Michael Beale details Rangers recruitment in 'earn the shirt' claim

What was your thoughts on the game?

We gave away two really bad goals. We started the game for four or five minutes really well and then gave away a terrible goal, everyone can see that. I thought the boy took it really well but I sat here and spoke about it in midweek, unopposed turnovers. It took us 15, 20 minutes to shake that off. I thought from 30 minutes onwards we were decent in the game. Allan McGregor didn’t have much to do and we had two big opportunities with Alfredo Morelos. A big chance with Ryan Kent. So at half-time, it was more about belief. I wanted to show much more quality with the ball I thought we were turning the ball over far too cheaply and we were too obvious. It was clear to everyone that Sakala’s pace was going to cause them some problems but we didn’t have to be so obvious in how we went there. We needed to make a few more passes. We needed a big moment to make up for the mistake and we got that, we got our noses in front and we were good value for that. I thought we were winning more duels, and staying with the ball more. We had a chance to go 3-1 with Malik. On the day the chances were with us. But we have conceded a really bad second goal. It was the first time in the game that we stopped doing what I asked them to do defensively. We were following runners the wrong way rather than getting up to the ball. It’s disappointing because we were two or three minutes from winning the game but there were a lot of things in the performance that I needed to see.

Is there more belief after that performance?

The players set the standards. They’re the ones who play the game. You can have the best plan in the world but it only works if you execute it. At half-time, I thought we had executed the plan to 70 percent and we needed to show more belief. In the second half in the main, we fully executed what I wanted. It was two good teams going toe to toe. We had the edge and the fans behind us give us the extra push and we should have seen that game. There were big moments in the game, John Lundstram having to come off after he had been taking injections to play. Alfredo, we knew he came off three or four days ago with a hamstring so he managed to get through the time he had. We are not the sum of all our parts at the moment I think we have more to give. We have a number of players who have to come back fit and make us stronger. But in terms of performance level and where we are and where Celtic are, there is not a lot between it if we play to our full potential. And still, I want us to go again. I want us to be better in possession, I want us to be more composed at times. I thought in terms of where we are at that’s the best performance since I came here. We were very unfortunate not to win the game. I wouldn’t say we were clearly the better team so a draw to some people’s eyes might be fair also.

Is that the best you’ve seen of Sakala?

That was the Fashion Sakala that I saw on the video before we signed him. He likes this fixture. The same with Ryan. I asked the three forwards to go and cause some disruption and I felt in the second half Alfredo started winning more of the duels against the centre-halves and that gave Sakala and Ryan more room. I thought the front three in the main did their job today. We can see a lot of promise in Malik Tillman he is just 20 and a really exciting player. So there were a lot of good positives in the game. Obviously, the disappointing thing is to concede so late on because in the whole game really our goalie has been pretty clean in the game, he’s not had much to do.

Could some big moments have gone your way?

In the big games, it is big moments, isn’t it? I am sure there will be a little bit of regret on both goals – more than a little bit of regret. We should do better. We are the home team and as a group when I worked with them previously they pride themselves on clean sheets, that is the third time we have let in two goals, so we are going to have to improve on that. Certainly, in big games at home, I am not sure we are going to be able to let in two goals, and not two the way that we did. That might seem harsh on the team but that is the reality. We are no further away than we were five games ago. The points are the same. There are 18 games to play. It is Celtic’s to throw away in terms of the league but in terms of our mentality and where we are I think we are one or two steps ahead than we were a few weeks ago but we need to be ten more.

Did Ryan Kent answer some critics?

Listen, is numbers in terms of the position he plays and his output, every single game every three days earlier in the season, his numbers for high-speed running, his distance for the team, that has never been in question. In the final third a lot of the time he draws people to him and someone else might get the assist or the final shot. He could come away with an assist if Malik finishes the big moment as well. Ryan Kent’s quality for this football club is not in question inside this building and certainly not by me. All the time I am here Ryan has a place here and is loved. Time and time again when it matters Ryan Kent shows up for this club.

Could you have made more attacking changes?

It was not the intention if I am honest to sit back in, that’s why we are frustrated. But good teams at times in the game will make you do it. Obviously, the team has been put through some trauma this season and you are on the sidelines trying to will them forward, as every time we did go down and press we nicked the ball quite high. Kemar and Antonio are there in mind, body and spirit. If we were 2-1 down with ten minutes to go they would both have been on the pitch but we weren’t. They are not quite ready yet and I have to be fair to them as well.

How do you get more 90-minute performances?

We have loads to do. It will take a long time to get back to the control and dominance we have had. But so far, so good. We have played five games, six if you include Leverkusen, and we have shown the good, the bad and the ugly. Today was nearer where I want the performance levels to be. I thought in the first half hour we were a little bit cheap with the ball and that just comes with us getting back the patterns we used to have and getting to work on the training pitch. We have had 20 training sessions and five games. We have not had the time we would need. We have not had the time the opponent today have had, and they are a good team. We went toe to toe with them and we did what I asked them to do which was go toe to toe and see where we are. We need to maintain our standards moving forward. We just cannot get up for only big games. We need to maintain the standards every single week. We are having the issues we are having in the league because we probably have not been as consistent as them.

Does this squad need a lot of surgery?

I definitely want to bring in players but they’ve got to be the right players. I want John Souttar fit, Ridvan, Ianis Hagi, Tom Lawrence, Kemar Roofe and Antonio Colak, that will be a start. If we can add two or three more to it then we could have a second team as good as the first team that was out there today, and then it’s game on inside the building. You have to earn your shirt. I think the last few weeks people have played regardless. None of you knows whether I fancy these players or not because they are the players I’ve got. They’ve gone and got the results up until today, they were three minutes away from getting a good result and I think that should maybe move people’s minds a bit. Because Celtic are a very good team, all of their players are not top and all of ours are not rubbish, that’s not right. Two good teams played a game of football today. We’ve got good players, they have to show themselves in the best light collectively and individually. Then we need the players who have been injured back fit and in and around this squad. Then you can see the true value. This month will be a big month, sorting out one or two futures, tying one or two things up. I don’t want short-term [signings] until the end of the season because there is no point, to appease myself or the fans. We need people to come in that will be big players for Rangers in the next two or three years. They don’t just grow on trees. With this game out the way now it gives me time to get into that. There are some people I have got in mind.

How close are you?

Each club has to do their own business. [Celtic] have had a manager in place and style they are recruiting for for a long time, it’s similar to when I was here previously and you’re adding one or two components to a very well-oiled machine. This four or five weeks has given me a chance to assess everyone, today was a big indicator for me to look into people’s eyes and see where they are at. There’s one or two that will want to talk to me about their future as well because they may feel they’re not in my plans. All that is well and good after the game, those talks will take place in the coming weeks. We’ve got a huge January, in terms of cup competitions, and difficult away games. It’s about dusting down, looking at that and improving. Regardless of the result today we need to improve because our standard has dropped. We need to get back to where we were and that’s my job.

Do you feel you’re heading in the right direction?

If we’re moving in the right direction at times or improving I’ll be the first to put up my hand, that’s what I’ve been brought in to do. I think the biggest thing I have seen today is one or two players waking up for themselves and the standards this club needs for them in terms of effort and commitment. I said to them at half time just embrace the hard work, go where it hurts for each other that had to become a norm. Standards in training need to go up, more people staying fit for longer periods of time and stepping up for the club It’s the same for all the staff as well, I’ve come in I want to give things a shake, I want to drag it forwards, put the coat-hanger back in the club and drive the standards. If we do that performances should come off the back of it. It’s a special football club and we’re lucky to play here. Whoever we recruit is lucky to come here. The ones who may leave will struggle to play for a bigger club in my opinion. While they are here it’s important we show value for the shirt, today they did and with a little bit of fortune, they’d have won the game.