Philippe Clement has opened up on the intensity of life in Glasgow during his time at Rangers, admitting that encounters with supporters from the other side of the city could be brutal.

For Celtic fans, that will hardly come as a surprise.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “Everybody lives for football there in Glasgow. Everyone you meet is either for or against you.”

For much of his Rangers reign, Celtic supporters had plenty of ammunition.

Clement lost his first derby at Celtic Park, watched Brendan Rodgers’ side recover control of the title race, and then suffered another major blow when Adam Idah scored a late Scottish Cup final winner at Hampden.

The following season did little to ease the pressure.

Celtic beat Rangers 3-0 at Parkhead before later edging them on penalties in the League Cup final.

Against that backdrop, Clement admitted that interactions away from the pitch could be unforgiving.

He said: “It’s brutal with the reactions sometimes, but it’s never been dangerous or something where I felt afraid but it can be brutal in words, sometimes, for sure, when you meet fans of the other side!”

That “other side” was, of course, Celtic.

And with Celtic regularly getting the better of Rangers during Clement’s spell, it is not difficult to imagine why some of those meetings were uncomfortable.

Despite everything, he insists he enjoyed the intensity.

He added: “But I love that also, that passion of people. I don’t think you can find many places in the world where you can find the same.”

Clement may now look back on Glasgow with affection, but Celtic were never far from the difficult moments that defined his Rangers tenure.

On the pitch, they repeatedly blocked his route to domestic success.

Off it, Celtic supporters made sure he was reminded of it.