A Detailed Look at the QPR "Revolution"

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An interesting summary of the last year for QPR, on and off the field. Interestingly another reference to a possible "problem" from former QPR Holdings Chairman, Antonio Caliendo

Ricky Brooks/Goal.com - 13/2008 The Queens Park Rangers Revolution

Ricky Brooks takes a look at the impending rise of Queens Park Rangers, who seem likely to return from obscurity now that they have the financial backing to do so...

Queens Park Rangers last played top-flight football in the 1995/1996 season. Since then the club has faced an uphill battle in trying to return to the Premiership even spending three years in Division Two (now known as League One). Rangers were promoted back to the Championship for the 04/05 season and although they finished 11th that year, have not come close to promotion since. Indeed it is in the bottom half of the table the club has usually found itself languishing. However, the future for Queens Park Rangers FC looks altogether very different; indeed it looks very promising…

At the beginning of September 2007 QPR announced that Flavio Briatore, Renault Formula One team principal, and Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One rights-holder, were to take over Queens Park Rangers Football Club. This takeover transformed the club from a mediocre Championship side with financial difficulties, to one of the wealthiest clubs in the world with Champions League ambitions. In December 2007 the club went from being one of the worlds wealthiest to perhaps the world’s richest football team when the Mittal family, reported to be worth around £20-30 Billion, bought 20 per-cent of the club.

Although the club had received huge financial backing, the takeover was not completed in time for then manager John Gregory to be able to invest before the August 31st transfer deadline and subsequently his contract was terminated in October following a 5-1 defeat to West Brom. Luigio De Canio was brought in as his successor at the end of the month, given a contract which ran until the end of the 2009/10 season. While De Canio spent around £5 Million in the January transfer window it seems that his guidance of the club to a 14th place finish was not enough to keep him at Loftus Road, even though the Hoops were in the relegation zone when he was installed.

Metamorphosis

There have certainly been plenty of transformations since the takeover of the club. During January 2008 Gianluca Vialli was linked with the managerial post. Not long ago Rangers fans would only dream about such high profiles being mentioned in the same breath as QPR, but now even legends like Vialli are perhaps small-fish for Queens Park Rangers. None other than Zinedine Zidane was touted as the possible next head coach in May while fellow former world player of the year Luis Figo was also mentioned as a possible Rangers recruit as a player. Neither rumour came to fruition but they are signs of the changes taking place for the club from West London. Supermodel Naomi Campbell and “It girl” Tamara Beckworth were in the stands in October 2007 and in March 2008 Ramón Calderón (the president of Real Madrid), and Nii Tackie Tawiah III (the King of Ghana’s Ga people) were also spotted.

The arrival of Briatore, Ecclestone and Mittal has allowed the club to secure sound financial partnerships. In March 2008 the club signed its most lucrative sponsorship deal to date with Lotto, reportedly worth up to £20 Million over five years. A two-year agreement with Abbey, part of the Santander Group, was signed in June 08 followed by the announcement of a three-year deal with Gulf Air as the club’s shirt sponsor in July. It seems that the new owners really do mean business and that no stone has been left unturned. Improvements to the stadium are underway and the training ground has received new caterers. Should QPR gain promotion to the Premiership there is reportedly a deal in place with Real Madrid to allow their youth team players and reserves come to London on loan.

To officially mark the start of the new era, ahead of the new owners’ first full-season in charge, the club unveiled a new badge on the 4th May 2008. While many changes have been made to the club off the pitch, it is on the pitch matters that fans are most concerned with. Iain Dowie has been appointed as manager ahead of the 08/09 season on a two-year deal during which time he will no doubt be expected to be challenging for promotion. After finishing 14th last season the club still has some way to go if it is going to achieve its’ goals. Plenty of comings and goings have already taken place but does the club really have what it takes to reach the Premier League yet?

Signings

Akos Buzsaky was the biggest signing made last season and if he and Martin Rowlands can keep themselves fit they will no doubt provide plenty of goals from midfield. Radek Cerny and Peter Ramage, signed on free-transfers from Tottenham and Newcastle respectively, should turn out to be very good pieces of business given their Premiership experience. However, the R’s will certainly need more signings if they are to mount a serious challenge. Question marks will be raised in relation to the R’s only other signings so far this summer, relative unknown youngsters Matteo Alberti (free transfer from Chievo), Emmanuel Jorge Ledesma (on loan from Genoa) and Samuel Di Carmine (on loan from Fiorentina). These boys may well turn out to be superstars of the future but English football has witnessed many class acts turn out to be flops - Juan Sebastian Veron springs to mind as just one.

Rangers have been installed as favourites by bookmakers to win the championship outright this season (6/1 on Coral, Ladbrokes, William Hill and Skybet) but with the Championship becoming ever more competitive year after year (unlike the Premiership) the Hoops will certainly need to plough some of their coffers into the transfer market. While promotion is certainly not out of reach for QPR, with the likes of Birmingham, Reading, Derby, Wolves, Watford (probably 20 out of the 24 clubs in the division) pushing for at least a playoff place Rangers have plenty of work to do if they are to be there or thereabouts.

There might have been fears amongst some fans when Briatore and Ecclestone took over at QPR, especially with Ecclestone reportedly claiming that “If there was a football match with the best players in the world taking place in my back garden, I probably wouldn't even open the door to have a look.” However, the Mittal family’s investment, the subsequent sponsorship deals, the changing of the club badge and the investment in the stadium and playing staff to date all seem to indicate that the new owners are in for the long haul.
Still, there have been reports that Briatore and Ecclestone might face a challenge to their ownership from Antonio Caliendo, the former chairman, as he has not yet received payment for his shares in the club. With the cash floating around Loftus Road it seems highly unlikely that this should pose too much of a threat. Indeed, with a little more money splashed out on new signings Queens Park Rangers could very much be heading for the Premiership, and maybe even the Champions League. (Goal.com)