Beale sounds like he means business... and is ready to blow storm clouds away

FIRST impressions count. They set a tone for what’s to come. And if I was still in the Rangers dressing room, I would feel energised by Michael Beale’s words during his early days in charge.

In my column at the start of this week, I said a first step to success for Beale would be pointing towards a defined style of football. An entertaining one. Something which had been lost over recent months.

What I’ve read this week, then, has been music to my ears. I know full well it’s a lot easier to talk the talk than actually perform on the pitch, but Beale has clearly set out the direction he wants to take.

It’s going to be very interesting to see how quickly that attacking, aggressive identity becomes visible in performances. After starting work this week, the countdown is already on to Beale’s first competitive game against Hibernian on December 15. With a nine-point gap to Celtic, that’s when the pressure returns for real.

First, though, he has made it his mission to try to alter the whole mood around the club. He wants to take the supporters with him

Relationship with players is vital. Change can happen so quickly

and give them excitement. But that will only happen if the players buy fully into what Beale is selling and respond accordingly.

Any good manager is also a psychologist to some extent. They know what buttons to press to get the most from those working under them.

Already, you can see Beale trying to work on the mental side of things and get smiles back on faces after a difficult few months at the end of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s tenure.

When I look back at my time working with Walter Smith, he was a fantastic human being with an exceptional ability to get into the minds of players.

People talk about treating everyone equally. Walter knew that was rubbish. He knew you had to be careful with some players while others responded to pressure. If you have 24 players, you have to treat them in various ways to get the best out of all of them.

You can’t compare anyone to my old gaffer but I really like the messages Beale has been sending in his initial interviews. I’ve no doubt a lot of these will be emphasised in much more detail behind the scenes.

Look, in particular, at what Beale said about Glen Kamara. ‘He will be a big player going forward.’ It’s a simple statement. But, to me, one clearly designed to make Kamara feel he is important again. Because that had been lost in recent times.

The midfielder comes across as a quiet, mild-mannered person. Not one with a huge ego. Everyone needs reassurance, though, and Kamara plainly wasn’t a key man towards the end of Van Bronckhorst’s reign.

Now, however, Beale is trying to build him up. He is showing he has faith but will expect that to be rewarded with performances on the park. And quickly.

Perhaps better than anyone, Beale knows what Kamara (right) can offer. He is only 27 and has a contract until 2025. A player of his talent can’t just drift away from being an effective part of Rangers. Instead, he should be someone capable of delivering a big fee in the future.

It looks like he’s going to be one of those trusted to put Beale’s vision into practice. I was also intrigued by the new manager talking about trying to ‘remove some clouds’ in terms of the mental state of some players. He didn’t mention any names. I guess Kamara might be one of them. But I would say Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent are also in that category. Here are two very good attackers who have simply lost their way. I think Beale wants them to play with more freedom and clarity to try to get back into form. What’s happened in the past this season has gone. Let’s move forward together.

He’s kept everything open in terms of contract extensions but also hinted both have to start producing. Again, he referred to a relationship of trust.

Beale has said he won’t get too close to the players but his time as a first-team coach under Steven Gerrard is obviously critical when it comes to getting into the headspace of those with whom he worked before. Change can happen quickly if trust is present.

Another aspect the new regime wants to improve is the market value of the squad. Beale was quite clear about that when he spoke to the media on Thursday.

Winning games is obviously the most important factor but the financial element cannot be overlooked.

Rangers have sold three young and very talented players this year. Beale made the point that others have been recruited but said it was too early to judge them.

Again, I think he was trying to protect the likes of Ridvan Yilmaz and Rabbi Matondo, who found it difficult to make much of an impact before the World Cup break.

We all know how tough it is to get time in the Old Firm environment but most younger players do need breathing space to develop and adapt. Beale is trying to send that message to supporters.

As I say, the proof of his man-management will arrive through performances and results. Those are the only true measurements. But in terms of getting off on the right foot with his messaging to rebuild or reset relationships, I can’t find much fault.

When I worked for Walter Smith, all players back then played for him. Obviously, they played for themselves and the club. But it was as much for Walter as a man and a manager.

That’s the ultimate thing, really. If this Rangers squad can reach a point where the players think ‘we are playing for Michael Beale’ then he will be halfway there to being a success in a very demanding situation.