Beale would be ‘fantastic fit’ at Ibrox – Martindale

Livingston manager David Martindale believes Michael Beale would be a “fantastic fit” as the next Rangers boss.

The Ibrox club are on the hunt for a new manager after parting ways with Giovanni van B ron ck horst after just two wins from their last seven matches. Beale, currently manager of Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship, was a key part of Steven Gerrard’s backroom staff during the Liverpool legend’s time in Govan. He is the favourite to replace the Dutchman.

Martin dale, who played down his own chances of being the next rangers manager, believes Beale would be a shrewd appointment. He also suggested former Burnley boss Sean Dyche and possible managers currently plying their trade in Scotland.

"I think Sean Dyche would be a great fit," he said. “I don't even know if that is a remote possibility. I think there are scottish football who would be good options. Then I look at Michael. He knows the club, knows the players.

"I don't want to be disrespectful to QPR and I don't want to be disrespectful to Michael. Michael might not be wanting the job. Taking my Livingston hat off, bringing somebody to the club that knows the club, knows scottish football, knows British football, recruitment, he's been working in England, I think it would be a fantastic fit.

"We all talk about managers needing time. I don’t think you get time at the Old Firm. You've got to turn it around or show progression very quickly. If you have got experience of Scottish football I think that is a huge benefit for any manager coming in.”

He added :“I think the managerialqualities are there. is poke to Michael recently, not in the last week, and I also know players Michael has coached at Aston Villa and QPR. They all speak very highly of him and his coaching methods.

"He is only 21 games into management but he started incredibly well at QPR. He is an unbelievable coach and I can vouch for that because I know people who know him. He’s a nice guy and he was part of Steven Gerrard’s backroom team who were, in my opinion, hugely successful. He played a huge part in that and I think he would bring a lot of the qualities that Rangers are looking for.”

Martindale, November's Glen’s Premiership Manager of the Month, is of the view, going by his experiences, that a knowledge of both the British and Scottish game will stand a manager in a better stead and help deliver "instant success”.

"I think the players within Scottish football probably adapt to your training methods a lot better also," he said. “The probability of success when you hire someone with scottish football experience is probably a lot higher than outwith.

"That's not to say there are not some fantastic European managers out there, global managers, there probably is but that's just my mindset and how I work.”