Rangers future 'optimistic' as Beale details playing style change

Here is everything he had to say.

Clean bill of health after the weekend, did everyone make it through okay?

Yeah, everyone's fine. So that was pleasing along with the result.

How much better do you feel coming into a week off the back of a victory?

Yeah. Just got to keep moving forward, haven't we? And play the games in front of us. It's a big week. The first part we've navigated through. Another win and we're doing well in that sense in terms of in the league. This will be a tough test on Wednesday and then obviously we have the quarterfinal to look forward to at the weekend.

Would you prefer the games to keep coming thick and fast to give you the opportunity to get more wins?

I think the players would prefer that. I think if you asked them, they just want to play the games. You just spoke to Antonio Colak there, I'm sure that he cannot wait for the next two games because he's in a good place physically and obviously mentally after a good performance at the weekend.

What has to happen for the team and the fans to be pulling in the right direction?

I think that that comment is the same for every single club. I watched a fantastic game on TV yesterday and Anfield was everything that Liverpool would want it to be and everyone was aligned and it makes a strong club. Our club’s certainly like that as well. All the players can do is play the game in front of them. They'll never be perfect because football's not like that, but if we win more games than not, we'll put ourselves in a good place to be successful and that's the aim moving forward.

What's that managerial challenge like for you?

It's a huge privilege to be the manager of this football club so you take everything that comes with it. I came in eyes open and aware of the role because I had a unique insight as being here for a long time previously. Nothing’s surprised me and I think in the main I've been aware of what would come, and I've been happy with the progress that's been made, in the main. Do we need to improve a lot more? Yeah, I think we do and I've been honest in that as well, even when we've been winning games, I've said what I've been happy with and what I haven't been happy with. It's been everything I expected it to be. You have to remind yourself we're a really big football club so with that comes a lot of expectation but that's a good thing.

Are you concerned about the club and fans not pulling in the same direction?

No. When you lose a cup final in the way that we did, we didn't perform very well and a lot more was expected of us so I think in the days after that you have to own it and I think we have done. I thought we played very well first half on Saturday, as well as we've played since I took over the job. It's where we are as a group at this moment in time, no one’s hiding from that, we need to improve and we're moving towards that. It's going to be an interesting few months ahead but at the same time, our form, certainly in the league is as strong as it's been for many a year. We can just play the game that's in front of us, I think.

Is the banner displayed in direction of the club’s hierarchy on Saturday a concern for you?

No, it's not because obviously I'm in here working every day. The fans are entitled to make their feelings known when they do. They support the team at other times fantastically and They pay their money and they come. It would be a lot worse off without our fans, I think that's fair to say. I would like it that we were all together, but I understand at times there's going to be discontent when we lose a cup final in the way that we played. I think in the days after you're you are going to see a reaction from the fans. It's important you see a reaction from the players on the pitch and I thought, certainly first half, but for the majority of the game at the weekend we got that and that's all that the players 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.

Is it easy for you to keep that away from the players?

Yeah. They see the same thing as well. It's a heavy shirt at times, but it's a great opportunity to play for our club so with it comes big expectation. They're aware of that and we've spoken about it and obviously, they're massively disappointed as well but we have to move forward. As I say, there's still a lot to play for where we want to go, as a team, there's even a bigger aim for what we need to do. So this next 13/14 games, we know that we need to win as many as we can. We want to retain the Scottish Cup and we can only take care of Rangers. Outside of one game, I think we've been doing that.

How crucial are the next five to six days?

There's a there's a short term of trying to win every game that's in front of us and improve our level. Then there's the long term of what the clubs going to look like in terms of playing staff and style. I've said it before, my job when I came in was to try and settle everything down. We did that for a number of weeks and then we played poorly in one game and everything exploded, but that's fine. I'm aware there was going to be some tough days. This week’s a pivotal week, but I don't remember a time in, in my two spells at Rangers where it didn't ever feel like it was an important week.

When you look at that first half of the goals scored and the fluidity of that midfield, is that how you want it to look, especially in these home games when you can establish a lead by halftime?

Yeah, and then obviously,v humans are humans, and one or two come off a bit. We don't start the second half so well, Derek gets into his team and they respond and I thought after that we certainly with the substitution of John Lundstram coming on and changing one or two things. John came on and we got control of the game again and then it's just a matter of can we be better in one or two moments to take our chances. That's been evident in all the games since I've come back. If we were more ruthless in the final third, then, even when we haven't played well, we could have won games or won games more comfortably. That's some of the things we're working on.

How positive was Todd Cantwell’s performance?

I've been delighted with Todd. He hasn't played a lot of football but one thing with Todd is he's super fit and he covers a lot of distances and I think you're seeing some things that maybe you weren't aware of with Todd in terms of his work ethic and his willingness to win the ball back. I think he's a very interesting player, close to the number nine, but I also think he's a very interesting player, a little bit deeper in the pitch, certainly when playing against a low block because I think he's able to bring the ball and connect the midfield and the forwards. I'm absolutely delighted with him.

Hibs were the first team you played since you returned and since then you’ve won 12 and drawn one, you must feel you have delivered?

A lot of the stadiums we've gone to I've had some indifferent experiences in the past so I know what it's like to try and build a team and move forward. The story of the season is one of disappointment, I said that last week. I think that's fair to say. I think that's why the fans are sometimes in love and other times not in love with the team. That's fine, that's the same at every single club. But in the time that I've come in, I think we've made steady progress, not outstanding progress. I would like us to be a bit more fluid but that will come. There's going to be a lot of change over time in terms of the way that we play. Forget personnel for a minute, the way that we play the game is finding the right moments. At the moment the team's winning and the team seems a little bit more stable than it was before and we should be optimistic about the future. I'm the most optimistic because I'm in here every day and I see the players and I see where we're going, I see the talks that we're having behind the scenes with potential new signings so nothing's weakened it it. If anything, I feel stronger today than when I came back into the club. I knew it wasn't going to be perfect straight away, otherwise, I wouldn't be sat here.

When do you think it’ll be fair for you to be judged?

I can't dictate them because of the variety of people that are going come and their allegiances and their thoughts on our team. I'm going to be judged from the very first day that I came in. I was judged after that first game against Hibs and it's quite nice now getting ready to play them again. I'll have two fit centre-halves for this game and I'm looking forward to it. It's tough enough to do the job without me worrying about all the opinions of everybody else on the outside. I just work with the people inside and when I spoke to the club about coming in, I heard the clubs’ vision for moving forward and they were very honest. I gave my honest opinions. We're working towards that and I'm pleased with where we’re at today knowing that we need to win things. It's not about being second best. It's not about competing. It's about winning things and I'll ultimately be judged on that.

What are you expecting from Hibs?

They've been going very well. I think we're in the biggest moment of the season right now. Firstly, I'd like to say obviously it's going to be an emotional night. The first night back after Ron Gordon passed away and condolences to him and his family. That was obviously really sad news. I know it's the first home game back and it’ll be an emotional evening. Obviously, it's a really good game at this moment in time. I think that they're going very well. The best part of their season, after a few difficult weeks before that. They've been in fine form and they got a good result of the weekend. I think they've got good players and I think we'll have to put in a strong performance on Wednesday night because we're going there for three points and I think they'll come for us. They'll try to beat us and I think it makes for an intriguing game.

It’s quite often a chaotic game, do you think it’ll be chaotic again?

Usually, it’s a good atmosphere. They're feisty games. I think that there's no reason why Hibs wouldn't be on the front foot against us. Our away form has been very, very strong and I think we'll have to perform well. I think we're in a good place at the moment and we should go there very confident, but we're going to face a team that's going to meet us head-on and I think that makes for a good game.

Do you know Lee Johnson?

No, I don't know him too well. He’s obviously from the same part of the world if you like, both London boys but no, I don't know him very well. He's obviously been a manager for a long time as a young man. It looked like a difficult job a few weeks ago, but certainly coming out of the Transfer Window, they seem to have picked up results and at this moment in time, I think they're probably living in their strongest moment of the season. He's finally putting his stamp on the team maybe if you were to ask him.

Are you going there to impose your game?

I just think it makes for a nicer game of football when two teams go head-to-head. It gives us a little bit more space and we'd welcome that certainly. I think it will be a good game, it always is. Whenever Rangers go to Easter Road they feel they can come and beat us like most home teams would, and it gives us more space to go and play. The home games are different to the away games against most teams and I enjoy the away games. I enjoy going to this stadium. It's always a decent pitch and there's always a decent atmosphere. It's a shame, again, it's not one that's live on TV because I think there'll be a little bit in this game on Wednesday.