Kris Boyd has posed some interesting points both praising and questioning Michael Beale as he appears to close in on a return to Ibrox, this time as manager.
The Londoner faces a massive challenge if he is lured back to Glasgow and as much as he has experience of the club in many ways, he will have the full brunt of the pressure for the first time. Five months as QPR head coach will have given Beale a grounding as the main man, following on from what he saw next to Gerrard but fulfilling that role at Rangers is a different proposition, as much as the pressure and expectation is a reality.
The crux of Boyd’s concerns were down to a lack of time spent as a number one, with very little to fall back on:
“He (Beale) might well have the answers. We don’t know as he has never been in this position.”
“That’s what makes this such a monumental gamble for Rangers. Given the feedback I’ve heard from so many players, it’s fair to say Beale is one of the best coaches in Britain right now.”
“The fact he has worked at Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa and at Sao Paulo in Brazil tells you he is highly regarded but there’s a world of difference from being a great coach and managing Rangers. His main attributes are clearly on the grass and players rave about his training sessions.”
Risk
Boyd’s column in The Sun isn’t much different from the reservvations that many Rangers supporters will have. Yes, it is a gamble to an extent but what appointment would not be.
Without the means and standing to attract a top level boss, it was always likely that the club would be looking toward an up and coming young manager or another candidate from abroad with little to no knowledge of the Scottish game and the unique warfare on the pitch that the Gers face on a regular basis.
With that risk, there needs to be reward. This is a decision that the Rangers board cannot afford to get wrong.