Michael Beale walked back into Ibrox and admitted it felt like he'd never been away. The new Rangers boss, the club's 18th permanent manager, faced the media for the first time as he spoke of his pride at being in the hot-seat just a year after leaving for Aston Villa when the former first team coach followed Steven Gerrard to the Midlands.
Beale spoke of Gerrard's influence on his career and hopes to replicate the success they enjoyed now he's his own man as he targets title number 56 for the Light Blues. But the 42-year-old doesn't want to try and run with this squad before he can walk as they look to claw back a nine-point lead to leaders Celtic in a Scottish Premiership title race that many already feel is over.
However, what he can do is give the fans a style of play they can be proud of after supporters had grown bored with what they witnessed under axed boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Beale apologised to QPR after expressing his loyalty just a month before leaving for Rangers but said the lure of Govan was simply too strong - stronger than Wolves who he rejected. "This is one I wasn't willing to walk away from," he said. "There were relationships and a feeling built over a long time previously. And not just in the playing staff but the support staff around the building and I’ve fitted back in well and it’s about working every day to improve.” Here, Record Sport looks at 5 of the key points from Beale's first press conference.
