Ally McCoist reckons Michael Beale might have a few regrets over his "loyalty" comments at QPR. But he admits that's just part and parcel of management - as proved by Steven Gerrard's exit for Aston Villa.
McCoist was responding to talkSPORT colleague Simon Jordan who filleted Beale, branding him a 'Johnny-come-lately' for walking out on QPR just weeks after rejecting Wolves and professing his loyalty to the London side. But Rangers hero McCoist doesn't quite see it that way, pointing to how Gerrard insisted he was "happy" at Rangers shortly before jumping ship for Villa.
However he does believe Beale will regret telling QPR he was in it for the long run only to walk out when his old team came calling. He said on talkSPORT breakfast: "Simon's a bit harsh. I hear where he's coming from, he's not too happy with some of the things Michael said regarding staying at QPR. He was offered the Wolves job and probably said a couple of things that he will now regret saying, it's all about loyalty and that kind of thing.
"But with the greatest respect, that's what happens. There was an element of the same thing when Steven left for Aston Villa, he'd won the title, a massive title for Rangers, and there was interest in him down south. He asked if he was happy at Rangers, he said he was, then he was away to Villa. These things happen. I get it. But that's probably what Simon's getting at with Michael Beale."
McCoist still reckons his old side might have been better with a more experienced coach at the helm but he's given Beale his full support - and hopes the fans will do the same. He went on: "I thought they might have gone for someone more experienced, Sean Dyche or someone like that. Michael was coaching the players under Steven's managership and that's gone a long way. The board have obviously thought that he knows the players well, I get that also.
"There's an element that he knows Celtic, you're going to be judged against Celtic aren't you? The sacking of Van Bronckhorst tells you one thing, that Rangers and Celtic managers are only judged against each other. I know that better than most!
"We're now at the stage where Beale needs to get the respect and support of every Rangers fan. There's been a couple of incidents, he came up to see a game and the timing was poor, really poor, because Gio was under pressure. But I accept his explanation for it, it was a trip that had been organised for a while but it didn't look good to people within the game.
"But the decision has been made and the Rangers support have to get behind him."
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