Beale was over-ready to be Stevie’s assistant
MICHAEL Beale admits he decided to delay his path into management to work with Steven Gerrard.
The newly-appointed QPR head coach spent time under the Liverpool legend at both Rangers and Villa.
However, earlier this month the 41-year-old left Villa Park after less than a season after landing the top job at Loftus Road.
Villa moved quickly to replace him with Blackpool’s Neil Critchley and Beale is very much intent on taking the next step in his own coaching career.
Speaking at his unveiling he said he felt ‘over-cooked’ as a No.2 and was ready to make the step up.
“It is a big call,” said Beale.
“There have been other opportunities before but I have always stayed with the same management team and stayed loyal to that.
“I just felt it was the right time, after the huge experience I had up in Scotland and coming to the Midlands, I felt I was over-ready, I was over-cooked a bit as an assistant.
“Now is the time, before me and Steven fall out and before I overstep my job, it was time to start on my own.
“If I wasn’t working with someone who had the stature of Steven Gerrard and enjoyed the relationship I had with him, I would have been a manager probably before coming to Rangers.
“I took the choice to work with Steven and, while I was at Rangers, had five or six opportunities to move on, one or two in Scotland, back home and around Europe.
“I always rebuffed them because I was part of the project and plan at Rangers. I didn’t think it was finished.
“The reaction (from Gerrard to joining QPR) was fantastic.
“We have always communicated honestly the whole time we were together.
“His advice towards me was fantastic, it will stay between us.
“Steven is like my football brother, it is hard for me to have more respect for someone than I have for him.
“I have wanted to step out on my own, to feel that intensity and pressure myself, and that demand to be a headline number one.
“Now I have that opportunity. I turned down many chances before because I felt that where I was at and the people I was with were right.
“But this felt right from the beginning.
“I had a big influence on Steven and Gary’s (McAllister) ideas when we worked together, but now this is a Michael Beale team and it’s important you see slight differences in that.”
Beale insisted Villa are in a strong position to push on and challenge further up the Premier League next season.
“It’s in a fantastic place. It’s got great owners.
“They’re really backing it.
“It’s a really exciting time, you see the players that have come in,’’ he said.
Beale was quizzed about the potential of raiding Villa amid speculation that youngster Tim Iroegbunam was on his radar for a loan deal. Cameron Archer has also been touted with a potential switch to Loftus Road.
“I’m not guaranteed any favours from anyone,’’ smiled Beale.
“In football, everyone has to do what’s right for their young players. Villa have some very talented young players, so do the other clubs I’ve worked with.
“It’s important we have players who are invested in our future – so if players we look to bring in on loan, is there an option they can stay here longer term?
“QPR is not going to be a holding ground for other young players to develop.
“We will use the loan market if and when needed.”
Meanwhile, Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka scored and assisted in England Under-19s’ 2-0 win over Austria in their first game of the UEFA U19s European Championship.
The 18-year-old opened the scoring in the first half by converting inside the box, before making England’s second.
After passing three Austrian defenders, Chukwuemeka set up Tottenham’s Alfie Devine to score.
Chukwuemeka is yet to commit his future to Villa, despite being offered a new contract, and clubs in England and on the continent are monitoring the situation.
Reports claim Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund are interested, while Arsenal are also said to be keeping a close eye on developments.