Michael Beale says he meant no offence when he branded Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou "lucky" - and applauded the job his Glasgow counterpart has done.
Beale raised an eyebrow or two when he said Postecoglou was a "lucky man" due to the spending power he's had available as he compared the resources of Glasgow's big two. He said Rangers can't splash the same sort of cash as their Glasgow rivals who have spent big on the likes of Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers this season although did just turn a substantial profit on Josip Juranovic, which has been the model for much of their recent spending.
Beale doesn't back down over those quotes although did tell the BBC he intended them as no "slight" on the Parkhead boss. He admits he is also "lucky" in the same sense when compared to the rest of the country. He said: “He’s a very good coach. I’ve known of him for a long time.
"Firstly he’s a very good man on a personal level as well. He’s done a fantastic job but in this country there are two coaches who are more lucky than the others.
“I’m one of them but certainly he is as well. The spending power they have had is big.
“In the last 12 months they’ve probably spent more than Steven Gerrard did in three and a half years so I think that is a fact. It’s not a slight on the work he has done because you can spend money and get it wrong.
"He’s not done that. Nothing motivated it other than we are going into a transfer window and you’re being asked every day about how much money your club will spend. Well clearly, not as much as our rivals who have shown in every window since I’ve been in Scotland that they spend the most in the country.
"It wasn’t a slight on Ange. He’s a good coach and comes across as a fantastic guy. I like the way his team plays and it’s important we build a team to compete and go past him.”
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