QPR defender Kenneth Paal admits that Rangers manager Mick Beale scouted him during his time at Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven, speaking to Voetbal Zone.
Having missed out on the chance to work with the former PEC Zwolle left-back during his first spell at Ibrox, Beale wasted little time in installing Paal as one of his top targets after taking over Queens Park Rangers during the summer of 2022. Beale was appointed on June 1st. Paal, meamwhile, arrived just three weeks later.
“I have followed Kenneth’s progress since (his) time at PSV,” Beale said at the time.
“I’ve seen him play a lot as he has grown into a senior player. I tried very hard to recruit him to Glasgow Rangers two summers ago, and therefore I am delighted to have finally signed him and having the opportunity to work with him here.”
Paal arrived on a free transfer towards the end of June. The Suriname international has made 30 Championship appearances so far, scoring once and setting up a further three goals from his left-sided role.
And Paal is now providing his side of the story, admitting that his connections with Beale go way back.
Mick Beale wanted to bring QPR’s Kenneth Paal to Rangers
“He had already seen me play at PSV in my youth and then continued to follow me,” the 25-year-old explains. “When he was appointed last summer, he expressed his interest in me at QPR.
“That’s how the ball started rolling.”
Paal has been a bright spark in an inconsistent season for QPR; a team who were top of the table as recently as October now all the down in 17th with Neil Critchley struggling to build upon the play-off chasing foundations Beale laid down in West London.
“Five days before I was supposed to sign for QPR, I was almost done with a club from Poland. And, suddenly, I could go to England (instead),” Paal recalls. “To the Championship; a great competition that has always been high on my list. I quickly took the plunge and opted for QPR after all.
“Physically, it is much harder. The intensity is higher. You play 46 league matches here, which simply demands a lot from your body. The Eredivisie is technically more skilled, but people forget that many good players also play here in the Championship.
“The impression that people only play long balls in the second tier is simply not correct. The Championship is an underrated competition.”