HARRY Watling says it is a privilege to join new manager Michael Beale at Rangers as he settles into his new role in Glasgow.
The first-team development coach is excited for the future at Ibrox and insists ‘no stone will be left unturned’ as they prepare for their first Scottish Premiership fixture against Hibernian on December 15.
Watling sat down with RangersTV this week to discuss his role at the club, he said: “Working for a club as prestigious as Rangers is a massive privilege so I am really excited and looking forward to it.
“Straight away you see the level is high and the enthusiasm from the players since we have come in has been top. Their ability, their enthusiasm and their passion to practice has been great. Everyone has got a little bit of a skip in their step which is great to see so I am really looking forward to helping them improve and helping us win.
“My title is first-team development coach so I am here to help develop the individuals first and foremost. We have got a lot of exciting young players here that I want to help get into the first-team.
“The manager then wants me to focus on the defenders as a unit and then more specifically the full-backs and how we can help create and score goals from those areas. I’ll have a focus on the set pieces as well and I think we can certainly improve on that. I want to really help the team score more set plays but also stop it from going in the other end.
“It is a massive advantage that we know the manager very well and we know exactly what he wants. I also think there's a hidden advantage that there are a few players here who know the manager too. We have got to keep our feet on the ground and we have got to work incredibly hard to make sure that we leave no stone unturned in our preparation for the first game together.”
Starting coaching at a young age, Watling spent five-and-a-half years in Chelsea’s Academy before moving to Millwall for four seasons.
After a spell at West Ham, he made the move to America to become manager of Hartford Athletic before joining Michael Beale at Queen’s Park Rangers.
Looking back on his coaching journey so far, Watling feels the variety of his experiences can benefit him going forward in his role. He said: “I am fortunate enough to have worked with some top top players that are playing international football and Champions League football now.
“Having been a first-team coach, a manager, and an academy coach it gives me a good understanding of how I can help our younger players here at Rangers. I have already seen the work that is going on in the Academy here and I am excited to try and bridge the gap between first-team, B team and the Academy.
“Coming to a club as big as Rangers is a privilege because there's a lot of expectation but that is where you want to be as a coach, you want to work at the highest level where you are expected to win so I am delighted to be here.”
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