Derek Ferguson says Michael Beale ‘needs to win’ League Cup to keep his job
Derek Ferguson has delivered a damning assessment of Michael Beale at Rangers following their loss to Celtic, claiming he needs to win the League Cup if he wants to keep his job.
The ex-Rangers midfielder has made a harsh assessment of Beale’s job position and went on to claim that, even if he does win the League Cup, it may not be enough to guarantee his staying.
Ferguson also claimed that the disappointment comes from Rangers fans due to the promises made by the manager that have not been delivered on.
Ferguson was speaking on the Open Goal podcast on 7 September when he said: “When you’re at Ibrox, full house, you should be at it. The team that started, the promises, even after the game he [Beale] says there was no ruthlessness. He’s anything but ruthless.
“We all know he’s a good coach, he’s a top coach, but managing is totally different from coaching. Even with him signing the players, his judgement has become clouded.”
When asked whether he thinks Beale can turn things around at Ibrox, Ferguson said: “I’m not so sure. He needs to win the League Cup to keep himself in the job. To keep himself in the job at the moment, as we go to December.
“I’ve not seen a real complete performance so far. If you look at Michael Beale, he’s spoken really well and tells you what he’s going to deliver – he’s not delivered it. That’s where the disappointment comes for the Rangers fans.”
Beale’s time is limited
Despite high hopes for the season, following a busy transfer window with nine incoming signings, and plenty of anticipation surrounding Beale’s first full season after a relatively successful spell on the pitch since he took over, his time now looks to be limited.
A 1-0 loss to Celtic at Ibrox following a 5-1 demolition in their Champions League qualification clash seems to have put the nail in his coffin, and unless he can pull off a miracle, Beale appears to be a dead man walking at Rangers.
With the fans turning against him and making their frustrations known with a chorus of boos at Ibrox following the Old Firm defeat, the first domino has fallen. It is often losing the trust of the fans that becomes the first sign that a manager’s spell at the club may well be up.
Comparisons can be drawn to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s sacking which brought Beale to the club in the first place, where a defeat in the Old Firm all but sealed his exit despite the ultimate decision not coming until later that season.
In other Rangers news, one club are making contingency plans in case Rangers-linked manager makes the switch.