‘Sacked within a year’ - Furious QPR fans react to Michael Beale’s Rangers appointment as Championship club aim swipe at former boss

Queen’s Park Rangers aimed a sly dig at departed head coach Michael Beale by highlighting that his move to Rangers comes just six weeks after he pleaded “integrity and loyalty” to the club by turning down the Wolves job.

The Englishman was confirmed as the Light Blues new manager on Monday after agreeing a three-and-a-half year contract in Glasgow, taking over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst who was sacked last week.

Beale has his work cut out immediately at Ibrox as he attempts to overhaul a nine-point deficit on reigning champions and current early-season Premiership leaders Celtic in the title race.

His appointment comes after the 42-year-old recently knocked back the opportunity to hold talks with Premier League outfit Wolves, claiming he was building a project at the Championship club and would remain at Loftus Road for the long-haul.

Beale’s decision to jump ship after just five months in the role to take over the reigns in Govan has NOT gone down well with QPR supporters who have labelled him a ‘snake’ for going back on his word.

Breaking the news to fans last night, a club statement read: “QPR can confirm Mick Beale has left his position as head coach with immediate effect to take up the managerial role at Glasgow Rangers. Beale came to Loftus Road six months ago and the club has made a solid start to the 2022/23 campaign under his guidance, currently sitting seventh in the Sky Bet Championship.

“The 42-year-old’s departure comes six weeks after he turned down an approach from a Premier League club.”

What have QPR fans said?

Angry fans have taken to social media to cast their views, stating they have dodged a bullet and downplaying the standard of Scottish football.

@Lark_star - “Well done admin not wishing him luck or anything. Plain statement and tweet is all he deserves.”

@AliJongman - “Awful, awful decision. Really disappointed. He could be playing Liveprool, Man City and all next year. Instead it’s Livingston and Dundee United away in front of 10,000 shivering angry fans. Talk about a lack of ambition.”

@flcjacket - “Must be fairly rare occurance for a manager to leave one club to take a job at a lesser club in a minor league...”

@Fish71Guppy - “What I don’t get it is Rangers thought he was so good why didn’t they offer him the job when Gerrard left?! It’s all a load of old tosh. Sacked within a year I reckon.”

@neilmoysey - “What’s all the fuss about here? 1. His heart had done from us, last few games proved that. 2. We now know that he had no realy loyalty to us like he said he did after Wolves, we don’t need that. 3. To be fair you can see why he went, but, in reality, he’s gone to a crappy league.”

@Anthony_Has - “Time to move on. Get someone in charge that is truly at the club for the right reasons. Not for their own career.”

@andydowqpr - “I stood up for him through all the rumours, turns out he didn’t deserve any backing. Complete and utter hypocrite!”

@Caz1957 - “I have defended him and admired his loyalty and integrity, but this now proves he deserved none of that! He is clearly a lying self-centred man who talked a good story while working on his own agenda. A disgrace to our fans and our players. I hope he now fails miserably!”

@FR27Design - “Disrespected the club completely, he treated us like a stepping stone & sold us a long term dream. ‘I can’t beat the first to jump ship’, until the team dips in form and another club comes up. Just hope we can have a manager who won’t be all up his own a**e this time.”

What have club officials said?

QPR chief executive Lee Hoos expressed his disappointment at Beale’s sudden departure as he shared supporters frustrations.

He stated: “The search for Mick’s replacement doesn’t start now - as a club we are always updating a short-list of potential candidates so that we are ready for a situation such as this, and we will be moving quickly to make an appointment. Mick helped us move the club forward - and we are grateful for that.

“The next management appointment we make will continue that progression. There is so much to play for this season and I fully appreciate fans’ frustrations right now. Your support has been incredible and the players need your back now more than ever.”

Director of Football Les Ferdinand commented: “Naturally we are disappointed to lose Mick. Our extensive research when we were looking for a new head coach highlighted him as being very much aligned with the direction we are moving in as a football club.

“The start to the season we have made, coupled with very attractive football being played, gave us cause for optimism as we looked to build on the previous three seasons. That optimism remains but there is no doubt it is a blow to lose Mick so soon into his tenure.”

Celtic icon Chris Sutton also refused to let Beale forget about the comments on Twitter. He wrote: “Michael Beale sent a solemn promise to QPR fans just over a month ago...”