Michael Beale baffled by Rangers to Premier League call as he asks 'what's Craig Levein planning on doing with us?'
Michael Beale has learned quickly that dealing with outspoken opinions from former players and coaches is one of the many hazards that come with the Rangers job.
He’s had a couple to sidestep already this week. First there was Craig Levein insisting it’s time the Old Firm did the rest of Scottish football a favour and cleared off to England. Ibrox legend Mark Hateley warned Beale he risks triggering a “tsunami” of pressure if he can’t find a way to hold back the green and white tide roaring towards another Treble.
He wouldn’t be the first Light Blues boss to fall victim to such pitfalls. Pedro Caixinha ended up barking about caravans as the critics lined up before his failure to rein in top dogs Celtic cost him his job. Gio van Bronckhorst took a more diplomatic approach when it came to dealing with those sniping from the sidelines but, again, it was ultimately his failure to negotiate a way past Ange Postecoglou’s side that did for the Dutchman.
Beale couldn’t argue with what Hateley had to say, knowing fine well that the men in charge of Rangers live and die by their record against their Parkhead rivals. But the Londoner tried a new approach yesterday when it came to Levein’s comments, responding to the former Scotland manager’s complaints over the state of Scottish football with one of his own.
While Levein reckons the Premiership is the most uncompetitive league in Europe, the Rangers gaffer reckons it’s also one of the most unnecessarily complicated. “What’s Craig planning on doing with us?” smiled Beale as he was asked if Levein had a point when he suggested it was time for the Old Firm to move on, perhaps also leaving the rest of Scottish football a cash sweetener as compensation for a move to England.
“Ever