Wolves managerial hunt looks set to continue after QPR boss Michael Beale reportedly rejects role (Image: GETTY)
Wolves' managerial hunt looks set to continue after QPR boss Michael Beale reportedly turned down the role. The former 42-year-old had emerged as the club's top target for the vacant position yesterday but it now appears he will stay with the R's, who have enjoyed an excellent start to the Championship season.
Wolves have been on the lookout for a new manager since October 3rd after taking the decision to sack Bruno Lage following a poor start to the Premier League campaign. Julen Lopetegui, Peter Bosz and former boss Nuno Espirito Santo had been previously linked but it had appeared on Wednesday that they had settled on Beale as their top target.
However, The Telegraph have now reported that the former Rangers and Aston Villa assistant manager has turned down the role in order to stay at his current club. Beale is only 15 games into his tenure at QPR but he has started excellently, with the Hoops topping the Championship after 15 matches.
Furthermore, his departure from Villa Park is seen as a major reason why the Birmingham side have struggled this season, with the 42-year-old tipped to be the brains behind Steven Gerrard's original operation.
He is said to have a compensation clause of £1.2million written into his contract - a clause Wolves would have had no problem with meeting. Yet the club's owners will now be forced back to the drawing board and forced to consider other targets.
Wolves target Michael Beale has decided to stay at QPR (Image: GETTY)
The club are believed to have two shortlists for the appointment, one made up of domestic managers while the others are from abroad. And it remains to be seen who they will turn to next. In the meantime, caretaker boss Steve Davis will continue to take charge of the side with his first task to rectify the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in mid-week.
Former boss Nuno was heavily linked with the vacancy last week but it no longer appears that he is in the running, while former Real Madrid and Spain coach Lopetegui turned down the club's advances.
Ex-Villarreal, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao boss Marcelino is also understood to have rejected the chance to speak to Wolves as he sets his sights on the Spain job later in the year when Luis Enrique's contract expires in December.
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Wolves have been on the lookout for a new manager since Bruno Lage was sacked on October 3rd (Image: GETTY)
Wolves currently linger in the relegation zone having fallen into the bottom three after Southampton's win over Bournemouth last night. The need for a new boss is therefore increasingly pressing as they look to maintain their place in the top flight. However, they could yet wait a few more weeks with the impending break for the World Cup offering any incoming manager a better chance to get to know their players.
It remains to be seen how the Wolves board will react to their current set-back, but it looks increasingly likely that a change in approach could be required.