Forgotten ex-Rangers coach lands plum gig at historic EFL club after six months unemployed and he'll be BACK at Ibrox
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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.
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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.
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