It didn’t take long for Michael Beale to discover the intensity of the Aberdeen v Rangers rivalry. And after his first taste of it five years ago, he feels it has barely relented ever since.
August 5, 2018, was Steven Gerrard ’s first league game in charge of Gers and Beale was by his side at Pittodrie. The game had everything. A penalty, a red card for Alfredo Morelos – and a last-gasp equaliser from Bruce Anderson to deny the Ibrox men victory. Beale hasn’t forgotten his Scottish football baptism of fire and admits that it gave him a snapshot of what to expect in our top flight.
As he prepared for the Premiership clash with the Dons, the Rangers gaffer said: “I remember that game well. We took centre, then there was a long ball, a volley and a header. If you watch it back, I think the next six things were in the air after that initial ball from kick-off.
“I was thinking: ‘What’s going on here?’ But it gave me an idea of the rivalry with Aberdeen straight away. And ever since it hasn’t let itself down.
“I know what’s around this fixture and rivalries are important. Aberdeen look more united now under Barry Robson. The squad seem happy again.”
Beale’s last visit to the Granite City in December was just as enthralling. After going a goal up, Rangers found themselves 2-1 down in injury time before Scott Arfield’s dramatic late brace won it.
The never-say-die attitude his players showed didn’t surprise their manager. He said: “It’s crazy, isn’t it? A team that six months before had beaten Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig to reach a Europa League Final was accused of lacking heart.
“Before that Aberdeen game, people were saying the team doesn’t have this or that. So it’s crazy the way the game can change overnight.
“Since I’ve come back as manager, we’ve had to come from behind too often. When we scored to draw against Aberdeen I was angry because it was the minimum we should have got.
“We kept going though and ultimately got there in the end. We brought on Scotty, got more strikers on the pitch. We played a bit reckless but it came off for us.”
Beale says everyone who played in their last league game against St Mirren – with the exception of Allan McGregor and Alfredo Morelos – will definitely be a Rangers player next season. That means Arfield, who came off the bench again to notch against the Buddies, could be handed a new deal to stay at Ibrox.
And his manager is adamant the 34-year-old offers something different to other midfielders at the club. Beale said: “When you’ve got a team in their own half, Scotty is always running off the ball.
“It’s almost like a dying art. He’s done that for his whole career, at club and international level, and he showcased it again last week. We had a 60-move pass that led to that goal. In all my time coaching senior football, that just doesn’t happen.
“But right at the end of it, it’s Scotty who’s running to break the line. He’s the one making a run. And it was a lovely finish as well.”
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