But the potential move could be scuppered for several reasons - including the fact the Belgian is recovering from surgery.
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Philippe Clement was sacked by Rangers in February
Credit: PA
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Clement was dismissed amid a dire run of domestic form
Credit: Getty
Clement, 51, was axed as Rangers manager in February amid a horror run of domestic form.
Having been kept in place after the disastrous 1-0 Scottish Cup defeat to second tier Queen's Park at Ibrox, a home defeat to St Mirren a fortnight later saw Gers chiefs end his 18-month stint in charge.
Former Club Brugge and Monaco boss Clement has been out of work since.
But he could be about to be afforded the chance to return to management on the other side of the globe.
Belgian outlet Nieuwsblad say that Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan have a 'concrete interest' in hiring Clement as their new manager.
The five-time champions of China parted ways with coach Choi Kang-hee and are now on the lookout for an experienced European manager, according to the report.
It says Shandong have already made initial contact and want to persuade Clement to join the club ahead of the start of the 2026 league season, which kicks-off next January.
They're currently seeing out the current campaign with an interim boss at the helm.
Clement could be offered a salary of just shy of £1million.
However, there are already a couple of spanners in the works.
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The report adds that Clement himself would rather return to football in one of Europe's big leagues.
The second reason is that he's currently recovering from surgery.
It says that Clement has undergone a hip operation and, as you would expect, needs to rehabilitate from that.
In a recent interview with Sacked in the Morning on the BBC, Clement hit out at the manner of his Rangers sacking.
He told of his anger and frustration at the way in which he lost his job - and the fact he wasn't first to find out.
Clement said: "It felt really empty.
"I was also angry that moment because all the journalists knew before me.
"I got a lot of messages from Scotland, England and Belgium even, before I get a message from the club, so I was not happy with that, that's not good.
"I told them also that it was totally disrespectful, that moment.
"But I felt really empty because you build something together in your full day and night with everything in the club.
"And I had to do much more than you normally should do as a manager in the months before when positions were not filled in."
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