Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale was delighted with his sides 3-2 win over Kilmarnock last night. However, when questioned on his clubs interest in Morgan Whittaker he displayed some disbelief in the fact there had been a bid made this week that had been rejected.

It is becoming a bit of a theme with Beale, he seems to approach most answers to questions with an uneasy awkwardness as he did last night. On the weekend he stated Aberdeen are the third best side in Scotland. Before the Scottish league cup semi final on Sunday he said. "They are the third best team in the country at the moment. We are second” That led to a number of people stating he is out of touch with Scottish football, and ex Hearts player Ryan Stevenson said in response., "That’s the biggest crock of s*** I’ve heard all season. And there’s been quite of a lot of it flung around to be fair! Sorry but Beale is absolutely taking the Michael with that comment. It’s outrageous”

Hearts possibly answered the third best team in Scotland question battering Aberdeen 5-0 last night at Tynecastle. Now last night Beale’s responses to questions on Morgan Whittaker were odd at best. When he was told Russell Martin had disclosed a bid by Rangers had been rejected a few days ago he stated “Did he really ?” He went on to then deny he was aware any bid had been made. "I didn’t know we had made a bid but I will talk about the player. They have recalled him for a reason. I would say that he was one of the better if not the best player in League One in the first half of the season, and unless they have recalled him to play him, they must have recalled him to move him to a higher level. I think he is a good player but there is nothing more than that. And that is not what I have been told in-house.”

The mystery continues.

Well there you have it this Thursday morning, more squinting through steamed up glasses as the games continue. It’s a game of tennis without the balls, excuse the pun as the rhetoric thickens and the long stare etched on Michael Beale’s face when asked about Morgan Whittaker a picture. Do these guys go to acting school or are they trained by Mi5 ? Whatever the answer is it isn’t clear so beware the secret agent with a poisoned tipped umbrella this morning. Especially if you find yourself waiting at a cold and lonely bus stop with no briefcase to exchange with a chap who bears a striking resemblance to Brezhnev.

Or indeed Michael Beale.

They will be telling us next Middlesbrough are on the verge of signing Chiedozie Ogbene from Rotherham United ! Nah, that’s not on the cards at all …

Is it ? Anyway, we’ve never heard of him.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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