Michael Beale takes responsibility for poor Rangers display - full Q+A

Here is everything he had to say.

What did you make of the game?

Really disjointed performance from us. I picked a team and I was excited to see the team play. I thought we lacked rhythm in the first half and I thought we lacked intensity out of possession. Obviously, the VAR decision for the penalty is a difficult one but it’s the law the officials are going to. No VAR or official is going to change that, it’s the law and they’re going by it. It’s a difficult one because you find yourself 1-0 down. I thought the changes we made were positive. I thought the second half performance was much better but obviously, there was a lot of controversy in the second half. I’m just glad to get through because it seemed for a long part it was one of those days.

What is your take on your second goal and allowing Thistle to score?

If you watch the whole thing back, obviously I am watching it. Malik gets injured and we play the ball out, Malik is down on the floor and he doesn't see that we have played the ball out. So by the time Malik gets up two or three minutes later because it took time, or however long it took, he sees they have a throw-in and he puts his hand up to the referee as if to say how have they got a throw and then he presses as he been taught. He is completely unaware of the situation, of what has happened. I had to speak to my bench to make sure that is what they saw as well. Malik came over and I spoke to him and he confirmed it. So it was the right thing to do. I will tell you why it was the right thing to do. Malik Tillman is a fantastic young player and I don't want that hanging around his head. He has never cheated anyone in his life and as a football club we have high standards. We don't need to do that to beat Partick Thistle at home. It was complete misunderstanding and not in fitting with the way the game was played and played afterwards. The players all managed to play the game well. If you watch the whole scenario back it was a misunderstanding, I am glad that we are through and glad we are not talking about that as the reason we are though.

How did you communicate this to your players?

There were three or four close to me so we just explained to them to stand to one side. It’s not an easy thing to ask footballers to do because they haven’t seen it from where I’ve seen it. But it was the right thing to do. Everything that I want us to stand for as a club, everything I want to stand for and also I’m protecting what I think is a fantastic young player from having something thrown at him which I won’t allow. He was completely unaware.

READ MORE: Was Michael Beale right to cancel out Rangers goal? - video debate

Would you concede it could’ve been a risky move?

Yeah, of course, but we don’t want to win like that. That wouldn’t have been fair. We don’t want to earn anything we’re not due as a football team or anything we haven’t earned on the football pitch. I think that’s my overriding feeling about the whole situation. It would’ve been unjust if we had gone through that way.

Was your relationship with Ian McCall part of your decision to gift Partick a goal?

No. Just for football in general, for me and my players and my club, I don’t want that thrown at us. It was an unfortunate situation, it was quite a unique one but we don’t need to steal or take something we’ve not earned. I didn’t actually speak to Cally until after. It was the right decision to make.

Was it good to see your players clear their heads and get over the line?

We need to have a chat in the week because the performance wasn’t good enough. I thought the second half we showed a bit more urgency. I thought Malik, in particular, was our most eye-catching player. I thought Nico Raskin had a really good debut when you consider how little football he’s played, he had a fantastic assist. Delighted for Antonio Colak to score. He’s needed that in terms of his confidence. You saw a better performance from him today because he was fit and able. I thought James Sands came in at centre half and did really well. Connor Goldson had a bit of an issue with a calf problem and has missed a little bit of training so it was the right decision to make overall. We’re through, that’s the big positive of the day. I can’t say I’m going to go home positive or delighted about many things today but those things I just mentioned there I’m happy with.

Ianis was substituted at half time, was that just due to a bit of rustiness?

Ianis was only ever going to be able to play 50 to 60 minutes. It’s important that I allow Ianis game time to get back to what he is. We’re playing at home and I thought there wouldn’t be much space so players like Ianis and Todd, I thought they’d be able to be quite creative in and around Tony. I just felt at half time we needed to be a little bit more direct and a little bit more urgency. It’s 11 that play and I thought in the first half the 11 were lousy so those two were the casualties in terms of the changes but I thought Kemar and Ryan came on and gave us something different so that’s the beauty of having a good squad.

What is your message to the players regarding the performance?

I think today might be on me a little bit. I’m willing to take today on my head because it was me who played the team that started. Maybe I was a little bit too optimistic in the team that I put out. I trust them, there’s a lot of internationals in the team that started today but I think since I’ve came in the consistency is what’s helped us get results. The consistency in seven or eight of the selection being playing most of the time. I think if you look at most teams at the top of their leagues and most teams that are doing well there’s a consistent core in team. Maybe I need to look at myself today as well. You give opportunities and you’re hoping as a group of players they come together and perform. We didn’t perform first half. There would’ve been no harm done if we got to half time 0-0 but obviously, with the VAR decision we find ourselves a goal behind and then I have to act as the manager of the club. I have to try and change the dynamic of the team. We changed the formation and we changed the way we played and ultimately we got over the line.

The three behind Antonio Colak, do you think they were too similar or was it because they haven’t played together?

They train together every single day so they have ample opportunity to build their relationship. I just felt everyone was coming to the ball first half and second half we played down the sides more, we ran more that’s how we got a penalty and that’s how we got our goal. Second half we were much better but first half I just felt for whatever reason we weren’t quite at it as much defensively as we were in possession. In terms of our pressing, it wasn’t there. If we think back two weeks ago to Hearts where we pressed collectively as a team, I came away from that today so that’s on me a little bit. I’ll protect the players but what I would say is there was a lot of good players in that starting line-up today and they owe it to each other to perform at a higher level in my opinion.

Do you agree that Malik Tillman has shown a lot of growth?

Since I’ve been here from the very first interview I said I was excited to work with him. I thought he was a fantastic young player and I think he’s been terrific the last few weeks, he’s been absolutely outstanding. I’m glad we all collectively made the decision we did because I don’t want to be sitting here talking about Malik Tillman in a different light tonight. He was completely unawares. Malik Tillman deserves things said and written about him that are the right things because his effort is fantastic, his quality is fantastic, he won us a penalty today, he’s gone driving up the pitch at times and he’s taking on a lot of information as a 20-year-old. I couldn’t be happier with Malik’s contribution.

Are you hoping Bayern Munich weren’t here today to watch him?

He’s a very good player and that’s why he’s come from such a prestigious club. As a 20-year-old, he’s a full international, he played all the way through the youth ages with Germany and gone to play for America through one of his parents and he’s played at senior international at 20. He’s came into our league and had to adjust. It’s not easy, we’ve seen players come out the Premier League and not adjust to this league. Players with big reputations have struggled. I think every single week he’s getting stronger and stronger, he’s learning a new position which I think will keep him in good stead as he moves forward playing more in midfield and running out of there. He’s a joy to work with every single day. He’s such a shy, humble, quiet lad so I’m glad he’s doing well. I can’t ask him to play poorly just in case people are watching.