Queens Park Rangers have confirmed the appointment of Michael Beale as their new head coach, replacing Mark Warburton in the dugout at Loftus Road.

The 41-year-old has put pen-to-paper on a three-year deal at the West London outfit, in what is his first time leading a senior club after many years as an assistant and also a youth coach.

Beale arrives at the Hoops from Aston Villa, where he was the right-hand man of Steven Gerrard as both the Midlands club and at Rangers since his appointment at Ibrox in 2018.

 

 

 

 

His pedigree though stems from academy coaching, where he spent the best part of 10 years at Chelsea in the early 2000's before moving to Liverpool in 2012, managing their development squads before then spending six months as the assistant manager of Brazilian club Sao Paulo.

Beale though will now take his first steps into senior management with the R's, where he takes over from Warburton who spent three years at Loftus Road and has expressed his delight in being given the opportunity by the club's hierarchy.

“I’ve been looking for the right opportunity and I think I have that now - the right club, the right people, the right ambition and the right support," Beale told the club's official website.

“I’m a London boy and know everything this club stands for. This is a wonderful opportunity for me and a really good time for the club as well.

“I’ve been left a solid platform by Mark Warburton, which I’m obviously pleased about, and that enables me to kick on from hereon in.

“I want us to be a front foot and high-intensity team, in and out of possession. I want Loftus Road to be a real cauldron for us – I’ve been to games here and I know just how much the fans can impact the team on the pitch.

“We’ve got a young, hungry team and everyone has their best days in front of them. I’m absolutely excited about working with the players that we already have here."

The Verdict

Beale is definitely an appointment that shows the R's are trying something new.

Warburton and previous boss Neil Warnock both had plenty of experience as managers, but for Beale it is a step into the unknown.

For years he has been thought of as a very talented coach alongside Gerrard, but now he gets a chance to carve his own path out in the world of football.

It's certainly an intriguing and exciting time to be a QPR fan with Beale at the wheel - but it could potentially go the opposite way to how they hope due to his lack of experience.