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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Peter Davidson

Alex McLeish urges Rangers boss Michael Beale to copy Celtic blueprint as he names key to catching Ange Postecoglou

Alex McLeish has urged Michael Beale to copy the Celtic style of play in order to bridge the gap between the two top sides in Scotland.

The former Rangers manager believes Ange Postecoglou's side play with a higher tempo than the Ibrox side which explains the nine point difference between the two clubs in the league. Gers boss Michael Beale is yet to win against Celtic in the league and cup with the sides set for three encounters before the end of the season. The pair will face off against one another twice next month, once in the league next weekend and the other at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final on April 30.

McLeish said Beale has "a lot of fantastic players" at Ibrox but they weren't in the same league as the stars he had when he was named Gers manager back in 2001. Recruitment this summer is vital for Beale to close the gap to Celtic, according to McLeish who won seven trophies during his time in the Ibrox dugout.

McLeish praised Postecoglou's style of play and urged Beale to get his Gers players to that level. He told PLZ Soccer: "They are very quick, lively and athletic. I think that's what Beale has to do with the Rangers team to get them to that kind of tempo of speed and stuff."

On Beale, McLeish added: "In terms of advice, I don't think he has the quality that I had when I arrived at Ibrox but he has a lot of fantastic players in their but I do believe they are loving his way of coaching and management.

"There is a lot of learning still going on and maybe if they can salvage something from the season, ie the cup, then it takes me back to my kind of days at Ibrox when my first season we couldn't win the league but won two cups.

"The key is recruitment. Michael will have other players that he is looking at in his wee black book and I'm sure he will be everything he can to get good players. I'm hearing good things from the players in the way that he works."

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