Former Rangers coach Neil Banfield insists Michael Beale laid the foundations for success at Ibrox during his spell at the club.

Beale was named Gers boss after the club decided to part ways with Giovanni van Bronckhorst back in November 2022.

The Englishman's return to Glasgow did not work out how he would have planned though and he was subsequently axed after just ten months.

Beale's summer recruitment has since been slated after new manager Philippe Clement was appointed as manager, but the Belgian has managed to produce an upturn in results.

Banfield was on Beale's backroom team and he feels the regime set things up for Clement to come in and be an instant success.

He told the Christie Scanlon Podcast: "In the first season it went really really well and with Michael the club was changing and we brought a lot of new players into the club.

"The chairman changed, the CEO changed, new management for each group, and when you get that influx of change within a club very rarely does it run smoothly.

"Even looking at Chelsea now, they will come good because of the quality they have got in the side and the work the manager is doing with them.

"We always felt that as a group this group of players would be successful and narrow the gap.

"Let's not forget Celtic have won three trebles so they are a good side, it was always going to take a while to bridge that gap and overtake them and sustain success.

"Unfortunately for circumstances it wasn't to be.

"Wherever you go Celtic, Rangers I met some wonderful people and I really enjoyed the actually football up in Scotland.

"We used to go to games and every team it was their cup final. The first team you look for is your Celtic and Rangers games.

"It would be a full house, everyone would be excited. Players get a lift and all of a sudden they find 10 per cent.

"Every game we had was a hard fought game up in Scotland and physical.

"You had to overcome that test every game. I felt we did and we were on our way.

"As we said it just wasn't to be at the time. But the work was definitely put into place there for sustained success after."