Mick Beale pictured on the training pitch…in QPR colours

Here’s an image that few would have expected given the significant noise around Rangers moves to appoint a new manager and the liklihood of that candidate being Mick Beale.

QPR’s official Twitter account posted the picture with the accompanying image earlier this afternoon and as you can see, it includes their current head coach.

Some will look to read the body language of the players given the expectation that the fledgling manager will be making a return to Glasgow in the coming days.

Another interesting angle would be the motivation of the QPR admin to put out the picture of Beale with the squad, just what message are they aiming to portray here?

It is understood that this was a snapshot from Wednesday but those points above are still very relevant.

As we saw with the Connor Goldson contracts saga and also the timing of Gio van Bronckhorst’s departure in recent days, nothing is guaranteed even when the signals are pointing in a particular direction. There is a growing expectation that Rangers will get their preferred target in their former assistant manager, Michael Beale but it is not done until the official confirmation arrives.

There will be several talking points when the new manager is in place but the most important matter is getting down to business with the clock ticking down to the return to competitive action against Hibs on 15th December. That fixture starts a critical run of games, ahead of the January transfer window in which Rangers need to be involved.