Ex-Arsenal coach Neil Banfield and set-piece specialist Harry Watling will be amongst those to join Michael Beale as he prepares to sign on as the 18th manager of Rangers.
At least that’s according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, who made the claim on Twitter as Beale looks set to close in on a move to Ibrox from current club QPR.
Both coaches bring something different table and their apparently imminent appointments will be of real interest to Rangers supporters.
Rangers move for Neil Banfield and Harry Watling
Neil Banfield in particular is a well-known name in the British game and served in the coaching set-up at Arsenal for some 20 years.
The 60-year-old coach first joined the Arsenal Academy in 1997 and worked his way through the reserves and eventually to the first team in 2012.
After spending six years with the Gunners first-team, Neil Banfield left his role at the Emirates in 2018 and since 2019 has been involved in the coaching set-up at QPR.
Set piece specialist Harry Watling will also come into the Rangers team amid complaints regarding the club’s use of dead-balls since Michael Beale and namely Tom Culshaw left the club under Steven Gerrard.
Watling, 33, has worked in the academies of Chelsea, Millwall and West Ham United and even had a stint in charge of USL side Hartford Athletic but at present is in the first-team at QPR.
At the time of his appointment at QPR when Michael Beale took over in the summer, the incoming Ibrox boss said:
“The importance of set-plays cannot be understated and I believe that having a dedicated coach in this area will be hugely beneficial moving forwards.”
Both coaches will be welcome additions to the Rangers set-up and fans are getting excited to potentially hear something official regarding Michael Beale in the coming hours.
The Glasgow side are set to secure the signing of the current QPR manager to replace the outgoing Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who left a classy message to fans upon exiting Ibrox.
