First-team coach Bircham to leave QPR

Marc Bircham is set to leave QPR after reaching a financial settlement with the club.

The former R’s midfielder, 40, will amicably move on following the recent appointment of John Eustace as Steve McClaren’s assistant.

Rangers’ owners indicated to Bircham that they wanted him to stay at the club.

However, McClaren is keen to bring in more new faces following the arrival of Eustace.

It left Bircham, who has been first-team coach since Ian Holloway returned in November 2016 for a second spell as Rangers manager, effectively facing a demotion if he remained at Loftus Road.

Bircham made 167 appearances for Rangers and had spells as youth coach and Under-21 boss.

He is well liked by the club’s owners, who believe he played a major role in the emergence of several youngsters last season under Holloway, who was sacked two weeks ago and replaced by McClaren.

But Bircham has ambitions to be a manager and, having had a significant input under Holloway, did not want a reduced role.