In a candid assessment of Michael Beale’s initial tenure as Rangers’ head coach, former player Andy Halliday has highlighted three critical areas where Beale appears to have fallen short in what has been a disappointing start to his first full campaign with the club. These concerns come amid growing scrutiny on Beale’s position, following a heavy defeat to PSV in the Champions League play-offs, followed by a 1-0 home league loss to fierce rivals Celtic.
Halliday, who boasts over 150 appearances for Rangers, has voiced his concerns regarding the club’s recruitment strategy, particularly during the close season. Speaking to Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on September 4th, Halliday expressed his reservations, saying, “The fact of the matter is, going into the season, the three big things for Michael Beale and Rangers were getting their recruitment right, nailing down their identity and their style of play, and getting their best XI on the pitch.”
He continued, “I think right now, you’ve got to argue that all three they’ve sort of fallen short of. I do think they’ll improve, and individually I think they will improve in terms of the new signings.” However, his concern remained apparent when discussing recruitment, “But again, going onto the recruitment, I’ve talked about the players leaving at the end of [last season] and things getting a bit stale and change was needed. Right now, if Rangers fans were offered Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, and Fashion Sakala, would they swap them for the front three now? I think they would.”
Halliday’s critique extends to the perceived weakening of Rangers’ attack compared to the previous season. He raised an eyebrow at the unexpected inclusion of Rabbi Matondo and Kemar Roofe as starters in the first Old Firm clash of the season, highlighting the apparent disparity between expectations and reality. “That is not a slight on either player, who have both shown glimpses of quality, but it is pretty damning with regards to the Gers’ transfer business,” Halliday pointedly remarked.
As Rangers and Beale navigate through a challenging start to the campaign, Halliday’s assessment serves as a stark reminder of the high expectations and pressures that accompany managing one of Scotland’s most storied football clubs. The spotlight remains firmly fixed on Beale as he seeks to address these concerns and guide Rangers back to their winning ways.