Ally McCoist sends Michael Beale new Rangers warning over Brendan Rodgers
Ally McCoist has warned Michael Beale that he must pause his relationship with Brendan Rodgers as Rangers prepare to challenge for the Scottish Premiership.
Both managers worked together during spells with Chelsea and Liverpool and are getting set to face off with one another in Old Firm matches.
But now that Rodgers has returned to the dugout at Celtic Park and the two Glasgow rivals are closer than ever before on the pitch, McCoist wants Beale to halt his friendship with the former Leicester City boss during the season.
Speaking on TNT Sports (3 August) McCoist said: “No, the friendship has not got to be over but it has to be put on pause. One thing you’ve got to do is have a healthy relationship, you genuinely do, and respect for the opposition manager in the Old Firm.
“It has always been the case. Of course, you have incidents, myself and Neil Lennon had a wee incident and Walter (Smith) had incidents, you have incidents but there has to be a healthy reaction and relationship between the clubs.
“I don’t have any doubt that Michael and Brendan will have that and continue it. They have been friends for a while and it will stay the same.”
A new era?
Could the close relationship between Beale and Rodgers be the start of a new era of nicer Old Firm matches? Not a chance, the derby will always remain one of the most heated matches in the world’s football calendar such is the magnitude of the fixture.
When Rodgers faced off against his former Liverpool captain Gerrard, the derbies never became any softer and it is unlikely that Beale will be much different to his former boss when he shows down with Celtic and no matter who’s in the dugout it won’t change the fan’s opinion.
There is potential that if the race for the league title is as close as what most pundits have been predicting that we could see some of the most competitive games of football when the Glasgow sides face off, with the results of the Old Firm likely to decide the title.
On top of that, both managers have been in the game long enough to know that niceness won’t get you anywhere, you best believe that this season will bring with it as big a grudge match as ever before.
In other Rangers news, Scott Wright’s Ibrox departure has hit another block in the road as contract talks end