Mick Beale: Rangers set to appoint QPR boss after Giovanni van Bronckhorst is sacked | Soccer News

Mick Beale is set to finalize a deal to become Rangers boss, with an announcement expected as soon as Monday.

The 42-year-old has arrived at the club’s training ground to complete his move from QPR after being cleared for talks.

It is understood Beale – who has enjoyed a good relationship with the club since leaving as manager last November – will be joined by coaches Harry Watling and Neil Banfield at Ibrox.

Paul Hall will undergo training at QPR as the club continue their search for Beale’s replacement.

Beale was part of Steven Gerrard’s backroom team when Rangers won their 55th top-flight title in 2021 before leaving for Aston Villa.

He then decided to become QPR boss less than six weeks ago and turned down an approach from Wolves last month, citing ‘integrity and loyalty’ as the reason for rejecting the Premier League job.

Beale and his team are said to be in contract extension talks with QPR before interest from Rangers develops.

This is despite Beale’s family struggling to settle in the West Midlands – where he is still based – after moving from Glasgow last November.

It is also understood the Championship club knew Beale wanted to return to Ibrox as boss one day when initial talks about his appointment to QPR took place.

The Rangers players will return to training later on Monday after the World Cup break, where they are due to meet Beale before starting preparations for their return to the league.

Gers take on Hibernian at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership, live on Sky Sports, on December 15 – with the side nine points behind Celtic in the league.

Warburton: Gers job will be ‘very hard to turn down’ for Beale

Former Rangers boss Mark Warburton told Sky Sports News:

“It’s a fantastic opportunity and Michael will know it. He will recognize the club, he will have a very good relationship within the club established by working with Steven [Gerrard]so if it comes up it will be a fantastic opportunity and i am sure it will be very hard to turn it down.

“Leading a club of the stature of Rangers is always a wonderful opportunity. If this materializes, he will have a very difficult decision to make, that’s for sure.

When asked if the opportunity was too early in his career, Warburton replied: “I think he will recognize that. Mick is a very smart guy, he will understand the implications of that and the challenge he will face, but at the same time I think he recognizes that opportunities like this don’t come very often to manage a club the size of Rangers, so if everything goes forward I think he will support himself to succeed.

“I think Mick would be honest enough to say that a Premier League club in the top six or eight is not going to happen immediately and as such the appeal of European football, as you have seen the last year with what can be achieved and the support they get from the fans, that kind of pull, that kind of learning curve and learning experience, I’m sure Michael will like them.

“I think you have to weigh that. He’s in a good position at the moment, he’s had a good start to the season with QPR, so it’s a tough call. But I think he’ll be pretty honest with himself- even to know that these types of opportunities don’t come along every week.

“It’s a huge club, a great opportunity, a chance for European football, to deal with the old company. He was there with Steven, Steven was a manager and did a wonderful job in that role and Micky the backed up very effectively and I’m sure now he would be intrigued to know if he can do this work himself.”

‘Beale fits Rangers and knows the club’

Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller told Sky Sports News:

“There are a lot of names that come to mind. One for me that would be high on the list would be Mick Beale. His name has come up over the last month as Rangers have been working hard.

“I think he fits in, he knows the club, he knows the players. There would be no surprises if he returned to the building in terms of the demands and expectations of the football club and he started his own journey as a manager quite well too so I think he would be high on the list.”

Livingston manager David Martindale believes Beale would be “an ideal candidate” for the vacant Rangers job.

“I don’t want to talk out of turn because it’s not for me to talk about other clubs and other managers, but I think Michael would be a perfect fit for Rangers,” Martindale said.

“It’s up to Michael Beale and Rangers Football Club, not David Martindale.

“Would that be okay?” Probably, but I don’t know more than you.

“I’m a big supporter of UK managers. I like to see the progression in the UK game and I think there’s a lot to be said for hiring someone who knows the players and knowledge of Scottish football.”

Rangers’ next five games

December 15: Hibernian (h), Scottish Premiership, kick off 8pm, live sky sports

December 20: Aberdeen (a), Scottish Premiership, kick-off 8 p.m., live sky sports

December 23: Ross County (a), Scottish Premiership, kick-off 7:30 p.m., live sky sports

December 28: Motherwell (h), Scottish Premiership, kick off 7.45pm

January 2: Celtic (h), Scottish Premiership, kick off 12.30pm, live sky sports

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