Neil Lennon reckons the appointment of Michael Beale as Rangers manager was a good one for the Ibrox club.

But the former Celtic manager feels the Englishman still has a lot to learn, especially when it comes to speaking to the media.

Beale took over after Giovanni van Bronckhorst was axed as manager during the World Cup break and he has won all his games since.

Performances have not been glowing, but results have been the main thing to get the Rangers' title challenge back on the road.

Beale's first real test comes on January 2 as Rangers welcome Celtic to Ibrox in the second derby clash of the season.

It is a fixture that Lennon knows well and he admits the pressure is on Beale to produce a result.

He told Football Odds: "His reputation is good. Because he has worked previously with Gerrard, he is someone who will know the club. He’s had a good start, albeit performances have not been as good as he would have liked.

"However, everything hinges on the second of January. Psychologically, if he wins it, Rangers can move forward and it will give them a huge lift.

"If they lose though, it will become close to impossible for them to catch Celtic. I don’t think he will be judged on one game though, and we will have to see where Rangers are at the end of the season. 

"It’s certainly a brave appointment for Rangers, as from an experience point of view, Michael does not have much. 

"When you go to Glasgow, there’s no middle ground. You’re either the greatest or the worst. With the decision to leave QPR, he has put a target on his back for the media.

"He also did not help himself with his previous comments, where he spoke about integrity and loyalty. He was only at QPR for six months, but it is a testament for the previous job he had done at Rangers. He was a highly sought-after coach. 

"With experience, he will learn how to deal with the media better and become more media savvy, as his comments have not helped him. I think he is strong enough to brush the criticism off though and get on with the job."