QPR football chief Les Ferdinand has explained hiring Michael Beale as new manager.

Beale moves to the Rs from his role as Aston Villa assistant manager.

With the club looking to develop players, play an entertaining style of football and also make QPR a success on the pitch, some 24 individuals were initially identified.

“I think the whole process was always going to be exhausting given how we want to take the club forward," Ferdinand told qpr.co.uk. “We looked at a lot of data and algorithms initially, taking into consideration how we like to play and who was the right person to take us forward.

“We have spoken to a number of excellent candidates, but we had to whittle them down to one and believe that we have the best individual that we spoke to in Michael.

“Twenty-odd candidates is a high volume of people to speak to, but this was a process driven by what we were looking for.

“In years gone by, we may have been contacted about speaking to certain managers, and interviewed them as a result. However, now, we identify who we're after and won't speak to anyone who isn't where we need to be as a result."

Ferdinand added: “Michael scored really highly in terms of all the data – then it was about myself, Lee [Hoos] and the owners speaking to the final six candidates, asking our own set of questions.

“You have to do your investigations and speak to people who have worked with Michael or seen Michael at work. The feedback was excellent, in terms of the type of coach he is and the way he goes about what he does – how much people have enjoyed working with him.

“It was important that any candidate had worked in a development background and knew what that was all about, while understanding how we work.

“The individual also needed first-team experience, which Michael has in abundance following spells with Steven Gerrard at both Glasgow Rangers and Aston Villa. They've had success but they also know how to progress players.

“We're not saying we want a team full of homegrown players – however nice that would be.

“You can have young players in a team, but the important question is, 'are they developing?' 'Is there a pathway for them to make it into the first team?'

“That's all we've ever spoken about. We're not unrealistic in that we think every player in our development teams are going to play in our first team. We know that's not the case.

“But you have to have a pathway. We were able to attract the likes of Ebere Eze, Ilias Chair and Chrissy Willock to QPR because they felt that there was a pathway at this football club to progress.

“Yes, they didn't come through our academy initially, but they came through the door because of what we're doing here. You've seen how Ebere has kicked on in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, for instance."

While Mark Warburton was given the title of manager upon his appointment in 2019, Beale is now head coach.

However, Ferdinand insists Beale's responsibilities and how the club now operate are exactly the same – with the change in title sought to clearly define the head coach's duties.

“Nothing has suddenly changed here," Ferdinand said. “Football has changed a lot through time and so has the terminology.

“People talk about a high, low or medium block. When I played the game, you defended high, you defended in the middle of the pitch or you defended deep! That's just the way talk has changed.

“A lot of clubs now have a director of football and a head coach. And what they want is for the head coach to concentrate on coaching, developing and picking the team.

“I never get involved in that or tell him which team to pick. That's his decision. We're here to support him."