The fact that Ibrox fans think Beale should go if they lose to Celtic this weekend shows the insane pressure this man has put himself under

Humility or Hubris?

Was Michael Beale bright enough to ask himself which of those two traits should be the order of the day when he started his career at Ibrox?

When you hear him speak, he gives you the impression he’s a bit “fick”.

So no, I sincerely doubt he thought about an approach to his tenure at Ibrox.

If he had any real intelligence, he would have known that all he was doing was creating a rod that he would eventually be beating himself with.

He was, in reality, blinded by the mirage created by winning the Covid title.

Either that, or during his time down south, he paid no attention to what was happening at Celtic after Ange Postecoglu arrived.

He arrived up in Scotland, clearly filled with the self confidence and belief he could topple Celtic once again.

A smart manager would have studied his direct opponent very closely.

A smart manager would not have come to the conclusion that his direct opponent was “lucky”.

But then again, a smart manager would have known that people would have taken him seriously from the get go, if he had shown his direct opponent respect.

Beale was only interested in appealing to one audience.

Instead of gaining the respect of his fellow professional managers in the Scottish Premiership.

However, he pretty much dismissed the rest of the Premiership, and decided to focus in on one person and one club.

Neither he nor his players have shut up about Celtic and Ange Postecoglu since.

And none of it has been in any way respectful.

This week, you have his Assistant Manager talking about revenge.

While at first it may have appealed to the Peepul, the trash talking novelty began to wear off when none of it was backed up by results against Celtic.

Michael Beale has not managed to win against Celtic in three attempts.

One of those three attempts was also a Cup Final.

This weekend, he suddenly finds himself going into a Scottish Cup Semi-final knowing that anything less than a win, and those fans he tried so desperately to appeal to at the beginning, will be calling for his head.

They’re already suggesting he should just go if they lose on Sunday.

The real question here though, is does he realise that nobody put him in this position but himself?

He has put himself under insane pressure going into this tie against Celtic.

And all for what?

To appeal to the peepul?

To show them he’s one of them?

If he had set realistic expectations, he might not find himself going into Sunday under the pressure he is under.

Ange Postecoglu and his players, on the other hand, remain tight lipped and calm.

No trash talking in the media.

No revelations about what they will or won’t achieve on the day.

Just quiet, calm and professional preparation in the run up to Sunday.

With confidence that is not misplaced and a quiet, steely determination.

Barry Ferguson believes stopping Celtic is in their DNA.

In this morning’s Daily Record, Barry admits his obsession with stopping Celtic, he even questions whether it’s embarrassing.

He does, however, stop short of saying that their desperation to stop Celtic killed his last club.

He neglected to mention that cheating is also in their DNA.

The need to win at all costs, no matter who gets hurt in that process.

Michael Beale was sucked into that particular vortex from day one.

That’s why he’s left himself on a hiding to nothing this coming Sunday.

It’s why Celtic will comfortably despatch whatever side he puts out against us.

Because Celtic and Ange Postecoglu are not fixated on stopping the Ibrox side.

For Ange and his players, it’s just all about the next game.

No matter who the opponent is.

If the Ibrox side kill themselves again in the attempt to stop us, Celtic will continue regardless.

If they come back as a third entity, we’ll still continue on.

And we’ll still beat them.

Again and again.

That’s just the way it is.

The sooner they accept that reality, the better for them.

The better for all of us.