Rangers’ season has turned around over the last couple of months since Clement took the reins of the club from Beale.
The Belgian has overseen Rangers reaching the Scottish League Cup final, the last 16 of the Europa League and they have also cut down Celtic’s lead at the top of the table to five points having played a game fewer.
Thompson lavished praise on Clement and admitted that he is working with the squad who were not considered good enough even a couple of months back.
He pointed out that it seemed improbable that a new manager would do any better than Beale with the squad when he was sacked by Rangers.
The former Rangers star also stressed that the Rangers boss has had to deal with several injuries in his squad but has still managed to power them through while remaining unbeaten.
Thompson said on BBC Radio Scotland: “Philippe Clement deserves a lot of credit.
“He is unbeaten as Rangers manager while working with a squad that a lot of people will agree are not as strong as previous Rangers squads.
“There are players who I don’t think will be there this time next season and he has managed to get a tune out of them.
“He has got managed to change the way they play, he has got the best out of what he has got to work with in front of him, he has had to deal with quite a severe injury list and so the manager deserves massive credit.
“When Michael Beale left the club and we were talking about the squad, it was difficult to see how a new manager was going to come in and get these players motivated, playing as a team and doing what they are doing now.
“What he has achieved in that space of time is brilliant.”
A first trophy since 2022 in the form of the Scottish League Cup on Sunday will likely add more momentum to Rangers’ season as they look to chase down Celtic in the title race.
