Rangers and Celtic fans blasted as ‘big question marks’ emerge amid Michael Beale development
Gary Keown has suggested managers bearing “big question marks” get more leeway at Rangers and Celtic after Michael Beale was sacked after just 63 days at Sunderland.
Writing on page 101 of the Scottish Mail on Sunday’s print edition on 25 February, the journalist noted that if the Gers fans had called the Englishman out instead of backing him up until his position became “completely untenable”, it would have saved a “heck of a lot of agony” at Ibrox.
He said if managers weren’t allowed more leeway in Glasgow compared to other places, then how else would Brendan Rodgers be allowed to return to Parkhead as he questioned whether the talk about there being “relentless demands” at the Old Firm clubs compared to elsewhere has become “a bit of a trope”.
Rangers and Celtic fans are passionate about their clubs
There were quite a lot of questions being asked about Beale at Rangers from some of the fans, even if others backed him right until the very end.
But the clue is the name, supporters are there to back the team and the management, and that is something they don’t really deserve to be called out on.
It was almost certainly time for Beale to leave Ibrox when he was relieved of his duties in October, but the sack culture that has emerged in football is quite concerning.
Sacking someone after 63 days is ridiculous. There are, obviously, question marks around the Englishman, but it says more about Sunderland’s hierarchy for hiring him in the first place.
It feels as though the Celtic fans are becoming frustrated with Rodgers after the performances at Parkhead haven’t been great over the past few weeks, with the Gers leapfrogging them at the top of the SPL.
There is one manager who currently isn’t under any pressure, though, and that’s Philippe Clement following his excellent work since replacing Beale at Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, Jack Butland has shared which “huge” Ibrox moment wowed him.
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