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.
Identity
Both sporting director Ross Wilson spoke of the team having an identity. It was something that they clearly felt was lost under Giovanni van Bronckhorst. There has already been talk of ‘Beale ball’ in reference to the success of Angeball across the city. But how will Beale’s team look? “It’s got to be on the front foot,” he said. “We have to play like the big team. We have to take the ball and play on the front foot and be exciting to watch. The first thing is that it’s got to be exciting to play in on a daily basis. It’s got to be about this group now. This group is slightly different to when I was previously here. We’ve got to take the ball and attack. I’d like to see us run forward a bit more off the ball and play closer together. I’m excited to work with the group. The squad is really strong and I think we’ll see a little variety and the fans should look forward to seeing the team play on December 15. We can work strongly cohesion which will be slightly different to the previous manger. We will move around together in a certain way and that can look very collective in terms of your energy on the pitch and we’re working at that. We have some key injuries and have to get them fit. We don’t want to use that as an excuse right now but it will certainly make us stronger. Gio and his staff did what they thought was best and I have take it on and do what I think is right for this group of players.”
Alf can give much Mor
Alfredo Morelos is a player who has been underperforming and getting the Colombian back to his best has to be one of Beale’s priorities - and that’s before even talking about getting him to extend his deal. But the early signs are good and he was asked if he could get a tune out of the South American. “If he performs how he trained today then yes,”he replied. “In the time I was here previously, Steven (Gerrard) managed him fantastically well. Alfredo broke the club’s European goal scoring record and helped us achieve what we wanted to achieve which was to win the league. But it’s not just Alfredo - can we get Kemar Roofe back playing as well because that’s two fantastic strikers we haven’t had firing. In the coming months we’ll have Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence so we’ll be a much stronger Rangers with them in front of me.”
No title surrender yet
Beale didn’t go as far as to say that they can overturn that nine point deficit to Celtic but it starts with a win against Hibs in a bid to get the momentum needed to at least challenge. He said: “This Christmas period will have a big part on whether we can do that or not. The most important thing now is to win the next game which is always the job here as manager of Rangers. Win the next game and see where it takes us and the goalposts will move if we do that. We had a seven point gap in our favour last season so it can be turned around but the most important thing now is not to talk too big. Long term, we need to win 56 as soon as possible and improve that cup record, which we slightly improved last season by winning the Scottish Cup. And we need to improve the identity on the pitch. That’s what I feel and that’s what the group of players feel as well. At the moment one or two players’ value isn’t what it was six or eight months ago which is damaging to the players, football club and staff so we have to improve that. All the players in the building have a lot of responsibility as well to their own careers and it’s my job to uphold them to that and get the best out of them and getting the best out of the individual will make a stronger team and stronger Rangers.”
Stevie G influence
Steven Gerrard was the man who first introduced Michael Beale to Rangers by taking him as a key member of staff before then following him to Aston Villa and he says the Liverpool and England icon is one of the reasons he’s back in Govan. He said: "I stood beside Steven for 193 games and Gary so I saw a little bit of everything in that time. We had bumps in the road but there were a load of highs and we built a really strong squad with Ross and the recruitment team and behind the scenes we redeveloped and created a lot of Ibrox and the training ground, which was fantastic coming back into and it’s kicked on another notch.
We’ve missed each other in terms of messages but we go back and forth all the time and I know I have his support and Gary and the rest of the staff. I lived a fantastic journey with those guys and look forward to doing the same with this management team. Steven has been a huge influence on me as a person because he has very high standards and morals and he’s enabled me to be sat in this position. He brought me on a lot in terms of management and leadership. I added a different part in terms of coaching on the pitch. I don’t want to compare myself to anyone. Steven will go on to be a fantastic manager with his staff. This is a different journey and there will be subtle differences. Neither of us were overly close to the players but they knew we cared for them every single day and we built strong feelings. I’ll be very hands on because that is my skillset.”
Suits you, sir!
Rangers managers have been encouraged to wear a collar and tie on match days since the days of the legendary Bill Struth. Unlike Struth, Michael Beale might not be about to bring back the bowler hats but he does want to return to the tradition of players being suited and booted. He said: “I’m looking forward to wearing the suit - I’ve been reminded a few times but didn’t need reminded if I’m honest. I know the traditions, it’s an institution. As we modernise football, some of the traditions are really important in terms of the culture of the club so if the players are hearing this they’ll go back to wearing suits as well on match days as well. It’s important we live in the tradition of the football club and this is a club when you come in you fit into those traditions and try to enhance them as you go along. It's a hugely proud moment for me and my family in the last few days and it will all become very real, very quickly and I look toward to December 15 - a date I’m counting down to."
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