THIS week is the most significant of Michael Beale’s career. At the end of it, there is a game that will shape the narrative for the remainder of the campaign, one which has the potential to lay the foundations for his first full season at Ibrox.
It is not just the Viaplay Cup that is on the line come Sunday afternoon. The Old Firm bragging rights are an added bonus, but it is the chance to land a psychological blow that makes this fixture as important.
Beale has been unable to do anything about Celtic’s lead in the Premiership but this final – and with the potential of a Scottish Cup meeting to come – gives him an opportunity to lay down a marker of where his side are on the road to recovery. Crucially, it would give them a new foundation upon which to build as he seeks to end Celtic’s Treble dreams and maintain his own ambitions of a cup Double on his return to Ibrox.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
Beale has been open and honest with his public remarks since he assumed office in December. It has been refreshing for fans and a welcome change for those on the other side of the questions and the messaging this week will have to be spot-on as every word is analysed, every phrase assessed, in the build-up to the final.
It was unknown how Beale would handle the scrutiny and intensity as the figurehead of Rangers. He has coped with it admirably so far and was even confident enough to get involved with Chris Sutton last week when a more cautious approach could perhaps have been sensible.
Beale will join Ange Postecoglou at a media event at Hampden on Tuesday. It is a chance for him to set the tone, and perhaps land the first blows in the war of words, if he opts to engage in that art.
Postecoglou had Beale’s comments about him being ‘lucky’ on his mind for quite some time. There is no lack of respect from Ibrox to Parkhead, but it will be intriguing to see how Beale chooses to approach this week from a Press perspective.
His efforts behind closed doors will be even more significant. He has critiqued himself – both in his work and his words - in the aftermath of Premiership fixtures that have gone to plan in terms of results but not performances and the hours on the training ground in the coming days are only half the battle.
His first weeks as boss have shown that Beale is a man and a manager that his squad have belief in and want to win for. Sunday will be the most profound test of that.
HOPE FOR THE BEST ON THE INJURY FRONT
This has been a season like no other for Rangers in selection terms and a situation that veered from debilitating to disastrous ultimately played a part in the troubles that saw Giovanni van Bronckhorst removed from office just months after Seville and winning the Scottish Cup.
Beale has undoubtedly benefitted from the returns of Connor Goldson and Ben Davies and Rangers have built their momentum from the rear. In attack, Kemar Roofe is back once again, Antonio Colak is over his niggling issues and Ianis Hagi continues on the road to recovery.
Beale still doesn’t have his problems to seek, though. Goldson was fit after a knock the previous week to get through the win over Livingston on Saturday but Ryan Jack and John Lundstram were still missing through calf and ankle issues respectively and the long-term absentees remain well out of the picture.
The hamstring tweak that kept Malik Tillman out was a real concern and that trio, alongside Scott Arfield, are not likely to return to training until the back end of the week. Beale classed the situations as ‘touch and go’ and the manager will have to do a considerable percentage of his preparation work with two blueprints on the table to account for all eventualities.
DETERMINE THE BEST THREE IN MIDFIELD
The middle of the park is where the main issues are for Rangers. It is also where the fixture could be won and lost as Beale seeks to nullify the threat of captain Callum McGregor in particular and stop Celtic being as effective moving into the final third.
Nicolas Raskin looks like a certain to earn a jersey. A comfortable first start against Partick Thistle was followed by an accomplished showing in the win over the Lions and the Belgian has settled into life at Ibrox with an impressive ease.
It is still early in his Rangers career but he looks to have the tactical discipline to become an integral part of Beale’s side and his willingness to move the ball forward offers a different dimension from a midfield that has been sluggish and static this season. Raskin merits a derby debut.
The other spots, as they were at the weekend, could be filled by Glen Kamara and Todd Cantwell. If Jack or Lundstram are fit, the Finn may well drop out and Cantwell’s place would be under threat if Tillman – arguably on course to be Player of the Year at Ibrox – wins his own race against the clock.
When all of his options are available, Beale has so many variations in midfield. He has those who can mix it physically if it becomes a war of attrition and others who are game-changers and match-winners.
There are combinations that are more than capable of controlling, and winning, an Old Firm fixture. Time will determine how many players Beale actually has to fill the hat-trick of shirts.
SOLVE THE SAKALA AND ROOFE PUZZLE
Further up the park, two of the spots take care of themselves. Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent will both start and have the chance to further enhance their Ibrox legacies if these do indeed prove to be their final months at the club.
So much has been said and written about the out-of-contract pair this term but their talking must be done on the park against Celtic. If both of them are at it, Rangers will naturally stand a far greater chance of emerging victorious and with the red, white and blue ribbons on the trophy.
The only debate in terms of the front three is who completes it and whether Beale goes with Fashion Sakala or Kemar Roofe. Both, of course, are very different but can be very effective in their own right.
Sakala is all pace and unpredictability. He won his side a penalty during the Ibrox draw in January and he bamboozles defenders, and himself at times, with his direct running and boundless energy.
In contrast, Roofe is more tactically astute and provides a more clinical goal threat. On a day when chances could be at a premium, having as many scorers on the pitch as possible could be key.
It is clear that Beale has faith and trust in Roofe and the Jamaican will feature at Hampden. Whether that is from the start will be interesting to see as Beale plots what he hopes will be his path to victory.
JUST FIND A WAY TO WIN
Beale negotiated his first few weeks in front of the cameras well as talk of a title challenge was kept realistic. Recent times have shown how wise that was and Rangers’ best efforts since have not been enough to reduce the deficit from nine points as the matches now start to run out.
The Englishman has made no secret of his ambitions in the cup competitions, though. He knows silverware is the barometer by which every manager is judged and ending the season empty-handed would, even given the situation he inherited from Van Bronckhorst, need to be classed as a failure.
Celtic should have been beaten at Ibrox in January. That was a missed opportunity for Rangers and any faint chances of a Premiership challenge were probably ended on that afternoon.
Beale has two more fixtures to prove that he can beat Celtic in a league encounter but doing so in his first Hampden final would be even more of a statement. It would get him off and running in Old Firm terms but also get that crucial first piece of silverware in the Trophy Room.
Think back to the achievements of Alex McLeish. Two cups in a couple of months settled him into the Ibrox hotseat and allowed him change the momentum across the derby divide despite a league campaign that was doomed to failure midway through the term.
Two winner’s medals this season would far from guarantee a clean sweep next time out. But Beale must seize the moment and – quite simply and obviously – find a way to win at Hampden.
