SNS GroupRangers manager Michael Beale has defended supporters right to complain about performances or the direction of the club, but has his full focus on guiding the team to success between now and the end of the season.
Saturday’s win over Kilmarnock saw the team bounce back from the disappointment of their Viaplay Cup final defeat to Celtic but a section of the support did unfurl a banner displaying their unhappiness with managing director Stewart Robertson and sporting director Ross Wilson.
Another display read “After 55 titles you took your eye off the ball. Time for change”.
Beale had previously said that he felt a sign from fans about standards at the club was directly pointed at him, while a number of supporters had let their displeasure be known after the cup final loss.
While not directly addressing the banner about Robertson and Wilson, the Rangers manager said that fans were entitled to protest or complain when they felt that they had something to say, though he admitted it would be better for the team if everyone “pulled together”.
“Listen, the fans are entitled to make their feelings known when they do,” he said. “At other times they support their team fantastically.
“They pay their money and they come to Ibrox. We would be a lot worse off without our fans and I think that’s fair to say.
“I would like us all to be together but I understand at times there’s going to be discontent.
“When you lose a cup final the way that we played then I think you are going to see a reaction from the fans, It’s important that you see a reaction from the fans and the players on the pitch.”
Beale continued: “For the majority of the game on Saturday we got that from the players and that’s all that they can do. I’ve got to try and keep all that away from them, that’s my job.
“The other things I can’t really control.
“It’s a heavy shirt at times, but it is great opportunity to play for this club. With that shirt comes expectations but the players are aware of that and we’ve spoken about it.
“The next 13/14 games we know that we have to win as many games as we can and we want to retain the Scottish Cup.
“We can only take care of Rangers and outside of the one game, we’ve been doing that.”
The 3-1 win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox maintained Beale’s unbeaten league run and got the team back in a positive frame of mind after defeat to Celtic. The manager accepts that his side need to be better to win trophies but is pleased that the reaction to defeat was a positive one from the team.
“Well, when you lose a cup final in the way that we did, and we didn’t perform very well, a lot more was expected of us,” Beale said.
“I think in the days after that you have to own it, and we have done. We did respond and I thought we played very well in the first half on Saturday, as well as we have since I took over the job.
“It’s where we are as a group at this moment in time and nobody is hiding from that. We need to improve and move towards that it will be an interesting few months ahead.
“At the same time, our form in the league is as strong as it has been for many a year.”
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