Michael Beale last night urged the Rangers faithful to keep the faith as he insisted he’s “100 percent” sure he can bring back the Ibrox glory days.
Tensions between the Light Blue legions and the board boiled over during Saturday’s Kilmarnock clash as the Union Bears aimed their “time for a change” dig at Gers chiefs. It’s an uncomfortable situation for Beale as he tries to turn around a team that has landed just two major honours in the last 11 years. But the Londoner is adamant that with a unified fanbase and board behind him, the big plans he’s working on for this summer can smash Celtic’s stronghold on Scottish football.
Asked if he still felt he could lead the club back to the top, Beale replied firmly: “One hundred percent. I back the people I work with and believe in this club and the work we’re going to go on. There’s work to be done but I 100 percent believe in it. When I came back in did I feel everything was going to be perfect between the back end of November and May? No. But in my first year as a manager what was I investing in? The future.
“I believe in it and where I’m taking it and the people I’m going to go on that journey with. I don’t see it as anything other than me being confident going forward.”
When he was asked if the fans should be excited by his plans for the future, Beale paused before saying: “I know at this moment there’s a little bit of a lack of faith but if I could say one thing to them it’s: ‘Stick with us.’
“We’re doing everything we can and believe in where we’re going. I’m strong in my conviction that we’ll go there and history will determine whether I’m right or not.”
The Union Bears bedsheet display also accused the board of taking their “eye off the ball” after Steven Gerrard guided the club to its 2021 title win. But Beale, who was still part of the Liverpool legend’s backroom team at that point, disagreed when quizzed if the fans were right.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “There was a change of manager, another manager came in, he won the Scottish Cup and got to a European final but fell away a little bit in the league.
"Celtic’s form has been very good. In most other years the points tally Rangers got might have won the league anyway. I wasn’t here in that period but we were very dominant in the last 18 months before I left. Some things haven’t worked out but at the same time Celtic have gone on a really good run.
“And that’s it. When it's a two-team battle like it has been for the last few years then you only have to slip a little bit and that can be really important.
“Where do I feel we’re at right now? We’re moving in a good way and ultimately that’s my job to move us in a good way and keep doing that, I’m 16 games in, it’s a small sample.”
There were also banners calling for chief exec Stewart Robertson and sporting director Ross Wilson to go at the weekend.
Beale acknowledged the fans have the right to “voice their opinion” but added: “Listen, we have got to do our work behind the scenes and no-one tries to make any decisions that harm the club.
“Everybody’s all in. Sometimes there’s a frustration when we don’t get results immediately, certainly in this city. We get it, we understand it.
“As long as it’s done in the right manner then people are going to give their opinions whether we want it or not. As long as (the protests) are done respectively and it’s not personal, I think it’s OK.
“When it’s done the other way, I’m not sure what we’re getting out of that. I'd rather not elaborate on it other than the fans are allowed to have their own opinion. I’d ask everyone to make sure it is in the right way.”
