Michael Beale faces ‘huge question marks’ over Rangers sack if ‘statement’ opportunity missed – BBC pundit
Michael Beale has to avoid any SPFL “slip-ups” and win the League Cup “convincingly” or he will face “huge questions marks” over his future at Rangers, according to Leanne Crichton.
The BBC pundit said on Go Radio’s The Football Show (14 September) that while domestic results will “define” the Light Blues’ season she also doesn’t believe a heavy defeat in the Europa League will be deemed acceptable either.
With Celtic already knocked out of the Viaplay Cup Crichton says Beale can lift that trophy early in the season to deliver a “statement” that could “recover” the situation amid big pressure following the Old Firm defeat, but failure to do so in the right way or errors elsewhere could see him go.
Crichton said (27m 45s): “I don’t think Michael Beale can afford to lose heavily in the European matches if I’m being honest [although] the domestic results will define their season ultimately.
“If he can go and win the League Cup early in the season it’s a statement. I think that would potentially recover the situation before Christmas.
“But if there’s a slip-up domestically, in terms of a league fixture, and they don’t convincingly win the League Cup I think there’s going to be huge questions marks over his future.”
Accurate
Beale surely has to go on a winning run as a minimum requirement from this point but that will only be enough to save him for so long.
His record against any side other than Celtic was pretty good last season, but since Rangers ultimately lost their shot at three trophies in those games it is going to be the key match ups that will ultimately matter most this term.
Few expect him to emulate the run to the Europa League final that Giovanni van Bronckhorst managed – which ultimately didn’t save him from the sack before the year was out.
But the Gers have to mount a title challenge this season and, rightly or not, the League Cup will be seen as an open goal by many with the Hoops already out.
Since Brendan Rodgers replaced Ange Postecoglou this summer and Celtic were hit by injury problems there has already been a big opportunity to gain an advantage passed up, in losing the first derby of the season and falling four points behind in the league.
Another poor result in the next meeting might be enough to call time on Beale even if he wins everything else before 30 December, because if he doesn’t prove he can win derbies when the pressure is on he effectively can’t fulfil the primary requirement of the job.
In other Rangers news, a candidate to take the Ibrox job has spoken of how “proud and honoured” he is when the possibility was put directly to him.