Michael Beale says Rangers will take risks to try and land the first blow on Celtic at Ibrox - even if they end up with a bloody nose.
The Gers boss admits it’s a dangerous game to open up and attack Ange Postecoglou’s in-form side because of their quality. But Beale believes that in a home Old Firm derby, his only option is to go for Celtic’s throats. The Englishman can’t wait to taste the fixture as manager for the first time after taking over from Gio van Bronckhorst.
Rangers must beat Postecoglou’s men in Monday’s New Year clash to keep themselves in the Premiership title race, with Celtic already nine points clear. And despite conceding that Gers are underdogs - Beale insists they have to lay a glove on their rivals to have any hope of knocking them out. The Ibrox gaffer said: “We’ve got to hit them and see how they react. We have to. If they react strongly and hit us back harder than we’ve hit them, that’s fine. We’ll take the feedback from it. But we can’t sit back at home against anybody. We didn’t do it against Porto, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Leipzig or Feyenoord before.
“We didn’t do it in the Old Firm games when I was here previously. So we can’t start now. That’s part of wearing this badge and representing this club. When we play, we have to try to win. And at Ibrox we have to win in style and really take the game on. We can’t change the fans and what the history and culture of this club is.
“If we feel that’s dangerous right now against Celtic, then so be it. Let’s face that afterwards. If we can’t do it in this game because they have overpowered us - it will let us know what we’ve got to do. So we have to be the truest version of ourselves on Monday. Ange will be saying to his team and that’s why I think it’s going to be a good game.”
Beale and his team will be backed by 50,000 home fans, with just 700 away supporters in the corner at Ibrox.
Some people feel the decision to cut the opposing team’s allocation for Old Firm games has diluted the atmosphere. But Beale says that until Ibrox and Parkhead’s capacity is increased to satisfy fan demand - he can’t see it changing in the near future.
He said: “It’s difficult because, ultimately, the stadiums aren’t big enough. Although they are the two biggest stadiums in the league, they’re not big enough for the demand of the fans.
“How do you sell season tickets? I wouldn’t buy a season ticket without a ticket for the biggest game. It’s the same for both clubs. So until the stadiums get bigger, it’s very difficult.
“The two clubs have huge demand, they are world-famous clubs. How do you cut that demand up?
“You can’t say to a season ticket holder” ‘you are not going to that game’. That’s why they are paying for the season book. I understand both sides of the argument. I have never lived with it the other way here. It might take away a little bit from the atmosphere but most derbies around the world are like this.”
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