For more than two years he was billed as the Brains Behind Steven Gerrard.
Last season he was in charge for six months, 29 matches and four telling defeats, when it came to must-win matches Micky Beale drew one and lost the rest. Not the type of geezer that you’d want beside you in the trenches.
And yet the panel on Super Scoreboard last night rattled on about the ‘new’ manager at Ibrox and his first couple of matches in charge as if it was a sketch from Only An Excuse.
The former QPR boss made such an impact on Scottish football that he picked up the December SPFL Manager of the Month award from a vodka firm.
In his opening media conferences he told everyone that he had taken on the best squad of players in the country, European finalists just six months earlier.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst had gifted him a League Cup semi-final place, two matches away from the trophy that eluded Mister Gerrard despite Beale taking exceptional training sessions at Murray Park.
Has every pundit been in a coma for the past 9 months? pic.twitter.com/tAuuJtTjKU
— Tam sellic son (@TamseIIicsonIII) August 16, 2023
I mean, when Beale was appointed he took credit for all of Gerrard’s work, so that is technically 193 games in charge + the 29 from last season +. The 4 from this season… which by Kenny Miller Maths, is 4x competitive games total… 😂
— 🍔 Gastro Celtic 🍀 (@Gastro_Celtic) August 16, 2023
Wif free Oldfirms to go the Premiership title was still within Beale’s grasp as he moved into the January transfer market, signing Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin while fighting off imaginary offers for Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara.
The came the period that Gordon Duncan, Kenny Miller and Marvin Bartley would rather forget.
Between February 26 and April 29 the Beale myth took an absolute battering as he lost to Celtic in three competitions with a defeat at Pittodrie thrown into the mix.
Suddenly it was all van Bronckhorst’s fault, the master trainer and tactician couldn’t get a tune out of the European finalists and everything would be hunky dory dory next season.
Beale even explained that a key part of recruitment is staring deep into the eyes of prospective signings, Radio Clyde and the others lapped up the claptrap if only to provide a distraction from the reality of Celtic winning an eighth treble.
When Miller, Kris Boyd, Neil McCann and others planned their move into the easy world of the Scottish media they never imagined covering a trophy count of Celtic 17, St Johnstone 2, Others 2.
That reality, a dodgy pre-season and just two wins from their four opening matches have called for desperate measures.
Beale hasn’t been in the job nine months, it is actually less than nine weeks even though he has been in his job longer than the managers at Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts, Motherwell, Dundee and St Johnstone.
Strangely none of those managers get a free pass. At St Johnstone Steven MacLean was only appointed in May, taking over from a legend that delivered two trophies and is already under serious pressure.
It looks like MacLean could be out the door long before he gets round to the nine month mark and a free pass over all defeats.
Duncan, Miller and Barrtley will be sharing their thoughts across Radio Clyde, BBC Scotland, Sky Sports, Go Radio, TalkSport and other outlets over the coming weeks, using selective FACTS!
Snyde by name, Snyde by nature.
— Celtic Curio (@Celticcurio) August 16, 2023
It’s utterly insane. The situations are barely comparable.
Ange arrived alone during COVID from the other side of the world and was treated like a martian.
He got his team sorted domestically in 3 games and went on a run which won us the league. Beales been at Rangers for years
— Recidivist (@Funkstepper67) August 16, 2023
They take their audience for idiots.
— CG44 (@Ticketustastic) August 16, 2023
The exact point I turned it off again, having only turned it on 5 mins before.
Apparently the first Celtic call all night and the “fan” makes a point about Rangers… @Clydessb has become an absolute dirge. The other shows are much better.
— 🏴 Gary ScottishEagle 🏴 (@garydg7) August 16, 2023
Pretty sure they probably discussed this on the show December 2022 😂 pic.twitter.com/vH36mHYfOS
— Rab Ha (@TweetMasterJam) August 16, 2023
It`s embarrassing the shapes they`ll twist themselves into, just to come up with a positive about rangers*, no matter how ridiculous it makes them sound. 😳🤷♂️
— Tam (@TamMcKenna1888) August 16, 2023
Ludicrous from @gordonduncan7 not to at least correct Kenny Miller. The man has been in the job 9 months and you are discussing “his first 6 games” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— ᴘʙ 🍀 (@p_bov1) August 16, 2023
— ClintEasterhouse (@Gnsan19) August 16, 2023
They’ve been in a coma since 2012 as they still believe the team that plays out of Ibrox is Rangers.
— John Molloy (@jbhoymolloy) August 16, 2023
The revision when it comes to that mob is incredible
— Mark Murphy ⭐️ (@Markyjig) August 16, 2023
I don’t mind @gordonduncan7 but this is quiet embarrassing
— Robert Paterson⭐ (@madbhoab) August 16, 2023
Remarkable gymnastics
— Paul (@Migano2000) August 16, 2023
Guys had 2 transfer windows 🤦♂️ if they are wanting to compare him to Ange then it’s Anges second year they should be looking at 🤷🏼♂️
— Alan Donohoe (@alandonohoe1888) August 16, 2023
Airbrushed liquidation so 9 month isn’t a problem.
— Squeaky Beale time (@cunt_general) August 16, 2023
— Chris Fraser 🇯🇵 (@GianniniFraser) August 16, 2023
1 Comment
by John Copeland
The young master Duncan has been snapped up by the SS to sit in for Marvin Bartley’s girlfriend Eleidh Barbour .Can you see the link ? It’s endemic in Scotland . It’s an unwritten rule for broadcaster cowboys to employ ex the Rangers employees and associates at every given opportunity . Oh , and as a little aside ,that won’t ever change . The only way to address it face on is for other people employed by the same outlets to criticise and condemn such actions …on air as soon as …..