Simon Jordan, former Crystal Palace chairman and talkSPORT pundit, has urged the Rangers board to go the extra mile in supporting Michael Beale’s efforts to close the gap with Celtic. Jordan emphasized that Beale, the manager of Rangers, cannot simply conjure success like Harry Potter with a magic wand, and that the club needs to consider his limited managerial experience. Beale’s journey from being an assistant to becoming the Rangers manager was swift, and Jordan contends that the club should understand the challenges he faces.
Beale’s managerial career began at Queens Park Rangers, where he spent just four months as the head coach, marking his first solo managerial role. Prior to that, he had worked alongside Steven Gerrard in various coaching capacities and had gained experience as an assistant manager in Sao Paulo and in various youth team roles. Despite his football acumen, Beale’s transition to the top job at Rangers was relatively abrupt.
Simon Jordan pointed out that it was unrealistic to expect instant success from Beale, given the current dominance of Celtic and their apparent financial advantage. He compared Beale to Brendan Rodgers, who previously managed Celtic and achieved remarkable success. Jordan questioned, “Who do you think he is? Harry Potter with his wands? He doesn’t have better players or the managerial experience. It has to be a project; otherwise, what was the point in bringing Beale in? He was always going to be learning on the job because he’s not an established manager.”
Jordan stressed the importance of understanding the long-term vision for Rangers. He noted that the club had broken Celtic’s winning streak under Steven Gerrard but has faced challenges since then. The expectations for Beale should align with the club’s overarching objectives. “The project of Rangers was at a different stage then. It was ultimately that Rangers had got themselves back into the Premiership and was establishing itself as a meaningful force and stopping Celtic getting 10-in-a-row,” Jordan remarked.
Michael Beale’s tenure as Rangers manager has not been without its challenges, including a recent defeat to Celtic. Jordan acknowledged that the pressure comes with the territory but stopped short of advocating for Beale’s dismissal. He noted that Beale has been in charge for almost a year, and recent results, including an exit from the Champions League and losses to their arch-rivals, raise concerns. “I’m not suggesting he should be given the boot, but he should be feeling the ramifications,” Jordan asserted.
Stuart Pearce, former England star and pundit, concurred with the sentiment that second place in the Scottish Premiership is not sufficient for Rangers. He emphasized the need for Beale to close the gap with Celtic and secure victories when facing their rivals. Pearce also highlighted the volatile nature of football management, where fortunes can quickly change based on results.
In conclusion, Simon Jordan’s call for the Rangers board to support Michael Beale in his quest to challenge Celtic reflects the complexities of football management. Beale’s relatively rapid rise to the managerial position and the high expectations at Rangers have placed him under scrutiny. Whether he can emulate the success of Brendan Rodgers and lead Rangers to victory over their rivals remains to be seen, but the support and patience of the club’s hierarchy will be crucial in this endeavor.