More than a few eyebrows were raised this time last year when the current QPR manager, Michael Beale, was seen in a Rangers bar close to Ibrox before taking his seat in the directors’ box.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst was under pressure at the time and despite a fine performance against Aberdeen, it still didn’t sit right that a genuine contender to replace him had been a guest of the board at a game.
Now, Sky Sports producer and former Rangers TV journalist, Andrew Dickson, has questioned on his X feed, Michael Beale’s position after a big turnover and little sign that things are improving.
Michael Beale question asked as Rangers struggles continue
After a dismal performance against Motherwell, Dickson said:
“Intrigued to know how, 11 months on from being in the same position, Beale would feel about someone who could very feasibly be Rangers’ next manager being a guest of the club at say the Livi or Aberdeen games while he’s still in charge of a team which is undoubtedly floundering.
“I wasn’t at Ibrox today but the highlights are a turgid watch.
“Rangers had style and an identity when Beale was there as a coach under Gerrard.
“Despite being backed and allowed to bring in the players he wanted, his team is very far from that at the moment.“
There is an element of truth in what Dickson is saying.
Beale promised exciting football and that the handbrake would be off.
Against Motherwell, we were holding on with a back five and three defensive midfielders.
At home with a goal before the half hour mark and any Rangers side should be looking to increase the pressure and kill the game off.
As the boos rang out, imagine if Kevin Muscat or Kjetil Knutsen had been sitting in the crowd.
It’s a decision that still doesn’t sit right with a lot of Rangers fans and one that Beale surely regrets now, especially as his return has hardly been the safe pair of hands that many thought sit would be.
