Van Bronckhorst hits out at shameless Michael Beale for his ‘royal visit’ style Ibrox appearance

Giovanni van Bronckhorst knew that his time was up when Michael Beale made what was effectively a royal visit to Ibrox.

It had been thought that Beale had made the trip off his own back but it has now uncovered that he was invited as a guest of his former club.

With QPR losing at Birmingham City on a Friday night the obvious move for their manager to do would be to watch Norwich City, their midweek opponents in action but Beale decided to preen around Ibrox with pressure growing on Steven Gerrard’s successor.

Visiting The Grapes Bar and the Louden Tavern the QPR boss demonstrated his staunch credentials before watching the win over Aberdeen from the directors box.

In full view of photographers Beale was deep in discussion with Connor Goldson and other injured players while van Bronckhorst conjured up a vital win on the park.

Tonight, The Express reveals:

Gio van Bronckhorst knew the writing was on the wall at Rangers when Michael Beale very publicly appeared at Ibrox and mixed with supporters when the pressure was ramping up on him.

The natives were distinctly restless when Aberdeen came to Govan on October 29 after yet after chastening Champions League night in Naples had followed a desperate draw with Livingston which had come after a laboured League Cup win over Dundee.

And Scottish Express Sport can reveal that van Bronckhorst was bemused that Steven Gerrard’s right-hand man at Ibrox and Aston Villa who had been championed by some fans as his potential replacement was a five-star guest of the club.

Beale, whose QPR side lost at Birmingham the night before, then had a few beers in a well-known Rangers hostelry, mixing with fans who had just seen a 4-1 win over the Dons.

A source close to van Bronckhorst told Scottish Express Sport: “Gio was very disappointed when he found out that Michael Beale was a guest of the club at that game. It was too coincidental.

“He had a feeling then that things were slipping which he felt was unfair and unjustified. Of course, it now seems that Michael Beale will be taking over at Rangers. What a surprise.”

Since his visit to old friends at Ibrox Beale has watched QPR lose three times and draw once as they slip down the table with nine wins, five draws and eight defeats from their wonderful new manager.

By speaking out through ‘a source’ van Bronckhorst is clearly trying to derail Beale’s attempt to return to Ibrox as his successor.