MATCH REACTION | Michael Beale | Rangers v Newcastle | 18 Jul 2023

Yeah, they're obviously an excellent team and obviously we went from playing a third division team from Germany behind closed doors to jumping to a Champions League team, one of the top four teams in the Premier League, and I thought it was a Fantastic pre-season game for us, firstly, what a night for Alan McGregor. He is, as we say, a modern legend for the club and he knows that he is welcome any day when he is bored at home or has played enough golf to be able to come to the training ground at any time. day and it was a fantastic game for him and a fantastic night for him, but also for us in terms of pre-season preparation.

I think that makes it all real now that they are a Champions League team, they are a team that we would like to be. In the against competition plan, he shows where our legs are in terms of fitness, but overall he made me happy that we used a lot of players. It was lovely for young John Lee for example to get on and Bailey Rice too so overall please I'm a bit disappointed with the Goal later because we had good opportunities to maybe score a second goal ourselves yeah you have to be pleased with the chances created tonight as well and obviously Sam got that goal.

Delighted by Sam. I thought Abdullah also worked his tail off, we know that. We've got Cyril Kamar Tom Lawrence to return to that area and we've also got our eyes on one or two more strikers on the market so it's an exciting time, I think at the weekend we'll see even more again but no, I was I was happy that Nico came in and did very well. I thought Kieran behaved well and all that and I thought overall it was a really good game. I had a top-level opponent and that's what you want, we don't want to play against lesser opponents.

Almost lying to ourselves where we are, let's play the best we can bring our brox here and give ourselves a real challenge that will prepare us for next season and also defensively, there should be some really positives that you can take from that. tonight, yes, I was very happy, in general, listen, there are quality teams, at what moments are they going to create opportunities, but I thought about the game, we had good opportunities and defense is obviously about your cohesion and your pressure in the legs and when. you're tired in pre-season, you're not always there, but what Newcastle have done tonight is show us where we need to go, so I know the feedback we got from the game was great, it was a fantastic night for Alan.

Good game to everyone who came out and supported him and sent him home with memories that will last a lifetime for him and his family and another really strong test for the team at the weekend, facing Tim Hamburgo. our good friends Hamburg, so I know again, as you know, the Newcastle Road club that our fans also respect and Hamburg are coming at the weekend, it's a club that we have a fantastic bond with, it's a friendly that both clubs have wanted for a long time. time both sets of supporters and we're sure there will be a big crowd at the weekend and a joint celebration among the fans, which is lovely to see.