Rangers look set to announce their new manager today and the timing couldn’t be better as the squad starts to return to Auchenhowie and begin preparations for the second half of the season.
Michael Beale, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, “arrived in Glasgow” last night to complete that many thought was a formality the moment that Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sacked as manager a fortnight ago – a three and a half year deal said to be signed and sealed.
It won’t take him long to assess the squad, having worked with most of it previously, however, it is still not sure how many of the walking wounded will be available to take part in training when the first ball of the new regime is kicked.
What will be interesting will be how much of an impact the academy graduates make. Beale’s CV, until recently, was predominantly built in youth development and the likes of Alex Lowry and Charlie McCann could well be set to see more game time.
Gio would have loved to have had Lowry, in particular, available to him at the start of the season but the Scotland Under-21 has had several fitness issues, he now looks as though he is approaching something approaching to his best and shouldn’t spend another minute playing B team football.
Attention will now turn to who Beale will bring with him as part of his coaching set up. Familiar faces like Tom Culshaw and Jordan Milsom have been mentioned and, despite being recognised as part of Steven Gerrard’s coaching team, they would be welcomed back at Ibrox.
We may have gone into the break on a downer but a new manager, a new direction and renewed hope means that there is light at the end of the tunnel – let’s see if Beale is as good as we all hope he could be.