Rangers boss Michael Beale on PSV and UCL qualification
Rangers boss Michael Beale on PSV and UCL qualification
Transcript
00:00 Good evening everyone, welcome to the press conference ahead of tomorrow's match with
00:13 PSV.
00:14 There's no translations so we are ready to kick off with Andy.
00:23 The only one that's missing is Kieran Dow who's still got this slight problem with his
00:27 knee but it's not a big problem, this game was just too soon for him.
00:32 In terms of what this match means to yourself as a manager, you've only just been in the
00:35 job a matter of months, what would it mean to take your team into the Champions League
00:39 if you can get a result tomorrow night?
00:41 Obviously it would be huge, it would be huge for the club and the fans first and foremost
00:46 and this group of players that are desperate to play in that competition again.
00:52 Naturally for me and the staff, that's the aim and the aim coming into pre-season we
00:57 have a huge test in front of us to see that be a reality.
01:00 There's been a lot of commentary from the Dutch side, some of the pundits over here
01:04 seem to be writing your team off, how do you react to that, what sort of message do you
01:08 take from that and send to your players?
01:11 It's fine, listen we expect it, the other team needs to be confident, they're in their
01:14 home stadium and the first game was a draw, we don't read too much into that, we know
01:19 that we have to perform, I feel, better than we performed last week if we want to go through.
01:24 This team is due a big performance so it's there, the opportunity for us is clear.
01:29 Josh?
01:30 Michael, how do you strike the balance between going for this game and attacking the spaces
01:36 and recognising how strong PSV might be in the early stages and trying to keep the game
01:40 tight for a while, how do you strike that balance with your team selection tomorrow?
01:45 Well the team selection won't be too far from last week, there won't be too many surprises
01:50 but across our squad we do have a variety of options in the final third, we need to
01:55 be better with the ball this week, I think we created chances regardless last week from
01:59 the small amount of possession that we have compared to normal but going away in Europe
02:05 you know you're going to need to be strong defensively first and then you have to take
02:09 your opportunities when they come.
02:11 I believe that this is a game where both teams will have opportunities and it's the team
02:16 that's the most decisive that will go through.
02:18 Just a question for Todd, Todd how big an incentive is it for you personally, you got
02:22 a taste of it last week but to play in this competition how big an incentive is that for
02:26 you?
02:27 Yeah I don't think there's any secret, it's every player's dream to play in the Champions
02:31 League and we had a little taste of it, we've had the play-offs now and we're looking forward
02:37 to tomorrow night.
02:38 Michael?
02:39 Michael, PSV have been trying to play down the significance of last year's tie but I
02:44 just wonder if you were to score first or take the lead at any point do you think that
02:47 might unnerve them?
02:49 I think their crowd will be behind them just like ours was at Ibrox, now that can do one
02:53 or two things.
02:54 I felt last week at times we were a little bit emotional in the game so it can unnerve
02:59 you as much as it can be a big help.
03:01 I think the coaches have changed for both teams and there wasn't many players last week
03:06 who were playing that was involved in those games but I'm sure everybody's aware of what
03:10 happened and the motivation for this game is equal as last year.
03:17 I don't see it being any bigger on both sides, I think there's been a lot read into that
03:21 but the group of players that are going out there, the prize of getting to the Champions
03:24 League is enough.
03:26 You seemed very calm just now, are you able to be clear-headed about the tie or is it
03:30 exciting as well for you?
03:32 No, it's a hugely exciting week if you're a Rangers player and you're a Rangers follower
03:36 and I'm no different as the coach.
03:40 The two games we've got coming up now in the next four or five days is what it's all about,
03:44 it's about the game for this club, if you can't enjoy it and you can't seize the opportunity
03:49 that's in front of you then you probably don't deserve to be at our club.
03:52 This is a huge moment, it's important that we give this game everything, it's a final
03:56 if you like in that sense.
03:58 Michael, the team last year got a bit of a hostile welcome when the bosses arrived, a
04:03 bit of a delay for the team, Gio was really unhappy about it, have you been given assurances
04:07 by PSV or UEFA that that won't happen again?
04:10 There's been talks in the background about that, there was a problem with one of the
04:13 bosses but we think that was just on that night so we don't envisage any issues.
04:18 PSV have been playing in Europe for many a year, it's a high quality club so we trust
04:23 on their organisation for sure.
04:24 Do you think there's more pressure on PSV given they're at home in the second leg?
04:32 Well they have a home game to win to go in the Champions League group stage so they'll
04:35 be supremely confident of that I'm sure, we have to be the fawn in the side.
04:39 Michael, how valuable has the last week been in terms of a good weekend performance and
04:47 getting the squad gelled up a bit better, do you feel you're in a stronger position
04:51 now than you were even just last week for the first leg?
04:53 Yeah, well obviously we've got about 14 or 15 players moving on this summer and nine
04:58 new players coming in, the more games you play you think your team will get stronger
05:03 and so it was a good victory at the weekend, it was a clean sheet, it was a step in the
05:07 right direction in the league and I was pleased with that and sat here now without any injuries
05:13 and everyone in a good place mentally I think it was the right thing that we played, I think
05:17 it's to our advantage that we played at the weekend.
05:19 I just want to ask Todd, you were talking about the Champions League being a dream for
05:23 every player, I wonder just given your career trajectory, when you're obviously linked
05:27 to a lot of big clubs early in your career, did you ever think the chance might have passed
05:30 by for you to become a Champions League player?
05:33 No I don't think so, as a player you've got to believe in yourself, believe in your
05:37 abilities and yeah for me I would speak for most players in the changing room, you want
05:43 to play in these competitions, so yeah it's just an excitement for me.
05:47 Your commitment to Rangers has been obvious since you arrived, do you think those difficult
05:51 seasons you had have almost given you, not to make up for lost time, but given you that
05:55 extra bit of impetus to make sure you maximise the opportunity you have at Rangers?
06:00 Yeah definitely, you certainly want to maximise the opportunities that you get, you shouldn't
06:04 take any for granted and you're right, every game at Rangers is a big game, an important
06:09 game and I think as a player it's your responsibility to show that.
06:12 Hi Todd, the players last year, the scenes in the celebration in the dressing room, everyone
06:21 saw those pictures, I just wonder what the boys in the dressing room have said to you
06:23 about that night and how they felt and what impact has that had on yourself?
06:28 Yeah no that's the past, so we don't want to focus on that, that's what happened last
06:31 year, we can leave other people to think about what happened before for us, that changes
06:36 nothing tomorrow night, it doesn't matter who won last year, tomorrow night, it matters
06:40 about who wins tomorrow, so for us there is no focus on what's happened before.
06:44 Is the game, the way the game panned out last week, you didn't have all that much possession,
06:49 does that just sort of reinforce the idea that when big chances come tomorrow night
06:53 you're really going to have to take them?
06:54 Yeah no definitely, in this competition you're going to play against good teams, you're going
06:57 to play against teams that have the ball, and it's important that we then show that
07:01 we've got another side to us, which is we can be in good shape and we can hurt on the
07:05 counter and I think we showed that last week, and I think all good teams have both to their
07:10 capabilities playing with the ball and obviously being a danger without it.
07:14 Any more questions?
07:15 Thank you very much everyone.
07:17 - Okay.
07:18 [BLANK_AUDIO]