Steven Davis backs new Rangers manager Michael Beale to bring excitement to Ibrox

The 37-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder worked with the new Ibrox boss when he was first-team coach under former manager Steven Gerrard.

Davis is looking forward to trying to help Beale get Rangers back on track after a poor start to the season.

“It’s exciting,” he told Sky Sports when asked about Beale’s appointment this week. “Having worked with him before, a lot of the group know he’ll be very clear in terms of his ideas and every session will be built around how he wants us to play.

“We’re looking forward to it, the first couple of days have been bright and he’s already spoken about how he wants the team to look. It’s exciting times.

“I think he just wants to play a brand of football that excites the fans, brings energy to the team and gives the attacking players the freedom to go and cause havoc and show their quality as well.

“Having worked with him before, we know on the pitch it will be very clear, we will know exactly what roles and responsibility each player has. We’re looking forward to getting started with the games.”

Asked if he thinks Beale will operate differently as a manager to how he was as first-team coach, Davis said: “I think he had that separation (from the players) in his first spell here as well.

“Being a coach I don’t think it’ll be a hard transition for him. I think as a coach or a manager you’re always evolving. I’m sure he’s got subtle differences in terms of how he wants the team to play.

“Obviously he’s his own man know as well so he’s in control of exactly how he wants the team to look so look.

“In terms of his first address he wants to play an exciting brand of football, have the fans right behind us and get them excited as well and the team playing with energy. They’re all things as a group of players that we want to be a part of and hopefully together we can go on and do well.”