Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive brings you what one former Villa coach has had to say about the former claret and blue boss
Steven Gerrard and Michael Beale together at Aston Villa
Steven Gerrard and Michael Beale together at Aston Villa
Former Aston Villa coach Michael Beale admits he found life tougher at Rangers without Steven Gerrard and Gary McAllister to lean on.
Beale was appointed Ibrox boss in November 2022 just 10 months after he had left the club for Villa Park along with Gerrard.
While he started well, results started to nosedive and he was sacked following a 3-1 home defeat to Aberdeen.
Speaking about his time in Glasgow as boss, Beale told the Daily Mail: "It certainly is different being the assistant at Rangers to the main man.
"I had Gary (McAllister) and Steven (Gerrard) to lean on for three years. I had only been away 11 months when I came back up from QPR but I knew 80 per cent of the squad.
"Giovanni van Bronckhorst had done a very good job so the first question I had to the board was "Why?".
"I went back in, we started well and it just took off. But the difference between being a coach and a manager is it's just different.
"My focus had been entirely on coaching up until that point but then all of a sudden I was knocking out eight to 12 interviews a week immediately after you play.
"Sometimes I was very emotional and honest. You have to learn very quickly.
"If you are coaching in front of 52,000 people it is hard to switch off all your emotions. You have to be highly competitive. You have to have natural enthusiasm.
'It is hard to switch that off and come and speak to all the media within 10 minutes of the game.
"With a few more grey hairs now I am hoping to improve on it. There are mistakes I have made. We all make mistakes, it is part of being a human.
"I would not be the coach I am now if I hadn't decided to take the leap to leave Chelsea to go to Liverpool at the start of my journey, to go to Sao Paulo (he was the first Brit to work in Brazil's top flight).
"I am someone who will make mistakes because I am willing to make big decisions.
"I was proud of a lot at Rangers, the win percentage was strong, we went in so far behind but had more points than Celtic in that period. But a lot changed."
Beale felt his spell at Rangers "followed" him to his 12-game stint at Sunderland - which was the last time he was in the dugout as a manager.
He said: "There have been several opportunities to get back into it, including an international job to go and manage at the World Cup, but it has to be right for my career.
"Sunderland was difficult for my family, maybe it was too soon after Rangers and a little bit followed me from one place to another.
"But now I am ready. I speak three languages I am not sure I can get you and I out of a hostage situation, but I can coach!
"The life of a football manager lacks stability but I think I am at my best when I am at a place for a while, building relationships over time and building belief.
"The future has to be about stability and with that I have confidence in my ability to do well."
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