GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 30: Michael Beale, Manager of Rangers, reacts during the Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 30, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Michael Beale makes a plea to SPFL schedulers on behalf of Rangers after two injury blows, ruling Alex Lowry out of the Hearts semi-final.
The Englishman’s side advanced to the last four against Hearts, but it came at a cost.
After suffering two more injuries as his Rangers side advanced to the Viaplay Cup semi-finals against Hearts, Michael Beale believes the SPFL schedulers should do more to assist Premiership clubs.
The Light Blues manager felt relieved as his side defeated Livingston 4-0 at Ibrox, with Abdallah Sima scoring the opener and a deflected strike for his side’s third goal, while Ridvan Yilmaz and Ryan Jack also scored.
However, Yilmaz was forced off after his brilliant performance, while Kemar Roofe remained in at half-time with a groin strain, and Beale believes his side’s clash with Aberdeen this weekend could have been pushed back to help, with both clubs recently involved in Europe as well as League Cup quarter-final action. “Kemar Roofe felt his groin midway through the first half and has a slight problem,” Beale, who revealed on-loan Jambo Alex Lowry won’t be able to face Gers in the final four despite firing Steven Naismith’s men to Hampden with the winner against Kilmarnock 24 hours earlier, told Viaplay.
“He probably should have asked to come off, so we talked about it, and Ridvan is cramping.” This will be the third game in seven days, and the fourth in ten.
The only difference is that the games have been played at home, which is costly for our fans. It’s not our schedule, so we have to get on with it, but considering the number of injuries that will occur in these games or the three or four after them, might our game against Aberdeen be moved back 24 hours because they traveled to Germany and then to Dingwall? We need to safeguard our players more if we want to see the product on the field.”
“Alex Lowry our boy went there and scored a fantastic finish so I’m delighted for him and he won’t be able to play,” he said of the match against Hearts in November. I went to see him over the weekend, and Steven did an excellent job, and both semi-finals appear to be wonderful games on paper. It’s thrilling.”
Beale praised Sima, the show’s headliner, even if his opener was controversial since he looked to commit a foul in the buildup. “That’s his fifth of the season, and he’s probably only started seven games,” Beale said. He’s only 22 years old, yet he’s a player. He was signed for a lot of money after his Europa League run against us a few years ago, but he’s still a young child and it’s taken time for him to settle, but you can see his qualities.
“Our confidence will grow, and the number of attacking players returning will undoubtedly make us more fluid in the coming weeks.” Sima can be selfless at times, and the first goal was to improve his attitude and approach. It was an incredible finish, and he may have passed it in other games. We’re learning about him; he can play wide right, wide left, and through the middle, and he’s been eye-catching in recent games and scored in big Rangers games in Europe; ideally, the fans take to him since he’s begun his career here very well.
