Michael Beale was convinced to stay at QPR despite the lure of the Premier League following an offer by Wolves.

However, Les Ferdinand knew there was only going to be one outcome when Rangers came calling a matter of weeks later.

In October 2022, a matter of months into his first job in management, Beale was approached by Wolves to become their new head coach.

Of course, the chance to manage in the self-proclaimed greatest league in the world is one thing, but the money is another.

QPR's director of football Ferdinand managed to talk Beale into staying at Loftus Road. 

But that didn't come without a warning to the Londoner, as the ex-England striker told him bluntly not to lie to him over what he knew of Wolves' interest.

Eventually Beale's head was turned as the lure of Rangers was enough to take him away from London and back to Glasgow, where he served as first team coach under Steven Gerrard previously.

Ferdinand holds no grudges over his move, as he insists he knew the 43-year-old would not be able to resist his beloved Rangers.

Ferdinand told the Overlap: "I think there were a lot of clubs that had looked at Michael, but didn't take the chance because he hadn't been a number one. He came through the door at QPR and all of a sudden everyone was going: 'Oh wow, this is what we thought he could be'.

"Then Wolves came in on the day we were playing Hull at home. I spoke to the CEO, he called me and said: 'Can you believe they've called on a matchday?' So I said: 'No problem.' After the game, I go down and said to Michael: 'We need to say something here because this is going to be in the press tomorrow'.

"So he goes: 'Listen, I didn't know it was happening today'. I said to him: 'Mike, if you want you and me to carry on being friends, don't lie to me. I've not lied to you the whole time you've been at this football club'. He said: 'Well look, I knew they were coming in but I didn't think it was going to be today'.

"I asked him what he wanted to do. I said: 'I'm the director of football at QPR and I don't want you to leave this football club. Where we're going, there's no chance I want you to leave'.

"I had my QPR blazer on so I took it off and threw it to the side. I said: 'Now, I'm Les Ferdinand talking to you. You've got to do the best thing for you and your family'. He said to me: 'Now that you've done that, you've taken the badge out of play and talked to me like a human being, I can't leave this football club'.

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"Obviously, he was being offered Premier League wages. He asked if there was any way we could change the structure. So I went to the owners and they were willing to change the structure for him. And then Rangers came in... To be honest with you, when he came to the football club - and we've all been at football clubs that we've enjoyed, I had fond, fond memories of Newcastle - Michael has fond memories of Rangers Football Club.

"Whenever he spoke about any of the clubs he'd been at, Rangers was the one he always spoke about with the most fondness. I said to the owners: 'If we're going to lose Michael Beale between now and a year or two time, I think it might be to Rangers. I think that's the only club'.

"Unbeknown they were going to come in, and they soon did. I think the appeal of what had happened and him thinking 'This might never come around again'. You know what it's like, someone comes to you and says 'I'm interested in this', you know their head and their heart is somewhere else."