Rangers were heading for a DEAD END under Michael Beale as Ibrox star insists Philippe Clement is no ‘big bad wolf’

Jack Butland has opened up on the mood inside the Rangers dressing room during Michael Beale's final few days in the job.

The Englishman was signed by compatriot Beale on a free transfer last summer as part of a rebuild to stake a claim for the Premiership title. However, after failing to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League, Beale then came under scrutiny for a poor start to the season on the domestic front, and was sacked after a 3-1 home loss to Aberdeen at the end of September left the Light Blues seven points adrift of Celtic at the top of the table.

And in an interview on the BBC Scottish Football Podcast Butland, 30, has admitted that there was a general consensus in the squad that things weren't working out with Beale at the helm. He said: "As a group, we were scrambling.

"We weren't in a good spot. It wasn't going to plan, it wasn't right. We were running down a cul-de-sac into a dead-end. It didn't feel like we were getting to where we needed to get to."

Beale's replacement Philippe Clement has quickly galvanised Rangers, with the Belgian's side now eyeing up a domestic treble and further progress in the Europa League. Butland has gone onto keep 22 clean sheets in all competitions so far this season, with some now tipping him for an England recall ahead of Euro 2024. He then went into detail on how the former Monaco gaffer has been able to get his hands on the Viaplay Cup and establish a two-point lead at the top of the Premiership with 11 games remaining.

Butland added: "People see him as this big, bad character. He's not, but he could be if he wanted to be. He's the big, bad wolf with the media, but he has us in a really confident place. Tactically, there are things that he's been