Nagelsmann, Tuchal, Pochettino more madcap Beale claims from No 2 Banfield

The little known Neil Banfield made a strangely timed media appearance at the weekend, telling the Daily Mail about a traumatic experience at Hampden two months ago when he was picking up his Viaplay Cup losers medal.

Despite Hampden swarming with media, the match went out live on television and radio, afterwards players went through a post-match mixed zone with absolutely no-one picking up on the comments that upset Arsene Wenger’s one time assistant.

Google searches on Sunday found nothing contentious from the Celtic boss, four days down the line there hasn’t been any suggestion about what the offensive comments may have been.

Predictably despite pre-match and post-match interviews at Pittodrie, no reporter asked Micky Beale about the hurt his assistant had been harbouring for over two months.

There was a few other eye-catching comments from Banfield in his exclusive interview, apparently he is at the trophy winning club and has to live upto the standards set. Perhaps like James Tavernier who has watched Celtic lift 16 trophies while he has won two over the last eight years.

Even more ridiculously, Banfield is pushing the notion that his boss is part of an elite group of ‘young’ coaches.

Outside of a couple of small footballing circles Beale is completely unknown which probably explains why he talks so much, usually about his career achievements that have certainly gone under the radar.

After being out of the game Banfield was brought into the QPR coaching staff by Mark Warburton, another revolutionary whose career path Beale seems on course to emulate into oblivion.

“You can see where he is going, his trajectory,” adds Banfield. “You talk about Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino. Micky Beale is not far off that, let me tell you. The way that he operates, structures the club and works with his staff. He has first class qualities all the way through.

“He reminds me very much of Arsene (Wenger). He is football 24/7. And it’s not just about the team. You represent the entire club. I have never seen him flustered. He is as straight as can be with everyone. He tells you how it is- he is very clear and there is no fluff

It seems that Banfield has overdosed on the fluff, or been briefed by the Ibrox Media team about what to say at the start of the Season Ticket Renewal campaign.

“We’ve come to the club who have won the most trophies,” says Banfield, clearly schooled in the Ibrox ethos. “So we have to win trophies.

“Yes, we want to develop te game and play well but as soon as you come through the door you can feel it’s a winning club.

“We go to Aberdeen this weekend and we know what we will get. They are a good team, Hearts, Hibs too. I think when Rangers come to town they find another yard.

“Although we haven’t yet been victors against Celtic, we are coming. And I think they know it, too. It’s game on.”