Michael Beale lieutenant rues ‘unfair’ Rangers rep as sudden supporter shift catches him cold.
The Londoner’s right-hand man, Neil Banfield, is unwavering in his conviction about their Glasgow work.
After his disastrous 10-month tenure, former Rangers assistant manager Neil Banfield feels that the Michael Beale era gained a “unfair” reputation.
The Londoner’s right-hand man, the former Arsenal coach, is unwavering in his conviction that they were headed in the right direction. After three losses in seven Premiership games and mounting frustration over a mishandled summer window, Beale paid with his career. Furthermore, Banfield—a pivotal player during the Arsene Wenger era in North London—gave his assessment on his tenure at 
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Speaking to Football Scotland, he said: “I think it was more up than down. It was always going to be difficult because of the amount of turnaround we had, I think the chairman left, the CEO left and Michael was in a position he had to sort out and then we got players in. A couple of results never went our way, Aberdeen and the Celtic one as well, but when you bring a load of new players in to come to Glasgow, they have to settle down, find out how Glasgow works and the club, it was always going to go that way.
Former Rangers assistant boss Neil Banfield believes the Michael Beale era landed an “unfair” reputation in the wake of his ill-fated 10-month reign.
The former Arsenal coach was the Londoner’s right-hand man and remains steadfast in his belief they were on the right track. Beale paid with his job after suffering three defeats in seven Premiership matches and rising anger over a misfiring summer window. And Banfield – a key figure during the Arsene Wenger in North London – offered his verdict on his time at Ibrox.
“I think it was more up than down,” he stated in an interview with Football Scotland. The amount of turnaround we had—I believe the CEO and chairman left—meant that it would always be challenging. Michael had certain issues to resolve before we could bring in players. A few games, including the one against Aberdeen and the one against Celtic, never went our way, but that was always going to happen when you bring in a lot of new players who need to settle in and get to know the club.
Banfield loved his time in Glasgow, however, he admits the shift from supporters caught him on the hop. Beale retained backing from the stands after the 22/23 season but a wonky start turned the natives against him. Banfield has opened up on how that pressure felt from the inside.
He added: “Rangers is a great club and I loved my time there but it’s difficult because you can understand where the fans come from, you can understand it’s not just about football it’s about being on top in Scotland. That drives their ambition and the time you get, you’ve got to be pushing on and being number one. It’s difficult at times because circumstantially it’s out of your hands at times
“You look at (Roberto) de Zerbi at Brighton, he’s doing good stuff but a lot of that was implemented by (Graham) Potter beforehand, the work and foundations, and that takes time. Sometimes it’s how you land at a club. But good luck to Clement, he took the reins on and he’s tweaked it differently, so who knows what we’d have achieved, but the foundations were definitely being laid by Michael.
“What surprised me was how quickly it could turn against you, a little bit, but again, you can see how that can go so quickly. You understand it, you don’t agree with it because I knew all the work that was being put in place and it would come good and from the chairman downwards you could feel what they felt for the club.
But what transpired, transpired.” Fans may be frustrated that this is forgotten, but you can understand it because it’s not just about football; that’s what drives the fans. You know that when you come in, you live with it. The results and keeping the role are dictated by the results of both clubs, I think.
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