Hugh Keevins urges Michael Beale to avoid ‘seismic embarrassment’ for Rangers lifeline
Michael Beale must avoid a “seismic embarrassment” in the Europa League against Aris Limassol if he has any chance of remaining at Rangers, according to Hugh Keevins.
Writing in the Daily Record (1 October), Keevins suggested that defeat to the Cypriot side would spell the end for the boss, as even his depleted Gers squad should get a result.
Beale broke his four-game unbeaten streak with a 3-1 Ibrox loss to Aberdeen, adding more pressure onto the underfire boss.
Keevins said: “Michael has to be careful this week when the cycle of stress takes him to Cyprus in the Europa League for what might be called his Progres Niederkorn moment. Aris Limassol, Rangers’ opponents on Thursday, aren’t even the best team in Limassol, never mind the country.
“Just as Niederkorn weren’t the top side in Luxembourg when Rangers went there in 2017 for a Europa League qualifier under Pedro Caixinha. You know the script. Pedro contrived to lose the tie on aggregate and ultimately paid the price of failure with his job.
“No one can deny Beale has been blighted by injury but he travels with a squad still strong enough to be afforded no excuses in the event of mishap. A seismic embarrassment would not be forgiven in the current climate.
“Aris are cannon fodder, there to make up the numbers in Rangers’ Europa League group. The cannon has to be fired before anyone else suffers that fate.”
Lifeline
Beale may be lucky to even get to the Europa League clash on Thursday (5 October) amid the growing pressure on his position at the club.
The Englishman had done enough to keep the pressure at arm’s distance after four consecutive victories and clean sheets, but criticism remained regarding the nature of his team’s performances.
Against Aberdeen, they were undone. Major lapses of concentration at the back and a misfiring front line all formed the perfect storm of failure. Abdallah Sima’s strike to make it 2-1 with 15 minutes to go was not enough to mount a comeback, with Aberdeen’s Jack MacKenzie putting the final nail in the Gers’ coffin to make it 3-1.
While Keevins is correct that victory in Cyprus is vital, it seems unlikely that it would be enough to reduce the pressure on Beale that much. A win would be expected. Even amid Rangers’ current issues, few would predict a “seismic embarrassment” at the hands of Aris Limassol, meaning defeat here would almost definitely see the manager depart.
But, the best Beale can do now is a convincing win against weak opposition, his time certainly looks to be running out.
In other Rangers news, a Gers ace has reacted after Glen Kamara sent a message following his Leeds United full home debut.