Latest news with #Watling
The National
4 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Former Rangers coach reacts to 'amazing' Ibrox return
Watling had been appointed as a first-team development coach at Rangers, following Beale in joining the club from Queens Park Rangers in 2022. The former Hartford Athletic boss worked alongside assistant coaches Damian Matthew and Neil Banfield, as well as head of performance Jack Ade, during his time in Glasgow. Watling left Rangers when Beale was dismissed in October 2023 after ten months in the job. Read more: He returned to Govan over the weekend with Middlesbrough, having recently been appointed to Rob Edwards' backroom team. The sides played out a 2-2 draw, and post-match, Watling reflected on Instagram. He said: "It was amazing to go back to Ibrox for the first time again. "A huge shoutout to the 8,000 Middlesbrough fans who made it electric. "So nice to see some old faces, too, from staff to players. Thank you to everyone for making it such a warm welcome back. "Excited to begin another season." Boro finished 10th in the English Championship last season, four points off a play-off spot.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Rangers coach reflects on ‘amazing' return to club as he's spotted back at Ibrox for first time since sacking
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE brand new era at Rangers is well and truly up and running now. But a prominent figure from the Light Blues' recent past has been spotted back at Ibrox for the first time since his exit. 3 Harry Watling (left) was part of Michael Beale's Rangers coaching staff Credit: Willie Vass 3 Watling with Rangers star Findlay Curtis Credit: Willie Vass 3 He's now working under Rob Edwards at Middlesbrough Credit: PA Having seen-off Panathinaikos in last Tuesday's crunch opening Champions League qualifier, Rangers were back in friendly action on Saturday. Russell Martin's side welcomed English Championship outfit Middlesbrough to Govan for their final friendly clash of the summer. The Gers boss was able to give a number of squad players minutes but they failed to really stake a claim as they fell 2-0 down. Goals from Danilo and Findlay Curtis levelled things up as the entertaining clash finished 2-2. It's a new era for Boro too with Rob Edwards now in charge. The former Luton boss, whose name was linked to the Rangers vacancy at one point in time, has replaced Michael Carrick as boss. Alongside Edwards in the dugout at Ibrox on Saturday was a familiar face. Harry Watling previously worked as first team coach at Rangers and is now an assistant at Boro. Watling, 35, was a key part of Michael Beale's staff at the Light Blues during his rather ill-fated spell as boss. He'd previously worked with him at QPR. Russell Martin opens up after he got sent off by John Beaton in pre-season friendly vs 'Boro When Beale was sacked as manager in October 2023, his entire coaching staff was also dismissed, including Watling. That decision came after a horror start to the 2023/24 season. After leaving Ibrox, Watling landed the managerial role at Ebbsfleet United in September in 2024 but departed after only three months after one win in 13. He returned to football last month when he landed the key role alongside Edwards at Boro. Saturday's friendly clash offered Watling the first chance to return to Ibrox since his dismissal. And it's fair to say he enjoyed it. On Instagram, Watling said: "It was amazing to go back to Ibrox for the first time again yesterday. "A huge shout-out to the 8,000 @theboroofficial fans who made it electric. "So nice to see some old faces too from staff to players. "Thank you to everyone for making it such a warm welcome back. "Excited to begin another huge season." Middlesbrough face local rivals Hartlepool away from home in a friendly this Wednesday before taking on Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna at home on Saturday. The real stuff starts for them the following weekend with a home clash against Swansea to open the Championship season. For Rangers, the real stuff has of course already started. The Gers head to Athens to take on Panathinaikos in the second leg of their Champions League second round qualifier on Wednesday. Then on Saturday, the Scottish Premiership gets underway as the Gers head to Motherwell in the evening TV game. Have YOU got a point for Kris Boyd? Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah chew over the big talking points each week SOMETHING you've just got to get off your chest from the weekend action? A burning Scottish football talking point you can't wait to bring up with Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah? SunSport's GoBallistic show wants to hear from you! So why not help set the Scottish football agenda for the week ahead! Have your say on the game's big topics by emailing us on: GoBallistic@ It's YOUR turn to Go Ballistic! Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The National
7 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Ex-Ibrox coach set for Rangers reunion at Middlesbrough match
The coach, who worked under Michael Beale at [[Rangers]], is now part of the coaching staff at Middlesbrough. The English Championship club travel to Scotland for a pre-season fixture tomorrow, with Watling to be in Glasgow as part of Rob Edwards' backroom team. Harry Watling is also set to form a key part of Rob Edwards' backroom staff 🤝 Here's a factfile on him 📰👇 — Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) June 24, 2025 Watling had been appointed as a first-team development coach at Rangers as he followed Beale in joining the club from Queens Park Rangers. The former Hartford Athletic boss worked alongside assistant coaches Damian Matthew and Neil Banfield, as well as head of performance Jack Ad,e during his time in Glasgow. The coach left Rangers when Beale was dismissed in October 2023 after ten months in the job. Read more: After his Ibrox exit, Watling was appointed manager of National League side Ebbsfleet United. However, he would only spend three months at the club as he left the role by mutual consent after recording just one win in 13 matches. Reflecting on his time at the club, in an exclusive interview with The Rangers Review, Watling said: 'The club really gets you, it's a privilege to work there. And I look back on it with real pride. "Obviously, we'll go into some details about what happened and what didn't happen, but I look back at [working for the club] with great pride. "I was always a fan from a distance of the football club, but when you come up and invest so much into it, it just gets you. It's 24/7 and it just gets you.'
Scottish Sun
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Forgotten ex-Rangers coach lands plum gig at historic EFL club after six months unemployed and he'll be BACK at Ibrox
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HE was a key member of the Rangers backroom staff under Michael Beale. But he has spent the last six months unemployed after leaving his previous job just three months into his tenure. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 1 Harry Watling during his time at Rangers Credit: Kenny Ramsay When he was named first team coach at Gers, the man in question had not long become one of the youngest British coaches to land both the Uefa A and Pro licences. So it was seen as a coup when Harry Watling agreed to follow Michael Beale from Queens Park Rangers to Ibrox in 2023. Watling had been by Beale's side during the Londoner's own first gig in management at Loftus Road. He previously coached in the academies at Chelsea, Millwall and West Ham, before taking on a first team role under Beale at QPR in 2022. Watling was also the youngest head coach in US professional soccer when he took over at Hartford Athletic for a short spell between 2021 and 2022. He continued to break records even when he headed back to England, becoming the youngest gaffer in the division he entered. Watling landed his first managerial post in September last year when he took over at Ebbsleet United, then-bottom of the National League. But he departed in December after his side went on a horror run of form, with the club still rooted to the foot of the table at the time. He has spent the last six months out of football but has now returned to the game with Championship side Middlesbrough. The 35-year-old has been added to new boss Rob Edwards' coaching staff, with Edwards having replaced former Manchester United star Michael Carrick at the Riverside. New Rangers chiefs Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe's first interview Of course, Rangers will face Boro in a pre-season friendly at Ibrox next month. A 'Get to Know' section on the club's website offers a rundown of Watling's career to date, including his stint at Gers. It reads: "Harry Watling will form a key part of Rob Edwards' Boro backroom staff. "With experience as a coach and manager at various levels, here is the lowdown on the 35-year-old… Harry's coaching journey began at the age of just 15. He quickly obtained his badges, including the UEFA B Licence aged 18 He joined Chelsea as a development centre coach aged 19, and later progressed to work within the club's Academy After five years at Chelsea, Harry was with Millwall from 2014 to 2018, coaching the Under-15s and U16s He spent time in a similar role at West Ham United before becoming head coach of Hartford Athletic in the United States in 2020 While with the USL Championship club – one tier below MLS – Hartford set records for most goals, points and clean sheets in their history He resigned from his role in June 2022 to return to England for family reasons A month later, he was appointed first-team development coach with Queens Park Rangers, who started the 2022/23 campaign in fine form The coaching staff, including Harry, moved to Rangers in November 2022, where they remained until October 2023 Harry was appointed manager of National League club Ebbsfleet United in September 2024, and departed by mutual consent later that year He now returns to football as part of Rob Edwards' coaching staff." Middlesbrough will have aspiration of trying to win promotion to the Premier League this coming year, having narrowly missed out on the play-offs in the season just gone. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The Herald Scotland
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Ex-Rangers coach gets key English Championship job
Harry Watling has been appointed, alongside Adi Viveash, as Middlesbrough's new first-team coaches. Rob Edwards has drafted in Watling to work alongside him after he joined the Riverside club on a three-year deal. Watling worked at Ibrox during Michael Beale's tenure. He previously worked for Chelsea and West Ham. Watling will be in the Boro dugout as the English side make the trip to Glasgow to play Russell Martin's side on Saturday, July 26. Read more: 'It's a real privilege to be given the opportunity to be head coach of this great football club,' said Edwards. 'It's something that's not lost on me, how big this is, how important this is, and what it means to people. There is an amazing fanbase. 'It felt instantly that this was right for me, and it got me excited. If I was going to come back in, I wanted to come back in at a place where we had a chance, and we have a really good chance here. 'We have a brilliant owner who historically gives his coaches time, support, and the tools needed to try and be successful. I can't wait to get started now.'
