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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Beale delivers Davis Rangers update as he hints at 'legacy' backroom staff plan

Michael Beale has revealed Steven Davis is fully focused on making a playing return - but hinted a move into coaching is possible at Rangers.

The veteran midfielder, 37, is currently undergoing rehab for a training-ground ACL injury which has kept him out since December.

Davis is under contract at Rangers until the summer but was not among the list of players confirmed to be departing the club.

Instead, Beale has confirmed a decision on his playing future will only be made when Davis is ready and back to fitness.

"He will be in and around the first-team as a normal player in terms of his rehab and then there will be a decision," explained Beale when quizzed on Davis' future.

"I think at this moment in time, Steven has got a real burning desire to play and we want to help him to get back to that.

"He is a hall of fame player here and it is the wrong way for him to end in a training ground accident or incident.

"It is important that Steven's motivation is to come back and play and me as the coach and everyone at Rangers - from John Bennett down - wants to help him have that option.

"Nobody knows at the moment how that rehab is going to go at his age but the moment he is able to make the decision, then Rangers will."

The Ibrox boss went on to unveil a plan to help players transition into coaching and management to create a "Rangers legacy" at the club.

Citing the huge backroom changes with Steven Gerrard departing the club, Gio Van Bronckhorst arriving with his own team before being dismissed and then his own arrival, Beale is hopeful of creating a constant at the club with future appointments.

And he hinted that a returning face could join the club in the first-team or academy staff - Beale also appeared to open up a route into coaching for Davis with his remarks.

He said: "But certainly, in terms of as a football club when you see the send-off that the elder statesmen got - Allan and Scotty Arfield on Wednesday - in the coming years I think it's important that we start to have a little bit more of a Rangers legacy in the first-team staff and around the top-end of my academy in my opinion.

"You have got to pick the right people, they have got to want to do that - to go down the coaching and management route but me and my staff will certainly be there to help anyone that does want to transition.

"At this moment in time, Steven's full focus is on returning to play. But in 18 months Steven's [Gerrard] staff left, five or six people, Gio's [Van Bronckhorst] staff came in, five or six people, and I came in, four.

"That's a lot of turnaround so in that time no one was constant in Rangers.

"I think for continuity between first-team and the academy set-up at some point, you might see someone joining the staff."

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