Brendan Rodgers is set to face a familiar adversary in the upcoming Glasgow Derby encounters.
Michael Beale, the current manager of Rangers, once worked under Rodgers at Chelsea’s youth academy and was part of the staff at Liverpool during Rodgers’ tenure as the Anfield gaffer.
Their professional relationship has now evolved into a rivalry as they prepare to lead their respective teams in the fiercely contested Old Firm derbies.
Rodgers, during his previous reign at Celtic, had the upper hand over various Rangers bosses including Mark Warburton, Graeme Murty, Pedro Caixinha, and Steven Gerrard. This time, his Glasgow Derby adversary is Beale, who has seemingly to oversee the biggest overhaul at Rangers in years as he attempts to come out on top in Glasgow and Scotland, but is restricted by his budget, which he claimed was the biggest that any Ibrox manager has ever had but after a few free signings he’s already making excuses.
Rodgers, however, is clear about his intentions to see off the challenge. He said: [SunSport]
“I have bumped into Michael from time to time, like when he was down with Aston Villa.
“He is starting out in his managerial career and he’s taken on a huge job. I always respect every manager because it’s such a tough gig, especially at a big club.
“Everyone knows the challenge at Celtic and Rangers — you need to win games, you’ve got to win trophies, and you’ve got to win them in a certain style.
“At Chelsea I just knew Michael had a love of the game.
“I was working with the youth team and the reserves at that time, but I knew he had passion for the game and he communicated a lot.
“There was that real communication from the top end of the academy to the younger guys.
“He was clearly ambitious and wanting to progress which is great, and he’s done that. He made a really good start at QPR.
“Then he came up here, where he knows the climate, the challenge, the pressures and the expectations. He’s wanted to take that on.
“We’ve just had football chats, really. When we were at Liverpool we would talk. I changed around the academy and brought in Alex Inglethorpe who is still there now.
“He knew Michael well and so through that relationship we could speak.
“Do I thrive on them looking to come after Celtic? It was the same when I came here the first time. It was clear Rangers were on the up.
“They had beaten Celtic well even though it had been a draw and then Rangerswon on penalties.
“My focus was on making my team the best we possibly could be, and to succeed.
“This is exactly the same situation.
“It’s competition and you need that because it allows you to be the best you can be. It will be great for me.”
