Michael Beale drops “sad” QPR exit admission – It wasn’t an easy choice to leave Loftus Road.
Michael Beale has admitted that leaving Queens Park Rangers was a difficult decision for him to make due to his love and attachment to the team.
Beale inspired the R’s to believe that they could return to the Premier League. In gameweek 11 of the 2022/23 Championship season, QPR topped the second tier.
They were firing on all cylinders under Beale, a first-time manager, but this drew the attention of other clubs. Wolverhampton Wanderers were reportedly interested in bringing the 44-year-old on board.
In the end, he turned down the opportunity in favour of staying at Loftus Road, only to leave to join Scottish side Rangers just over a month later.
In an interview with Edward Lynch, he stated that his first few months with QPR were some of his best moments as a manager. He wishes the club all the best in the future.
Michael Beale reflects on his QPR days.
“I felt that I was at a point in my career where I felt it was the right step for me to make to become a manager, and I felt that at QPR was a perfect opportunity for that for a number of reasons,” Beale told me when he first arrived at Loftus Road.
“Having met the owners and spoken with them about their passion, but also the club had some financial issues, so it was necessary for me to work with the young group that they had and possibly bring in loans or free transfers. And I felt very comfortable because I already trusted three or four of the players on the squad, so I was eager to work with them.
“That was a fantastic period. Obviously, this was my first management position, so you can imagine how enthusiastically I approached it. It was the first time I had built my own coaching staff. Les Ferdinand, the sporting director, provided excellent support, and the head of youth, Chris Ramsay, a well-known youth director, was also present.
“I had a lot of people around me, and when we came out in preseason, the players just embraced the ideas. We had some fantastic results, and we were extremely effective away from home during that time. We won at Millwall, Bristol City, Sheffield United, and Watford, providing memorable experiences for QPR fans.
| Michael Beale’s QPR record | |
|---|---|
| Games in charge | 22 |
| Wins | 9 |
| Draws | 4 |
| Losses | 9 |
| Points per game | 1.41 |
| Source: Sofascore | |
“With my family here, and my relationship with the Rangers from the previous year, it was a difficult decision for me to make. However, I have fond memories of my time at QPR. It was the most enjoyable period of my managerial career, with the exception of the first three months at Rangers, which were also very good.
“I still have a lot of friends among the playing and backroom staff. I occasionally contact the owners and wish them good luck. I just wish that club the best of luck in the future, and I have nothing but positive feelings and memories.”
Michael Beale timed his exit from QPR well.
Looking at things from Michael Beale’s point of view, ignoring the unusual circumstances under which he stayed and then decided to leave, taking the Rangers job when he did was probably the best decision for him. After reaching the summit, QPR experienced a steep decline in the league table.
They were seventh when Beale took over in Glasgow, and despite his team’s poor form near the end of his time at Loftus Road, he left the R’s with some Championship credibility, which helped him land the Sunderland job.
That didn’t go so well, either, but you can see why, in his opinion, leaving when he did was the right decision.
Leave a Reply