Neil Lennon criticises Michael Beale for what he did after Rangers victory against Motherwell
Michael Beale’s decision to criticise his Rangers side’s performance against Motherwell to the press was “not a good look”, according to Neil Lennon.
Speaking to PLZ Soccer (25 September), the former Celtic boss admitted that the 1-0 Ibrox win was a good victory, but pointed to Beale’s criticism of the poor performance after the clash.
Lennon suggested the Rangers boss air his grievances with the performance in the dressing room rather than in public, claiming that he must “take the positives” from the win.
Lennon said, as quoted by Football Scotland (25 September): “You’ve got to enjoy the wins. That’s a good win for me, albeit the performance might not be great and the fans are impatient wanting to see more.
“Putting that out in the public domain is not a good look. The players will look at it and be saying ‘Come on gaffer we’ve just had two really good wins but you’re out there saying it’s not good enough’.
“I get it to a certain degree and you can say that in the dressing room but come out and be positive. I know people might shoot you down and say you’re talking rubbish but you have to enjoy the wins and take the positives.”
Tough
Beale will be eager to boost morale in the dressing room, but as a man under pressure, he will want to be seen as a decisive figure.
Rangers’ performance in the 1-0 Ibrox victory was far from convincing, but at this moment in the season, they need to be getting the points on the board.
As quoted by Punch (26 September), Beale said: “I’m looking for more from this group of players and my staff as well. I don’t take one bit of comfort from this win. It wasn’t a game I enjoyed at all.”
While it is understandable that Beale would want better performances from his men on the pitch, Lennon’s notion rings true here. After a tricky start, the club has finally elevated some pressure, so harsh post-match criticism to the press may do his players more damage than good.
However, Rangers fans were not happy with the performance against the Steelmen, so perhaps the boss was attempting to curry favour with the Ibrox faithful.
The Gers have two more clashes this week to right the wrongs of their Motherwell performance, with the Viaplay Cup quarter-final against Livingston and the league visit from Aberdeen in the coming days. His players will no doubt be hoping for a more positive reaction from their manager.
In other Rangers news, the club can’t let an unhappy player leave with a star man already tipped to make a Premier League move.