Ex-Rangers manager Michael Beale has been forced into explaining why he shunned a substituted Sunderland player’s handshake in the club’s most recent defeat.
The English manager, 43, is now in charge of the Black Cats and has had a bumpy start to his tenure at the Stadium of Light.
After a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham left the club 10th in the Championship, the pressure has intensified with many fans already calling for Beale’s head.
But if Michael Beale wanted any respite at all, a clip of the ex-Rangers assistant shunning young Northern Irish defender Trai Hume has added insult to injury.
Michael Beale explains Trai Hume handshake snub
As Trai Hume traipsed off the park in Sunderland’s clash with Birmingham, a clip appeared to show Michael Beale blanking a handshake from the defender.
It’s a pretty brutal clip and came after right-back Hume was subbed for Portuguese attacker Luis Semedo, Sunderland chasing an equaliser with three minutes to play.
The Black Cats threw away a first-half lead to go on and lose the game 2-1 with Beale grilled on the situation post-match.
Claiming that he genuinely “didn’t see” Trai Hume, the Sunderland manager claimed he is “as close” to the Ulsterman as anyone in the entire squad.
Taking to Instagram after the game, Michael Beale also explained the situation further and it’s obviously caused something of a stir in Sunderland and Rangers circles.
The ex-Rangers manager claims he has “apologised” to Hume and that he “cannot hold him in higher regard as a man or a professional”.
The incident might also remind Rangers fans of a clash with Zambian striker Fashion Sakala, who claims Michael Beale banned him from training before a move to Al-Fayha in Saudi.
Ex-Rangers manager under pressure at Sunderland
When it comes to these sorts of incidents, we find it’s usually always wise to give people the benefit of the doubt.
There doesn’t seem to be much substance to the suggestion that Michael Beale had or has a personal issue with Trai Hume and we imagine this story will cool down very quickly.
But at the same time Michael Beale is under immense pressure at Sunderland and incidents likes this are doing the former Rangers manager no favours.
Beaten by the man he replaced at Sunderland in Tony Mowbray, fan sentiment on Tyneside is increasingly negative and we all know how that story ends.
Rangers meanwhile will be thanking their lucky stars Philippe Clement is the man at the helm of the club right now, with the Gers on form, moving forward, and very much back on track this season.
