Michael Beale ‘severe’ sack verdict issued by BBC pundit at Rangers amid ‘made their mind up already’ claim
Rangers fans have “made their mind up already” on Michael Beale in large part and it will be “difficult” to change their minds, according to Tam McManus.
The BBC pundit said on The Football Show for PLZ Soccer that the Light Blues supporters he speaks to have mostly already decided that the manager is the wrong man, and he believes that he will have to keep the gap to Celtic at four points “maximum” until the next Old Firm derby (30 December) or he’ll be under “severe pressure” of the sack.
The 1-0 defeat to the Hoops before the international break has proven to be the last straw for a vocal proportion of the fanbase, and Beale appears to be on notice from the club too.
McManus said (31m): “I think a lot of Rangers fans have made their mind up already, and I think it’s difficult to turn that round unless you beat Celtic, which he’s not been able to do yet [although] he obviously beat them once in the dead rubber game.
“He’s got to take care of St Johnstone at the weekend and then he’s got to go on a run of games. Their group in the Europa League is decent enough… I can see him doing okay in that and maybe qualifying.
“But in terms of getting to that game against Celtic in December he’s got to be maximum four points behind, he can’t fall any further behind or I think he will be under severe pressure.
“I think a lot of Rangers fans that I speak to have made their minds up already.”
Reprieve
It isn’t too hard to imagine that if the pressure that has currently built up, with a limp defeat in the derby coming after a humbling loss in Europe, had arrived later in the season John Bennett wouldn’t be as patient.
That the manager is trying to mould a squad together that has nine new players in it is a notable mitigating element, but the fact that so much of the effort in the transfer market might be wasted if a new manager isn’t interested in some of the signings has put the club in a difficult position.
The board did back Beale pretty heavily this summer, although to quite what level is in dispute between him and the club, so they will expect him to repay that faith.
It would arguably be foolish to pull the plug this early but there haven’t been too many signs of him being on the brink of getting it right either.
That there looks to be a lack of pace and width in the side when all of Ryan Kent, Fashion Sakala, Ianis Hagi and Alex Lowry have been allowed to depart in one form or another seems like a pretty basic oversight.
But missing simple chances in front of goal combined with basic errors in defence is hard for any manager to contend with.
The situation is far from ideal for Rangers and the preferable answer for everyone would be for Beale to get his new charges firing as planned so everyone can avoid the upheaval of another change, but that is far easier said than done.
In other Rangers news, a summer target has admitted it’s been “tough” after his move to Ibrox failed.