Michael Beale addresses Rangers sack prospect and makes 'faster than I thought' admission over depth of fan anger

Rangers Michael Beale effectively acknowledged his job was on the line as he admitted the 3-1 defeat at home to Aberdeen was the product of “a horrible day, a terrible result”.

Rangers manager Michael Beale reacts in the dugout during the 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen at Ibrox. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

After a third defeat in only seven league games, which followed four straight wins without the concession of a goal, few see the Englishman as being other than a lame duck manager – for as long as he is allowed to continue. The 43-year-old did not even seek to be defiant about his predicament when asked if he could “turn it around” in having lost all faith from supporters.

“The coming games will tell,” he said, a reference perhaps to the Europa League encounter against Aris Limassol in Cyprus on Thursday, and the trip to Paisley three days later. The club’s last two games before the latest international breaks. These fortnight pauses in domestic football are danger zones for managers with Giovanni van Bronckhorst sacked during such a hiatus last November. “I don’t want to sit and talk things up after a result like that. I understand a result against a rival in Aberdeen like that. Coming in I couldn’t see that result. Certainly after the first half we didn’t deserve the outcome but it’s what we got and it’s not good enough.

“I understand there are a number missing, injured. We lost two more today [with Ryan Jack and Ridvan Yilmaz forced off at half-time]. There isn’t a lot that’s positive but it’s the situation we are in and we have to go again on Thursday and St Mirren and hope we can get players back.”

Asked if he would even be given such time with Celtic already boasting a seven-point advantage over the Ibrox club, Beale hardly sounded like a man confident the Rangers board would continue to back him. As he lamented the ease with which the club’s support expressed their disaffection following the loss of an opener approaching the interval.

“That’s someone else’s decision,” he said. “All I can do is continue with the job the best I can. We felt we prepared well enough tactically. We went over and around it in the first half and created the chances. It’s a really bad result and we feel the frustration and despair because we share it inside as staff and players because in the first half we had enough chances to win that game.

“Other teams have been here before, even last couple of years, and turned it around. We need to show better form than we have been. Today was the biggest domestic team since Celtic and we lost. Listen, [the reaction of supporters] is a situation that’s escalated much faster than I thought. I thought it was harsh to boo them off at half-time. We conceded from a set play but we played well enough to be 2-0 or 3-0 up. I get the frustration, they follow this club all around. It’s the fourth home game in 10 days and pretty much all of them have been sold out. Sometimes the supporters could help the players but one or two could help themselves.”