MICHAEL BEALE has opened up on the transfer process that saw defensive stalwart Connor Goldson arrive at Ibrox.
He explained how former Premier League defender Liam Rosenior first gave Rangers the heads up about Goldson's quality and availability.
Now Derby County assistant boss Rosenior played with the big defender at Brighton and believed he could be the ideal signing for Steven Gerrard's nascent project.
The Scouser had also watched the defender during one of his appearances as a pundit and responded positively to Beale's suggestion.
The rest, as they say, is history.
“When we recruited Connor it was via a conversation I had with a friend of mine who was playing with Connor at the time,” he said, speaking at his QPR unveiling.
“It was Liam Rosenior. We were on a course together. Liam asked if I’d seen this player at Brighton and said he was really good.
“I said I roughly knew him but not well enough to jump off a cliff right now. I went away and we spoke about it in-house and we all liked what we saw.
“I believe Steven had done a game for TV in which Connor had played, so there were a lot of little things that came back.
“We were delighted he came up and he’s done ever so well since.
“So Liam Rosenior was a scout then for Rangers. He’ll probably kill me for telling you that now!”
Goldson has had his ups and downs during a four-year stint at Rangers. However, his role at the heart of a defence that broke records in 2020/21 by conceding just 13 goals in the Premiership and performances in the Europa League knock-out stages last season outlines his quality and importance at Rangers.
Beale continued: “Connor has been fantastic. You’ve got to remember we recruited a player who wasn’t playing, who’d had a heart problem the year before and who has gone on to play literally 98 per cent of the games for Rangers afterwards.
”So when you’re going through that medical and the recruitment process, there will always be questions from the outside – from media and fans about why this guy hasn’t been playing football.
“But you have to trust your instincts and more often than not we got it right for the outlays we made.
“I also thought it was important that Connor re-signed as well because I think that he’s had a great time. He’s ridden the waves of Glasgow – the good and the bad, the ups and downs, the criticism and then the euphoria of doing well.
“He’s come out of it all as a real leader. I’m delighted for him and his family that they will be staying in Glasgow.”
