Botafogo coach Luis Castro has played down speculation linking him with the Rangers job, telling The Athletic that he remains committed to his current employers in Brazil.
After reported interest in Kjetil Knutsen and Barak Bakhar, and following discussions with the 33-year-old Francesco Farioli, Rangers took the ‘better the devil you know’ approach to finding a new head coach; offering Steven Gerrard’s former assistant Mick Beale a turn in the Ibrox hotseat.
Beale signed a three-and-a-half year deal this week, leaving QPR after just a few months at the promotion-chasing Championship outfit.
There was never really any need, then, for Rangers to embark upon their contingency plan.
According to Goal, 61-year-old Castro had been identified by the Glasgow giants as a back-up option had Beale done to Rangers what he did to Wolves back in October.
Castro, however, insists that he was always unlikely to turn his back on Botafogo. He only signed a two-year deal with the South American giants back in May.
Mick Beale returns to Rangers following links with Botafogo coach Luis Castro
“(Speculation is) normal sometimes,” explains the former Porto, Al-Duhail and Vitoria Guimaraes coach, who won a Ukrainian league title with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2019/20.
“I was with Porto’s youth academy for seven years and coached in the Champions League, Europa League. We won titles in Europe, and in Asia. With Botafogo, we had a very interesting season for the first year of the project.
“So it’s normal that my name is associated with other clubs. But I am very focused on my commitment with Botafogo. That’s it.”
Castro does admit that his time at the Nilton Santos Stadium is likely to be short. The well-travelled tactician has never spent more than two years with the same club since beginning his management career before the Milennium.
“I don’t think I will be a coach who spends a lot of time at clubs,” Castro adds. “I’ll develop myself, I have a big range of objectives to achieve. I want to work in other regions of the world, so it’s normal I am in a rush.
“Because of my age as well, but with a professional conscience.”
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