Wolves search for a new manager hit another dead end on Thursday morning, after being rejected by QPR boss Michael Beale.
Rookie manager Beale, formerly Steven Gerard’s assistant at both Rangers and Aston Villa, has led the R’s to the top of the Championship table after 15 games - his first matches as a No.1. He emerged as Wolves first choice target this week, having been previously rejected by ex-Spain boss Julen Lopetegui and with club chiefs having cooled on a potential return for former boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
Wolves had no issue with Beale’s £1.2million release clause and had been impressed with his work at Loftus Road, as well as in previous jobs - including as an Under-23 coach at Brazilian club São Paulo. They viewed him as a progressive, exciting appointment, believing he could have a similar impact in the Premier League to now-Chelsea boss Graham Potter, despite his relative inexperience as a main man and believed a deal would be done to see him in place for the weekend fixture against Leicester on Sunday.
Speculation was rife on Wednesday that Beale would make the move to Molineux, but it didn’t disturb his QPR team as they saw off Cardiff City 3-0 to move top of the Championship.
Speaking after the game, Beale said: “I took the decision to turn my phone off because we had this game to concentrate on. If an offer comes in officially, you don’t have to take it. You have to weigh up everything. There are a lot of questions you need to get answers to.”
Asked about links with Wolves, Beale said: “I did come from the Premier League to work here. I do know that level. I felt over-ready for this job and I feel supremely confident in this job. It’s 100 per cent a dream of mine to manage in the Premier League. That’s not a secret.
"But it has to be the right opportunity, the right moment and the right club.”
Seemingly, that right moment is not now, and that right club is not the struggling Black Country side, with just two wins and five goals to their name in the Premier League this term.
It leaked on Thursday morning that Wolves had made an official approach to the London club to hold talks with Beale, but having held talks with QPR chiefs post-game on Wednesday, he was quick to reject their approach, as first revealed by The Telegraph, explaining his decision to stay put.
“Wolves is a fantastic football club and it was a real privilege to be asked to speak to them," said Beale. "But I didn’t think it was the right moment because I entered into an agreement here [at QPR].
“Integrity and loyalty are big things for me and if they are the values you live by you have to be strong. I have been all-in here and I have asked other people to be all-in so I can’t be the first person to run away from the ship."
Wolves have been looking for a replacement for Bruno Lage since sacking him on October 2 and have held talks with a number of candidates, including ex-Watford boss Rob Edwards and former Ajax and Lyon coach Peter Bosz.
