Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has responded to concerning speculation linking Michael Beale with the Cardiff City hot seat.
Earlier this week, BBC Sport reported that the 41-year-old was on Cardiff’s radar as they look for a successor to Mick McCarthy, who left the manager’s post there last weekend.
Beale has never been a no.1, but he worked at Sao Paulo, Chelsea and Liverpool before taking up his current role as a first-team coach at Rangers in 2018.
When asked during a press conference on Friday afternoon if the EFL Championship club had made contact, Gerrard claimed he was unaware of any approach.
‘Not to my knowledge,” said the manager [RangersTV]. “I’ve been with Michael all morning and he hasn’t mentioned it from a personal point of view. The club haven’t brought it to me, so I assume it’s speculation at the moment.”
“In terms of, do I think Cardiff would be interested in Michael Beale, and other teams for that matter? 100%, because he’s top at his job.”
Rangers managed to make it through the summer without losing any key players but the prospect of a vital member of the coaching staff leaving mid-season is a concerning one for supporters.
It’s unlikely that Gerrard would have said much even if he knew about interest from Cardiff, but the manager genuinely appeared to have been unaware of the reports.
Wales Online reported on Thursday afternoon that while Beale’s name had been mentioned in City’s boardroom, former Derby County and Chelsea no.2 Jody Morris was the early frontrunner for the job.
With U23s coach Steve Morison in charge of the first team until the international break, the Bluebirds are under no immediate pressure to appoint McCarthy’s replacement.
