Kenny Dalglish admits he was surprised Douglas Park didn’t wait until the end of the season before calling it quits as Rangers chairman - but insists what happens next ON the park is the crucial part for the club.
Park’s decision to step down from his position, handing over the reins to John Bennett, came just days before Saturday’s trip to Celtic Park which ended in a batting 3-2 loss to their fierce rivals who are now on the brink of back to back titles under Ange Postecoglou.
Dalglish, writing in his Sunday Post column, believes Michael Beale will have seen plenty of signs of encouragement from his side despite the defeat and says the challenge now for the Ibrox boss is to assemble a squad that can complete with the champions-elect over an entire season, having matched them stride for stride in the Scottish Premiership until Saturday’s defeat. And Dalglish says events in the boardroom shouldn’t impact that.
"He said: I was surprised at the timing of Douglas Park’s decision to stand down as Rangers chairman. I would have thought it would have been better to walk away at the end of the season. However, Douglas will have his reasons, and they must be respected. He is a long time out of short trousers, and he’ll know exactly what he is doing.
“Of course, whatever happens at a football club’s hierarchy is important – but it’s about what happens on the field that really dictates the flow. Stability is vital, and some Rangers fans feel there is not enough of that right now at their football club. In Michael Beale, they have a manager who has delivered fairly well in his first few months in charge. There has been a steady improvement, and that has to go up another notch next season.
“Rangers gave a spirited display at Celtic Park, but still lost the game. So now they must retain the Scottish Cup and be ready to mount a proper challenge to Celtic over 38 games in the Premiership. The manager, staff and players need to be fully focused, and ready to do their jobs. What happens off the field, and in the boardroom, won’t be of too much concern to them. It really shouldn’t have any impact on what happens when they are out there playing competitive games.
“However, it is always best to have unity and a collective spirit, from the boardroom, to the dressing room and in the stands inside the stadium. There is also the need to improve the squad, and doing that will give Rangers a better chance of toppling Celtic.”
READ NEXT
