Rangers 'keeper situation reaching critical point as Michael Beale addresses Allan McGregor's future: 'I have goalkeepers in mind for the summer'

Along with nearly everyone else, Michael Beale assumed the unusual late cameo granted to Allan McGregor in the Scottish Cup final against Hearts last May was a sentimental last hurrah for a Rangers goalkeeping legend.

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor replaces Jon McLaughlin in the last moments of last year's Scottish Cup final against Hearts. The appearance was expected to be the veteran's swansong. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Beale was first-team coach at Aston Villa at the time, preparing for what proved to be a dramatic last-day clash with Manchester City the following afternoon. He messaged McGregor, who had played such a pivotal part in the Ibrox club’s title success the previous season when Beale had been a member of Steven Gerrard’s coaching team.

Beale toasted a fabulous career that had looked to have reached such a fitting climax at Hampden with a Scottish Cup win, Rangers' first since McGregor was in his first spell at the club. He was now 40. He'd done it all. What else was there left to say except congratulate the goalkeeper on a race well run. Retirement beckoned. Beale was as sure of this as the rest of us but was swiftly disabused of the notion. “I texted him after the Scottish Cup final and said: ‘What a career!’" recalled Beale. "He came back to me and said: ‘It’s not done yet!’ So that was a hint straight away.”

There are some who claim McGregor has tarnished his legacy since signing a new one-year extension at Rangers in June. The opportunity to play in the Champions League group stage again was an undoubted incentive to carry on. But it was a trying experience. Rangers were under-resourced and under-prepared. McGregor was left exposed. Against Napoli. Against Ajax, although he missed the initial 4-0 thrashing in Amsterdam. And against Liverpool.

Unfortunately, he didn't miss the 7-1 humiliation at the hands of Jurgen Klopp’s side at Ibrox which stands as Rangers' worst-ever defeat at the stadium. No goalkeeper, particularly one as celebrated as McGregor, wants that on their CV. And it wouldn’t have been if he had only bowed out with the cheers ringing in his ears at Hampden last May.

Beale, however, is glad McGregor surprised everyone, including himself, by staying on another year – at least. Now 41, he still has what it takes. Only as recently as Friday the players all found it necessary to stop training at Auchenhowie and applaud after the ‘keeper pulled off one of his trademark breathtaking saves.

“I haven’t sat and discussed it yet with Allan,” said Beale. “There are players out of contract here and a lot of things are up in the air. To give you an insight, this team was hurting when I came in …A lot of people were frustrated inside at the way things had gone. We had to go through a mending process, where we had to get consistent results quickly, then we’d deal with everything else later on. Genuinely, no-one has knocked on my door and wanted an ultimatum or a timescale.

“And I’ve not done anything the other way either. I’ve just been really keen to fulfil some goals between now and the end of the season. I haven’t spoken to Allan about it yet. I don’t feel there’s a rush to do that.

“Last year was similar,” he added. “The club left it to Allan to decide how his body felt at the end of the season. That will be the right thing (for us again) come the end of the season. We’ll either achieve some of our goals or not. That might move the goalposts for everybody.”

Beale is obviously willing that McGregor has the option whether to call it a day or not at Hampden Park a year on from his bogus last dance against Hearts. Rangers will go a step nearer retaining the trophy if they can negotiate today’s home fifth round tie against Partick Thistle. McGregor is expected to return after Jon McLaughlin was handed the gloves for last weekend’s narrow win over Ross County.

“There’s a lot been said and written – but he’s the No 1 here,” said Beale, with reference to McGregor. “I’ve made that clear. But like with any player I have to look, when we’re training and travelling a lot, at changing it to get more out of someone later on.”

Nothing lasts forever. It would be a dereliction of duty if Beale was not actively seeking potential replacements. McGregor's future is unclear, McLaughlin has only another year left of his contract and is in his mid-thirties. Robby McCrorie, meanwhile, has still to make the breakthrough. Beale pointed out that Rangers cannot afford a McGregor-quality keeper in their prime. “We have to try and make one, which happened when he came through here,” he said.

“I have goalkeepers in mind for the summer that I’d like to add," the manager continued. “But I want to give Jon access to playing because he’s been here a long time and in the season we won the league he played a lot of games and did well.

“I wanted to see what was there and I want to give Robby the same opportunity as well. Allan understands that, because of his age. He knows I have to see what’s here, because I don’t want to be looking for three goalkeepers in the summer.

“I’ll be looking for one that comes in to compete. We have a budget in mind and three or four goalkeepers that we’re looking at. But I want to give Robby his chance to show what he can do. He’ll be 25 soon, he’s been in Scotland squads, he’s played in this league for Livingston, played in an Old Firm and European game for Rangers. So it’s important that I give him an opportunity.

“When you’re looking at goalkeepers, you look for people around the same age with the same profile. We have one in the building already (McCrorie), so let’s see.”