Philippe Clement has spoken to the media after the Old Firm draw with Celtic. Here is what he had to say.

How did you view the game?

I think you guys are really happy to see games like that. I was not so happy about the beginning, clearly. My Scottish assistant has a word for that, that I better not use in a press conference! It is the worst start you can have in an Old Firm game, to go behind after one minute. Also in the way we went behind. That is a big blow in that moment for the team, for the fans. Afterwards, we didn’t go down but we were not good enough on the ball. It was also a special situation today with the wind, it was difficult to play really good combination play but we didn’t manage to do enough. We had a few chances in the first half to score, Celtic had also a few. It is a pity because this thing comes back. I think every manager in the world, every player in the world wants this rule to be changed. I know with the rule it is a penalty now but if a ball is brought in at that speed in front of goal and it is touched by the head and is deflected and you jump up at that moment and you want to take your arm away but it touches your arm, with the rules now it is a penalty. So nothing to say about the decision of the referee or the VAR but everyone who is playing football says too many penalties are given in that way. That is frustrating to go 2-0 into half-time. It could have been 2-1 and then you hope to stay in the game. Then second half we showed our real face. We showed the real things that I want to see, this never stopping team that has a lot of resilience, a lot of hunger, desire, to change the result. To do the right thing, to create chances not give away chances. Then became, for you guys, a crazy scenario, for the scenario that I wanted. Not with the 2-2 and then the 3-2 of course but deserve and clearly deserve at least a point today with what we have shown. I think  at the end we are moral winners of this afternoon because a few months ago, for sure not this team could have reacted after 2-0 in an Old Firm. I don’t know if many teams in the past could have done it. It is a hard thing in a very important game to go 2-0 behind to also feel the disappointment of your fans when you go into the dressing room to turn that around. Because of that I am really proud of my boys.

How big did half-time feel to get your message across?

It is crucial to change the mindset in that moment. If you stick in the past you can never come back in the way they did. It could have been a victory also today and we are really unlucky about that. Again, it is a small fault, yes. It is disappointing that it is 60m or 70m away from the goal but those are the rules so VAR did a good job in that. Although I would have preferred they didn’t do a good job in that way! It is what it is.

Did James Tavernier lead by example to score his penalty after the early mistake?

Yeah, but they all led by example. It’s difficult to pick only Tav out because I would prefer that he didn’t make those mistakes in the first minute. But he showed the personality to take the penalty and to take the penalty in that way, with really big conviction, desire to score the goal and to put the perfect penalty away. It’s not easy and a lot of players break after making a fault like that at the beginning of the game. They go down the way. But he has the capacity to switch on again and to be even more hungry.

Brendan Rodgers was unhappy with the Rangers penalty award…

What was your view on that? I think if somebody kicks your knee then, if that’s not a penalty anymore, then…. But everybody can have his opinion. I think the referee and the VAR did a really good job today although I was disappointed at not getting the (Dessers) goal for a small foul in our half. With that and then this penalty I think we had much more reason to be unhappy about things but we are not because the referee and the VAR did a good job today and if that’s the case we need to say it.

How happy were you with Rabbi’s goal?
It’s something we have been working on with him and the players for a couple of months. But it’s not something where you do it in training and then it happens. I try to use examples of good players, to show my team things they can improve. Kevin (De Bruyne) is a good example in that way and we showed them things from David Beckham as well, who was also really good at going away from goal and putting the ball with control into the corner. For me it was on of the things which Rabbi missed before from his game. He had chances to shoot and show his qualities and missed too many opportunities like that. It is really difficult to defend with his speed and agility, but there needs to be an end product and that’s crucial. So I am really happy that it’s not the first time because in the last game he scored another goal like that against Hibs. He is now understanding this part of the game and the game is about so many details. It’s our task as a coaching staff to teach them details they never thought about before.  So I am really happy for him and for the team.

Who has the upper hand in the title race after this result?

Nothing interesting for me. You guys can fill a lot of pages about that. For me, it is important, we showed what we are about in the second half, so that's why we are the moral winners in that way, to come back after 0-2, I don't think it happened too much in old Firm games. Now it is putting focus on Dundee, a big game and all the focus is on that and not on the ranking or the points so you will not catch me saying or thinking these things in the next couple of weeks, that is something for maybe he last two or the last game, that depends how many points other teams take. I don't have any control of that, we are going to go game by game.

How closely are you watching the weather in Dundee?

Not, because it is not my task, I try to control the controllable. I put all my energy, attention every second, my eyes are open on that. I don't control the weather forecast, I am not a groundsman. my wife know, I am really bad in that. I have other qualities and I will focus on that. They are also not our responsibility, they are the responsibilities of Dundee and of the league also, to see that the product of football that you guys and the broadcaster pay a lot of money for, is played in a normal way.

What does it say about the squad to come back in terms of the title challenge?

It is a symbol of it and a good reference game, it is not the first one, we have also had others but this is more significant because it is an Old Firm game against a very good team because Celtic is a very good team, to react like that is a huge thing, it is a strong thing and it is the thing that I demand. I demand that from the first second I step into this building, that I never want to see players giving up with their heads down, I always want them to fight in every situation and they did in the past but this is even bigger, because of the importance of this game and quality of opponent, this will give a lot of confidence, belief but it is also important to stay humble and be ready for the Dundee game and do that from the first second of the game and not give belief to the opponents like we did today.