Neil Lennon suggests Michael Beale should ‘take a break’ after Rangers defeat to Celtic
Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon has advised Rangers manager Michael Beale to take a short break from football after the “biggest week of his career” did not end well.
Lennon has suggested Beale try to cut out the noise surrounding his future at the moment and, after a short break, should get back on the training pitch working hard with his players.
Beale has come under tremendous pressure after a poor week in which his Rangers side lost 5-1 to PSV in Eindhoven and followed that with a defeat in the Old Firm at Ibrox.
Speaking on the PLZ Soccer Football Show on YouTube [58:38], Lennon said: “Initially, take a break. Shut off from football, take a couple of days, go to London or go somewhere for a few days just to switch off. Come back, have a think about things, and start working with the players.
“Instil a style that he wants or he thinks is the best way forward for them, and just work it through. Work it through and cut out the noise because it’s coming at him from all angles.
“We’ve all been there and it’s not easy, but he has to find some character within himself as well. It’s alright saying things but he has to show the Rangers public that he can actually deliver these things as well.”
Earlier on the show [1:22] Lennon stated: “We did talk about the week that Michael [Beale] had coming into it [the Old Firm], it was the biggest week of his career and it’s not gone well for him.”
Two weeks to sort out their issues
There are two weeks between the loss to Celtic and Rangers’ next game against St Johnstone on 16 September in which Beale needs to address the repetitive issues faced by his team. Getting back on the training pitch and drilling his players is the only way to overturn a week like that.
The international break has come at a good time for the Englishman. Although it means the Celtic defeat will dwell on fans’ minds for longer, it gives him more time to address their issues and establish the direction he wants to take this team.
As things stand, the players look devoid of confidence and without any default playing style to revert to. So often, when top teams are short of belief, they settle into their old ways and can still get results. Under Beale, there seems to be no level to settle at.
Lennon called for Beale to instil a style of play in his group of players, and that’s exactly what the boss needs. A defined style of football that the players fit comfortably into, so that everybody knows their job and the role they play.
In other Rangers news, Neil McCann has fumed at a decision made in the Old Firm clash.