George Overhill

Mon 28 November 2022 22:33, UK

BBC journalist Kheredine Idessane has responded to being interrupted live outside Ibrox by a celebrating Rangers fan after Michael Beale’s appointment.

After the former assistant to Steven Gerrard was officially unveiled as the new man in charge on Monday (28 November), replacing Giovanni van Bronckhorst who was sacked a week earlier, Idessane was reporting the development live on BBC Scotland outside the ground.

Despite the temperature a Gers supporter with his shirt pulled over his head appeared mid-report, jumping around bare-chested singing the new manager’s name.

Responding to the footage later on Twitter the BBC man wrote wryly: “Some 6-pack on the guy. Not shy, eh?”

Beale becomes the club’s 18th manager, with the previous coaching staff was cleared out to make room for the former QPR boss’ own men, and the new regime took charge of their first training session with the Rangers players earlier in the day.

New era

The move from Loftus Road to Ibrox hasn’t gone down particularly well with some outside the club, but there is evidently a proportion of the Bears fans who feel the complete opposite.

It is without doubt a bold move that carries a significant risk, with the long-time assistant only a manager in his own right for 22 games with QPR.

But the club have made a decisive move and if that does the trick of shaking this squad to life then it will have all been worth it.

Beale has plenty of credit in the bank with the board from his important role in the Gerrard regime that won the title two seasons ago.

And the hope among the hierarchy and the supporters alike will be that he can return the club to something resembling that dominant side.

Too much and too little has changed in the ensuing year, with the dominance over Celtic in the SPFL completely gone, yet too much of the squad still the same.

His relationship with the players he knows will surely be key in the first instance but backing in January to add more will also be important if he is going to have a chance to reel in the Hoops this season.

Before a ball has been publicly kicked under the new boss there is room for plenty of optimism but the proof will be on the pitch when the club returns to action.

In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton showed what he thought of Beale’s arrival and first message to the fans with a sarcastic response online.