Michael Stewart two foots Clement over ‘deplorable’ starlet treatment

Michael Stewart has blasted Philippe Clement’s decision to substitute Bailey Rice during Rangers’ humiliating Scottish Cup defeat to Queen’s Park on Sunday.

The 18-year-old was taken off at half-time after being handed his first start for the club.

And Stewart reckons it was a “deplorable” decision from the manager, while branding the later substitution of Ianis Hagi for Ridvan Yilmaz as “mental”.

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Speaking on the Scottish Football Social Club, the pundit said: “This is where I have a real gripe with managers and in particular but with what Philippe Clement has done there.

“Bailey Rice did not deserve to get taken off at half-time. I thought that was a deplorable decision because the team was lacking urgency.

“Bailey Rice, youngster, first start at Ibrox – doing absolutely fine by the way.

“The more experienced players in and around him are the ones you are looking for that urgency and intensity from. Bailey Rice has great technique and ability. He will be brought along with those more experienced players.

“If you are looking to make a sub you do not sub the youngster because you are damaging him psychologically. Even more so now that the result has gone the way it has gone. He will be feeling like he was the problem and he absolutely was not the problem.

“Then to take Ianis Hagi off and putting a left-back on. Mental.”