THE RANGERS have paid the price for their ill-discipline already this year – not having their star striker for a run of games because he chose to dive at Celtic Park in the dying embers of the game when they were winning.
They have been dealt another blow for some of their coaching staff not being able to control themselves.
Steven Gerrard’s assistant Michael Beale lost the the plot during the Glasgow Derby and squared up to John Kennedy who didn’t even flinch as Beale got in his face. Kennedy looked at him and gave him some verbal back, the best way to deal with the situation so he wasn’t also charged for touchline antics.
Beale was sent off at the time but has now been handed a five match ban by the SFA, three he will serve immediately and two suspended for the rest of the season.
John Kennedy played down the incident at the end of the year.
“I’ve had a couple of people ask me about whether there was fighting in the tunnel. There was no such thing. It’s just the usual nonsense.” Kennedy told RecordSport.
“It’s an emotional time. I know Michael very well and I have done since before he came to Rangers. We have spoken in the past. There is no issue with us.
“He was in trouble with the officials, there was a bit of verbals, that’s it, end of. That’s the way it goes sometimes.
“We had a wee bit of toing and froing very briefly, but nothing major and it’s something I would quite like to put to bed.
“The emotion of the game gets the better of you sometimes. You say some things, you move on. It is the same with the guys on the pitch. They get caught up in the emotion of it. You have to put it to bed quickly.”
