‘I’m not chasing the Premier League’ – Mick Beale eyes foreign football as he explains Wolves snub

Jason Soutar
Michael Beale during a match

Queens Park Rangers boss Michael Beale has said he did not want to ‘kick the owners in the nuts’ by destroying the project three months into his tenure by joining Wolves.

The Premier League club sacked Bruno Lage four weeks ago and are yet to find a long-term successor.

They initially targeted former Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui but the Spaniard turned down a move to Molineux for family reasons.

After being snubbed by Lopetegui, Wolves opened talks with former head coach Nuno Espirito Santo before making Beale their top target, but were once again snubbed.

The former Rangers and Aston Villa assistant joined QPR for his first managerial role back in July.

His start to life at Loftus Road has gone better than anyone imagined it would, with the Rs sat second in the Championship after 16 games; two points behind pacesetters Burnley with a game in hand.

Beale gained experience as assistant manager at Brazilian giants Sao Paolo before joining Steven Gerrard at Rangers and Villa.

Wolves have given the gig to Steve Davis on an interim basis until 2023 and Beale has given more insight into why he rejected a move to the Premier League.

“Ultimately I just didn’t want the upheaval to the club, to myself or to the people that I’ve asked to come here,” he told The Telegraph.

“The only reasons for leaving QPR right now would be selfish ones around ego, status or finance. And that’s not really me.

“It would be a kick in the nuts to the owners if after just three months I was off and leaving. I don’t think the project we’re building here is stable enough now to have taken that hit.”

Beale added: “I feel very, very comfortable at this level. I thought I would but you don’t know until you’re in the job.

“Loyalty is to yourself first, and what you believe in. I don’t know if jumping from one club to another is a good look.”

When asked if he is worried that the opportunity to manage a club like Wolves won’t come again, Beale replied: “No, because I’m not chasing the Premier League.”

The former Villa assistant explained that he has higher ambitions than to manage a top-flight side battling for a top-half finish at best every season.

Instead, Beale sees himself managing a big club abroad, such as Ajax or Borussia Dortmund.

“I know the Premier League’s the world’s best league but I don’t know if managing a lower Premier League team is better than managing an Ajax, a PSV or a Dortmund,” he explained.

Beale doesn’t doubt that he could do a job in the Premier League, however.

“I know I can work in the Premier League because every single week I turn on the TV, and in every team, there’s players that I’ve coached,” he said.

“So it’s not a worry about going there.

“It’s just a matter of when, or if the right opportunity comes.

“I’d love this club to go there. It would be a miracle, considering where we’ve come from.

“This year you’ve got six or seven clubs that are financially way above us, and I’m sure they’ll throw money at it come January, but we’ve got spirit here. And so far so good.”

Beale also revealed that he would “100 per cent” work with Gerrard again after he was sacked by Aston Villa.

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