Michael Beale insists he wants to draw a line under his tenure at Rangers.
The former Ibrox boss today spoke to the media for the first time as the new head coach of Sunderland.
The Londoner was announced as Tony Mowbray's permanent replacement on Monday at The Stadium of Light. The move came just two months after he was dismissed by Rangers.
The 43-year-old lasted less than 12 months in the hotseat at Ibrox.
He insists the goalposts were 'changed' after Ross Wilson's departure in March this year.
Beale said: "Well look, there's small margins. I went in and the team was obviously nine points behind Celtic at the time I went in there so it was always going to be difficult to claw that back. By the end of the season, we weren't able to do that and we'd lost the cup final so there was disappointment.
"There was a lot of change because our sporting director left. Ross Wilson was someone that was hugely influential in me going back, and him leaving changed the goalposts. But I want to talk forward and the biggest message I've got to Rangers fans and everyone there is, I spent five years there. It was wonderful times both in domestic and European football. I've got nothing but admiration for that club and the fans and everything for what they gave me and I tried to give them back.
"In football, sometimes it's fine margins that determine. So to see the team settled now under Philippe Clement and to win the cup final at the weekend, within that there was players who I saw sign for Rangers who have gone on to win the league and both domestic cups, so they completed their set. Within that, there were players who joined us recently and obviously won.
"There's no need for me to talk about the policies and the club. I would like to just draw a line under it by saying thank you to the fans for the support they gave me in the time there and that opportunity was fantastic. I feel I've arrived at a gigantic football club and I'm really excited about this change. From my Rangers time, I would say it's the happiest time I've had in football and naturally, on the way out it never tastes as nice, does it?"
