Michael Beale leaving Rangers currently feels like a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’ given the level of discontent in the support.
A heavy defeat to PSV Eindhoven in Champions League qualifying followed by an impotent Old Firm loss has seen demands for change – a win in the derby and everyone would have been happy.
These are the fine lines that Michael Beale has to deal with at Rangers but there are various reasons why things aren’t working out for Steven Gerrard’s former right-hand man.
1. Michael Beale and his Rangers contradictions
It’s one thing being honest during interviews and press conferences but, in just a year, the Gers boss has contradicted himself on numerous occasions.
Just weeks after taking charge Michael Beale said that Glen Kamara would always be in his Rangers team as he praised the Finland international to the hilt.
MORE RANGERS STORIES
A month later and Kamara had been benched.
Then there were the comments about talks with Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, suggesting that he had made an attempt to keep them at the club only to later say that no such offers had been made.
The two transfer windows have been the same.
Michael Beale was quite open about wanting more pace, a winger to replace Ryan Kent and a left-sided centre-half and yet, none of these players arrived.
He is creating pressure for himself.
2. Michael Beale’s infamous Rangers handbrake off quote
Don’t promise football fans something if you can’t or refuse to deliver it.
In almost a year, and a huge turnover of players later, we haven’t improved in either box, Beale’s key manifesto pledge.
We are slow, predictable and boring to watch – the exact opposite to what he said he was going to bring.
The handbrake is on and we certainly aren’t “going for it” or entertaining every single week.
3. Michael Beale didn’t sign a proper number nine for Rangers
Compare and contrast, Rangers strikers over the last five years to Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi.
Only a fit Kemar Roofe can be considered on the same level in terms of goal scoring ability.
Goals win games, goalscorers win trophies.
Michael Beale seems obsessed with having a central striker who does everything but score goals.
There are nine other outfield players to build play, why does the central striker have to do it too?
If he makes it to St Johnstone, only a marked improvement in performance and result will buy him some time.
Time that he is already running out of.