George Overhill

Sat 3 December 2022 17:43, UK

Michael Beale didn’t act the “right way” when he turned up at Rangers while Giovanni van Bronckhorst was still in the job, according to Jamie Mackie.

The now-Ibrox manager was a guest of the club for the 4-1 win over Aberdeen on 29 October, while the Dutchman was coming under increasing pressure, heightening speculation that he was angling for the job he has now secured.

He was finally appointed almost a month later on 28 November, upsetting many at former club QPR in the process, and former Loftus Road forward Mackie has heavily criticised Beale both for leaving the Championship side in the way he did, and for how he conducted himself prior to Van Bronckhorst’s sacking.

Speaking on Sky Sports on Saturday (3 December), as per the Scottish Sun, Mackie said: “Michael Beale came into QPR having been a complete unknown, a complete newby to management.

“He was given a fantastic opportunity by QPR and he drove this culture – as he said in an interview he did himself – about integrity and longevity.”

He went on: “Now he’s straight away jumping ship, exactly what he said he wasn’t going to do, he’s done. He was the one who came out and spoke about integrity. So I really question his integrity, obviously.

“And I really wonder what other chairman in the future, at other football clubs, will think about that.

“Rangers have got him because they had a relationship with him before and they understand him. But I look at it and go ‘do I want that character moving forward?’ I’m not so sure.”

He then added: “But he should have come out and said nothing. There is no issue with him wanting him to be a progressive manager – it’s a selfish game. And his Premier League may be Rangers – that may be his ultimate dream and that’s fine.

“But I also noticed he was in the stands when the old Rangers manager Giovanni Van Bronckhorst hadn’t been sacked yet, but was under major pressure. I don’t like that, I really don’t like that.

“And I certainly wouldn’t like that if I was a manager. He said he was going up there ‘as a fan,’ well, two weeks later he was up there getting the job. That doesn’t sit well with me. 

“And it certainly wouldn’t if I was an opposing manager. I don’t think it’s the right way to act.”

Scathing

Until QPR appoint a new manager there will be no shortage of criticism following the Rangers manager up from West London, and if they struggle over the second half of the season it could well continue even then.

He clearly feels content in his decision, given his special connection to Ibrox, but he certainly opened himself up for unnecessary anger with his comments upon turning down Wolves a month before he left.

Most Light Blues fans won’t be overly concerned if the English side and their supporters continue to stew over how things went, but some may be more put out by how Van Bronckhorst left.

The Dutchman’s reign appeared to be broken and few among the fanbase will argue with his removal, but the nagging suspicion that he was being replaced publicly, and right in front of him, while he was securing his best result of the past few weeks is uncomfortable.

Beale expressed surprise at the idea that Gio may feel that way in his unveiling press conference on Thursday (1 December), but the former boss is rumoured to be unhappy with how things went.

If everything was conducted innocently then at the very least the coincidence didn’t look good, but it cannot be changed now.

Beale is now in and his primary concern will be results rather than feelings outside the club, and as long as he secures those results he will be insulated from much of the other criticism, but if he is unable to do so it will be a free-for-all

In other Rangers news, one stand-out Ibrox performer is now in line to be one of the biggest losers of Beale’s arrival.