Michael Beale 'shocked' by timing of Rangers job offer as he discloses which signing will fire club to title

Michael Beale has admitted he was left in "shock" at being offered the chance to become Rangers manager in November 2022 as he offered some insight into why his 10-month reign turned sour before his exit.

The Londoner, who took over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the Ibrox hotseat with less than six months of managerial experience under his belt at QPR, was sacked after a disastrous spell in charge - becoming one of the shortest serving bosses in the club's history.

Beale departed the club after failing to prevent Ange Postecoglou's all-conquering Celtic side from clinching a record-breaking eighth domestic Treble and with the Light Blues trailing their bitter rivals by seven points in the Premiership title race the following season.

Despite being handed a hefty transfer budget to carry out an extensive overhaul of the playing squad last summer, the 43-year-old paid the price for his poor recruitment just two months into the league campaign on the back of a 3-1 defeat at home to Aberdeen.

His successor, Philippe Clement, has led an impressive revival while Celtic have stuttered. However, Beale confessed he holds no grudges towards his former employers and insists he'll be "kicking every ball" from afar in their pursuit for title glory.

Speaking to Sky Sports Soccer Special panel, he recalled: "Yeah, listen I've got so much admiration for Rangers, and I live in that part of the world as well. It's a fantastic football club. 

"I went back in last season and it was a shock really to be asked to go because I felt Gio Van Bronckhorst done a fantastic job. But when you are asked to go back to Rangers, a club that meant a lot to me, the relationships, and we started ever so well, Ange Postecoglou's Celtic were already nine points ahead and they were going great guns. 

"Going into this season it's fair to say we probably disrupted the group too much too soon, and there was a lot of turnover of players and on the outside. 

"But I think Phil Clement has again done really well. The potential of that group is to go on and win that league. It's already won the League Cup and I always thought that would come through. They have got some fantastic players there and you have seen how much it's elevated Jack Butland by going back and being a regular number one as well." 

Asked if he thinks Rangers will go on and win the Scottish Premiership title this season, Beake replied: "I hope so. I will be kicking every ball and supporting them as you would. I think the injuries to both teams has been key this season at times. Todd Cantwell and Tom Lawrence being fit for Rangers will be huge. 

"I think the player of the season in Scotland outside of Jack Butland was probably Abdallah Sima who's been missing, so if Abdallah can come back now and provide some goals and power in the final third, I would expect Rangers to go on and win the league. 

"But it will come down to the Old Firm's and obviously there's a big one coming up in just over a week's time."