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Day II of the QPR-Mark Hughes Negotiations....All the newspapers...Big Money (for QPR) on Transfers, with various player names coming up. So we'll see
Tony Fernandes Tweets this morning: "Yes I am sure we will be announcing new QPR manager today."
- - Convicted former QPR Director, Kevin Steele, appeals for Leniency
- From Wilkins to Warnock: Past QPR Announcements of Managers Appointed - and Axed
- Q&A With Jamie Cureton
- Eric Cantona Wants to Run for President...of France!
Neil Warnocks column - The Independent
Getting the sack is a fact of life in football management and I should know. I've now been fired by Burton Albion, Notts County, Plymouth Argyle, Oldham Athletic and Queen's Park Rangers. They say it is a results business. It is, but only up to a point. At three of those clubs, including QPR, I'd won promotion.
The problem with that is it raises expectations that a club isn't always geared up to meet. At QPR we probably went up a year too early. In March 2010, when I arrived, we were fighting relegation to League One. By May 2011 we were celebrating promotion to the Premier League after winning the Championship.
Unfortunately, because of the uncertainty over the ownership, we were not able to get into in the transfer market early enough or well enough to build on that in the summer. The bulk of my squad is last year's team – several of them were in the side that nearly went down. When the new owners arrived in the third week of August they told me my remit was to get some players signed in a rush before the deadline, then get to the new year with QPR outside the bottom three. We could then bring in three or four players in the January window.
I feel I have kept to that. We have not been in the bottom three all season. When I look at how managers at other clubs in the Premier League have been given unequivocal support by their board it is an understatement to say I am very disappointed.
We knew we had a tough run of fixtures – we've played Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal in the last six matches – but there were winnable games coming up and I feel we had been playing well enough to win them. Look at our last three League matches. We played very well at Swansea, dominating the second half, held our own at Arsenal, and were leading Norwich. But you can't legislate for Shaun Wright-Phillips giving the ball straight to Arshavin with half an hour left, or Joey Barton getting sent off. A few more points and we'd be mid-table, which is where I feel our football deserves us to be.
While I accept the owner's decision, I do feel if there were more people at the club in positions of power with experience in the game they would have understood how well we have done in the circumstances, and they would've realised that once we brought in the players I had identified there would have been no problem securing a Premier League future.
But no doubt the chairman has had a string of agents in touch telling them their man could do a better job. It looks like it might be Mark Hughes, though I heard around Christmas they were thinking of Zola and Wilkins. Will a new manager make a difference? Not as much as new players will. If you haven't got the players you can't win games, that's another fact of life in football management. I just wish I had the chance to bring in the ones I wanted, both in the summer, and this month. Independent
- Year Flashback: Warnock on Little Money Spent on Transfers
Ron Bagchi/Guardian
QPR's Tony Fernandes leads the way with Twitter debate on Neil Warnock
The Premier League club owner is the first of his kind to debate with fans over a manager's sacking on the microblogging site
Tony Fernandes, the Queens Park Rangers chairman, is not the first Premier League club owner to take to Twitter to communicate with supporters РLiverpool's John W Henry is another stalwart of the 140-character communiqu̩ Рbut he is the first to enter into a debate on the microblogging site with fans over the sacking of a manager, following his decision to dismiss Neil Warnock on Sunday evening.
Clive Whittingham, who runs the Loft for Words blog and forum, said that Fernandes's willingness to engage is a welcome development even if he understands those who disagree with the decision. "The previous board kept us in the dark," he said, "on all issues including ticket price hikes. Flavio Briatore once famously said that he didn't care what people who paid £20 to come to matches thought and he ignored all feedback. Fernandes is the exact opposite and that has to be a good thing. Sometimes we might wish that he and Joey Barton would bite their tongues before going on Twitter but we can hardly condemn him for addressing points raised by fans and engaging with them."
Many of the chairman's correspondents touched on the subject of the club's display of ingratitude to Warnock, the manager who took QPR back into the Premier League in his first full season in charge, after a 15-year exile. "I understand but QPR fans remember the past and it has been painful. Neil allowed us our dream of Prem football so we are gutted right now," wrote @katiehind, summing up the views of those feeling sympathy for Warnock.
Others suggested a degree of hypocrisy, given that the club had executed something of a volte face and as recently as Saturday Fernandes had retweeted the observation after the draw with MK Dons: "People need to stand down from full panic mode cool heads needed more then ever."
Whittingham makes an interesting point about the timing. "Eight of our last 10 games are against clubs in the top eight and we play Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea away. If we don't have enough points after the Bolton match on 10 March, we're not realistically going to stay up. So if they were going to sack Warnock, it makes sense to do it now because there would be no point and little chance of seeing off relegation if they hung on for a few more games, then did it later."
Fernandes began to tweet on the subject a few minutes after the announcement had been made on QPR's website. "Very very hard decision," he wrote and, not for the last time, needing the overspill function to satisfy the length of his responses. "I will continue to be open and as transparent as I can. The board and myself had to put the club first and the future. We had to think of the future of the club. I appeal to all fans to give us time and understand the future."
After some supporters carried on the defence of Warnock using the hashtags #clueless, #idiot and #cock to describe the decision and the man who made it, Fernandes replied: "Trust me in my 47 years of life I have never had to make such a tough decision. But I got to do what I think what's right. Its tough being a leader. But decisions have to be made for the club which in the short time I have grown to love ever so much."
His stance divided opinion, one tweeter claiming she was close to throwing in the towel with Rangers, others professing love and subscribing to the view that avoiding relegation was the only priority and that Warnock's sacking, therefore, was "the right call".
"I thank you," wrote Fernandes. "Its a nightmare for me. But I take the good with the bad and continue to be open to all QPR fans."
If his first series of tweets dwelt on the buzzword "future", the latter ones made much of his view that the club was being "open and transparent".
"We have been open and transparent and soon the future will be unveiled and what we are trying to achieve," he wrote. "Was not knee jerked. But premier league can make or break you in weeks. I understand your feelings."
There was praise, too, for Warnock: "There is no doubt neil was a good man. A great man. I and the board had to do what we felt was good for the club."
Later on there was a plea for understanding that "leaders" had sometimes had to make unpalatable choices: "Not expecting all to be pleased but as a leader I have to make decisions. Indecision will kill everything. Time will tell if its the right decision."
Discovering a theme he could run with he continued: "Long long day. You live or die by your decisions. Neil warnock is a legend for what he's done at QPR. I thank him. We move on. You never know if a decision is right or wrong. Only time will tell. But decisions have to be made for all. Onwards and upwards."
And with a final flourish, insisting his only motive was "putting QPR first", he excused himself to focus on a "big meeting with our customer service heads" and, although he presumably meant Air Asia's, he could be forgiven for thinking he had a lesson to teach them from Sunday's dialogue with Rangers' fans. Guardian
Hughes to join QPR today with Samba top target with £20m kitty
By SAMI MOKBEL
Mark Hughes is expected to be unveiled as the new QPR boss today - after being offered a £20million transfer kitty by Tony Fernandes to keep QPR in the Premier League.
Sportsmail revealed how Hughes has already been offered the job as Neil Warnock’s replacement.
On Tuesday morning, Fernandes tweeted: 'Yes I am sure we will be announcing new QPR manager today.'
The former Manchester City and Fulham boss, accompanied by his adviser Kia Joorabchian, was at Loftus Road on Monday to talk about his return to London with QPR chief executive Phil Beard.
Familiar face: Mark Hughes, who is expected to be named as the new QPR boss this week, took Christopher Samba to Blackburn from Hertha Berlin in 2007
Later Hughes said: ‘I’m pleased with how it’s gone but nothing’s confirmed. We have to discuss a number of things but it went well. I’m an ambitious manager and hopefully the next club I’m at can match those ambitions. We’re still discussing the ideas that the club have and I’ve got to think very carefully about what’s been said.
‘It’s interesting what everyone here has had to say. It’s an interesting project.’
Hughes is expected to be confirmed as the new boss by Friday, with his first game in charge against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Sunday.
And the ex-Manchester United striker has told co-owners Amit Bhatia and Fernandes that Blackburn defender Chris Samba is his key target.
Wielding the axe: Tony Fernandes (right) moved swiftly to sack Neil Warnock, who took the Hoops to the Premier League
Hughes was responsible for bringing Samba to England, signing the Congo centre half when he was Rovers boss in 2007.
Sportsmail exclusively revealed on Boxing Day that Samba was on Warnock’s hitlist and QPR’s £5m offer was rejected last week. They face competition from Tottenham.
With injury concerns over both Ledley King and William Gallas, Spurs have put central defender Samba at the top of their list. Harry Redknapp is aware of Hughes’s interest and the White Hart Lane manager will table a £7m bid in a bid to get his man.
Samba is keen to leave Ewood Park and a move to Champions League-chasing Spurs would be favourable to the 27-year-old.
But Hughes hopes his relationship with the player will change his mind.
He will also press ahead with the club’s plan to sign Manchester City misift Wayne Bridge — a player he bought as City boss from Chelsea. Another defender, Chelsea’s Alex, is set to join Rangers in a £3m move.
Target: City outcast Wayne Bridge (right) - who commands a £90,000-per-week wage - spent the latter half of last season on loan at West Ham
Fulham striker Andy Johnson is also being considered by the ex-Craven Cottage boss. QPR’s £1.5m bid was rejected last week, but Johnson is determined to move.
Chelsea’s superstar striker Didier Drogba has also been mentioned. The 33-year-old has only six months left on his Chelsea contract and Fernandes has indicated that he is willing to stretch the budget by perhaps another £5m for a marquee name.
Lofty ambtions: Fernandes would love to bring Drogba to Loftus Road as a marquee signing
Such deals, and Malaysian businessman Fernandes’ global vision for the club, is understood to be vital in persuading Hughes that QPR is the right move.
Key to that vision is Fernandes’ interest in the Dairy Crest site in White City, as QPR look to relocate to a new stadium. Mail
MIRROR
Mirror
Draws! Santa Cruz! Shouts of Leslie! Top 10 things QPR fans can expect under Mark Hughes
By Dan Silver in Football Banter
Published 16:57 09/01/12
Recommend
cruz.jpg
Mark Hughes was at Loftus Road on Monday to discuss becoming QPR's new boss, apparently beating off a bid for the job from - my word! - Ray Wilkins.
Hughes arrives for QPR talks
Wilkins wants QPR job
But what should fans expect if and Sparky is named Hoops gaffer? MirrorFootball has the answers:
1) Handshakes (or lack thereof):
Sparky was a feisty little so-and-so on the pitch and his temperament clearly hasn't changed much off of it. Rival managers can't do 'afters' on the touchline, of course, but Hughes has certainly had his fair share of post-match handshake wars instead. In 2009, Arsene Wenger snubbed him after Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-0 in a Carling Cup tie at Eastlands.
Then, in February 2011, Roberto Mancini - Hughes' replacement at City, of course - rubbed the Welshman up the wrong way by not looking him in the eye following Fulham's 1-1 draw in Manchester. In both cases Hughes railed at the lack of respect shown by his opposite numbers. "I am old-fashioned," he harrumphed.
Which is presumably why HE failed to shake Stoke boss Tony Pulis' hand following a bad tempered Carling Cup in December 2010 tie that saw Fulham striker Moussa Dembele depart the Britannia on crutches...
2) Semi-finals
Sparky's Cup record to date has been pretty decent - as long as you don't mind not actually making it as far as the final.
At Blackburn, he achieved three semis in three years (quiet at the back...): the FA Cup in 2004-05; Carling Cup in 2005-06; and then the FA Cup again in 2006-07. All were lost to 'top four opposition' (Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea respectively).
He also took Manchester City to the Carling Cup semi-finals in 2009-10, but didn't get to lose to Manchester United in person as he was replaced by Roberto Mancini a few days before the first leg.
Still, there's always fifth time lucky, eh?
3) Eye-watering transfer fees
Those who thought Neil Warnock had spent a fair bit of money since Tony Fernandes arrived at Loftus Road might struggle to cope under the Hughes regime.
Admittedly he was playing with the footballing equivalent of Monopoly money at Manchester City, but he still sanctioned paying an eye-watering £24million for workaday defender Joleon Lescott.
In comparison, the money spunked on Emmanuel Adebayor (£25million), Kolo Toure (£16million), Roque Santa Cruz (£17.5million) and Gareth Barry (£12million) seemed positively great value for money. But not the £32million handed over for Robinho.
4) Old Blackburn players
Nobody could accuse Hughes of lacking loyalty. Well, nobody who isn't a Fulham fan at any rate. No, he loves his players so much that he regularly tries to sign them again as soon as he pitches up at a new club.
Both Craig Bellamy and Roque Santa Cruz accompanied Hughes on the journey from Ewood Park to Eastlands, and he tried to sign them both again while at Fulham.
With Santa Cruz and Wayne Bridge out in the cold at Eastlands, the time could be right for another reunion.
5) Draws
In recent years, Hughes has morphed from a winning manager into a drawing manager. Let's hope his downward spiral stops there, or QPR fans are heading for another season in the Championship.
He first contracted the disease at Eastlands, where a streak of seven consecutive league draws went some way towards him being shown the door.
Undeterred, Sparky took that form on to Fulham, where he took one point from the first six of his seven games in charge. His record at the Cottage stands at P43 W14 L14 D16, which should ensure QPR are popular with those that play the fixed-odds coupons if nothing else.
6) Players played out of position
Manchester City's amazing success under Roberto Mancini was down in no small part to the performances of Vincent Kompany, a Hughes signing. Although most of the credit he might want to claim is negated somewhat by the fact Sparky played the brilliant Belgian as a defensive midfielder.
It was only when Mancini moved the £6million capture from Hamburg into the back four that everything clicked.
7) Mark Bowen
A fiercely proud son of Glyndwr, Hughes won 72 caps as a player for Wales and then went on to manage the national team for 41 games too.
As such, you can understand why he'd want to surround himself with Welshmen wherever he went. Hughes signed countrymen Robbie Savage and Bellamy while at Blackburn, and took keen golfer Bellamy with him to Manchester City afterwards.
His most treasured friend from the valleys, though, is Mark Bowen. The former Norwich defender first worked under Hughes in the national set-up, and has dutifully followed him around like a Llanelli llapdog ever since.
Presumably there's already a warm seat in the QPR dug-out with Bowen's name on it.
8) "Leslie!"
Should you hear opposition fans shouting out the name 'Leslie!' in a rather effeminate manner next season, don't worry: it's not because former Blue Peter presenters John ... or ... Judd are in the ground, but rather because that is Hughes' proper given name.
As fans of Manchester City and Bolton take great pleasure in incessantly reminding him whenever he rolls into town.
9) Kia Joorabchian
Hughes shipped up at Loftus Road with his lovable Iranian advisor in tow, delighting all those who recognise Joorabchian's outstanding contributions to football over the years - from third-party ownership to Carlos Tevez transfer requests. No surprise, really, after Hughes' memorable Sky Sports performance in which he became virtually the only man in football to defend Tevez for his antics in Munich.
The former car dealer has been tight with Sparky since his City spell, but the Bayern bench affair and its aftermath has surely burned Kia's bridges at Eastlands. So Hoops fans might expect plenty of transfer activity involving some of the 60-odd players to whom Joorabchian allegedly owns the economic rights.
10) Slapstick comedy
When not getting into handshake-related rows, Hughes can often be seen exhibiting his love of free dance, as this clip from his time at Manchester City proves.
And should it all go wrong on the Villa Park pitch, then at least a post-football career on Strictly Come Dancing could be in the offing. Mirror
GUARDIAN
Mark Hughes's marriage of convenience at QPR offers way in from cold
Former Manchester City manager needs Queens Park Rangers job to put him back on the football map
reddit this
Dominic Fifield
Dominic Fifield
guardian.co.uk, Monday 9 January 2012 14.48 EST
Article history
Mark Hughes has been in the wilderness
Mark Hughes has been in the football wilderness since leaving Fulham suddenly in June last year. Photograph: Phil Cole/Getty Images
Mark Hughes had always spied a future in management in west London, even if the identity of his ambitious employer of choice has morphed over time. Where once he had craved a return to money‑flushed Chelsea, only instead to re‑emerge briefly further down the road at Craven Cottage, now it is Queens Park Rangers who offer an opportunity. Initially he will be charged simply with securing top‑flight survival; the objectives in the longer term will be significantly more grandiose.
At first glance the 48-year-old's eagerness to take up the reins at Loftus Road might provoke surprise. After all, back in June, his justification for departing Fulham had apparently been a desire to compete further up the Premier League table than with a side he had just steered into eighth. He had hoped to be offered a speedy return with Aston Villa only for that move never to materialise. Sunderland, too, ended up recruiting elsewhere last month. QPR, newly promoted after 15 years out of the limelight but increasingly forlorn after a nine-match winless run, would hardly appear to represent even a sideways shift.
Yet, as unlikely a marriage as it might appear, there is logic aplenty both in discarding Neil Warnock to turn to Hughes and in the Welshman accepting the brief. This is a convenient alliance for club and coach, an appointment that still smacks of ambition on the part of the chairman, Tony Fernandes, and could yet offer Hughes the platform he has been seeking. Certainly, there was a sense that Hughes needed to emerge from the wilderness before he became football management's latest forgotten man, lost from the dugout to punditry on Champions League nights with Sky where, only recently, he had hoped to be competing among rather than commentating on Europe's elite.
Despite being successful at all the clubs he has managed, Hughes has a reputation to restore. The abruptness of his departure from Fulham had felt farcical when no job of any substance was immediately forthcoming. If life at Craven Cottage had lacked the financial clout and public profile he had enjoyed over 18 months at Manchester City, he had still taken charge of – and eventually excelled with – a team who had recently graced the Europa League final and were an established force in the Premier League. Mohamed Al Fayed subsequently labelled him "a strange man" and a "flop" for walking away.
His insistence in riposte that he remained "a young, ambitious manager" rang ridiculously as he found himself cast to the fringes and attempting to defend the baffling conduct of Carlos Tevez – a player he signed at City and with whom he shares the same adviser, Kia Joorabchian – at Bayern Munich on live television while flanked by a disbelieving Graeme Souness.
This was not how it was supposed to be for a man lauded for his stewardship of Blackburn, and who was considered deeply unfortunate to be relieved of his duties at Eastlands in December 2009. In that context a club like QPR, who he would not previously have considered progressive but are now under new and ambitious ownership, cannot be ignored. He will have significant funding to strengthen this squad – that will not necessarily be a straightforward process in the midwinter window – and will be offered a vision of a bright future that will appeal.
In the short term Fernandes will justify his ruthless decision on Warnock in the wake of recent results by pointing to a trend established last season by Roberto Di Matteo's brutally swift and unexpected dismissal at West Bromwich Albion. The Italian had steered the club back into the top flight at the first time of asking and had already won at Arsenal and claimed the only points Manchester United would surrender all season at Old Trafford when, in early February, a thrashing at City prompted the axe. West Brom had secured only one win in nine league games at that stage and, even if they remained above the cut‑off, the hierarchy could see the campaign was headed only one way.
Roy Hodgson, who had performed a remarkable salvage mission in his first few months at Fulham, promptly lost only two of 12 matches to finish 11th. What had initially appeared to be a sudden decision driven by panic had suddenly been exposed as a masterstroke. The hope will be that the former Wales manager, accompanied by his familiar backroom staff of Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki, will have a similarly galvanising effect at Loftus Road.
The risk attached hinges largely on whether Hughes can hit the ground running. At Blackburn and Fulham, he endured somewhat stodgy starts, form QPR can ill afford. Rovers had boasted two points from five games when he succeeded Souness at Ewood Park in September 2004 and, despite beating Portsmouth in his first game, were bottom after failing to win any of the next eight. A final position of 15th represented a triumph in trying circumstances. Even at Fulham, where the need to revitalise the squad felt less pressing, he won only twice in his first 10 matches.
Fernandes cannot afford the new man to be a slow starter this time around, though this has the makings of a partnership to succeed" GUARDIAN
TELEGRAPH/JASON BURT
QPR set to install Mark Hughes as manager with Welshman planning key signing
Mark Hughes is set to be installed as the new manager of Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday and is planning a raft of signings including the exciting young Brazilian striker Henrique.
QPR set to install Mark Hughes as manager with Welshman planning key signings
Hughes and his adviser Kia Joorabchian arrived at QPR yesterday to finalise the deal for the former Fulham manager to succeed Neil Warnock who was sacked on Sunday.
A formal announcement will take place today ahead of a press conference tomorrow with Hughes also bringing his trusted backroom staff of Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Hitchcock with him.
Telegraph Sport revealed that Rangers owner Tony Fernandes had lost faith in Warnock’s ability to save the club from relegation and wanted to make a change before it was too late.
Talks with Rangers chief executive Phil Beard – Fernandes was overseas - continued into the evening although they are thought to have centered more on the club’s transfer plans during the remainder of the window rather Hughes’ contract.
The 48-year-old has already agreed in principle to succeed Warnock, and was signing his contract last night, but wants assurances that Rangers will spend the funds not only to save themselves from relegation but to eventually become an Premier League force. His arrival will represent a coup for Fernandes.
Hughes quit Fulham in the summer because he believed the club’s ambitions did not match his own and although Rangers are less established in the top-flight it’s understood he is intrigued by the project being undertaken by Fernandes and which includes plans for a new 30,000-seat stadium.
For that to happen Rangers, who are 17th in the table just one point above the relegation places, having taken just two points from their last eight league matches, must avoid dropping back into the Championship.
Bids have already been submitted for a number of players including Blackburn Rovers’ Christopher Samba. However Rangers face stiff competition from Samba with Tottenham Hotspur expected to trump their offer of £5m by bidding £8m for the defender. Spurs are trying to tie up a deal before Hughes’ appointment because they know the Welshman has a good relationship with Samba having signed him for Blackburn.
Rangers are already in talks with Chelsea defender Alex – who might be persuaded to join them – and have discussed a move for Manchester City’s Nedum Onuoha, who has also previously worked with Hughes, while the knee injury to Ali Faurlin, which has ruled him out for the rest of the season, might also affect their plans.
It will be interesting to see whether Hughes bids for City’s Nigel de Jong – although it may be difficult to persuade the Dutch international to join Rangers – and will want to bolster his squad’s attacking options. He also previously worked with Fulham’s Andy Johnson – a £2m has been made and rejected – and Bobby Zamora.
Fernandes has discussed the possibility of making a move for Wayne Bridge – Warnock told him he did not want the defender – who was signed for City by Hughes and although the left-back is keen to return to London he would have to take a cut on his £90,000-a-week wages even though he would be a free transfer.
It’s also likely that Rangers are planning at least one spectacular move in the market – and bids for the likes of Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe have been discussed - and the possibility of Henrique is intriguing. The 20-year-old Brazilian was won the Golden Boot, the best player at the tournament, at the under-20 World Cup and was presented with his award in Zurich ahead of the Balon D’Or celebrations. Henrique currently plays for Sao Paulo but is understood to be keen to leave and move to a European club. It had been claimed he had a 20m euro release clause in his contract should be move abroad but that may not be the case.
Hughes’ first game in charge will be away to Newcastle United on Sunday and he will go there with a depleted squad unless signings are made quickly. Joey Barton is suspended against his former club while Adel Taarabt and Armand Traore are at the African Cup of Nations.
Hughes will want to re-build Rangers’s defence and there is also concern at the club that some of the signings made by Warnock last summer have simply not worked. For example, Fernandes has questioned the £35,000-plus a week wages being paid to striker Jay Bothroyd – who yesterday used Twitter to say Hughes would be a “tremendous” appointment – and the worth of several other signings.
Fernandes, who is backed by a group of Malaysian investors, has promised to make substantial funds available to Hughes but was unsure as to whether he should release the money to Warnock especially as there were not only misgivings over the 63-year-old but suggestions that he might retire at the end of this season. Telegraph
London 24/Ian Cooper - The QPR Verdict: Warnock had to go as ruthless Fernandes sticks to his word
Rangers boss attracts sympathy for manner of his dismissal – but the chairman proves the future of the club is all he cares about
Football, we are so often reminded, is a results business, and in relieving Neil Warnock of his job as QPR manager on Sunday chairman Tony Fernandes displayed a grasp of reality that should serve the club well.
Upon hearing the news of Warnock's sacking the response among QPR fans was almost universal disbelief. To fire the man who guided Rangers back into the Premier League via a brilliant season as Championship winners was, on the face of it, a misguided move poorly timed, less than five months into the new campaign.
At worst, Fernandes appeared a figure who displayed a thorough lack of understanding of the game, refusing to allow Warnock the time and opportunity he deserved to arrest his sides poor run of league form.
But Fernandes would remind those critics that he has not got to where he is today owner of AirAsia and Formula Ones Team Lotus through sentimentality.
There is no room for a soft heart in business, and there certainly isn't in the cut-throat world of the Premier League, where a run of poor results such as QPR have endured can all too often see a team become cut adrift in the bottom three and heading for the drop.
In Fernandes' eyes, action was needed, and it is worth considering his statements at his first press conference at Loftus Road on August 19, coming immediately after he had replaced Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone: "I like to get good consensus, I won't make predictions, I'd rather let results speak for themselves and let's see where we go, said Fernandes. "I think football is a fantastic business if it is run well."
Less than five months on from that day, results have spoken loudly enough for Fernandes to act - swiftly, and ruthlessly.
After a run of one win in 12 games in all competitions, and with his side sitting precariously close to the relegation zone in 17th, Warnock and his coaching team of Mick Jones and Keith Curle were shown the exit.
The move came as a surprise largely because, until this juncture, Fernandes had shown little sign of such a ruthless nature. Constructing an image almost of a favourite uncle, the amiable Malaysian had thrown his weight behind Warnock, insisting his experience made him the ideal candidate to take QPR forward.
Certainly the move came as a shock to Warnock, who after the 1-1 draw with MK Dons in the FA Cup third round on Saturday shrugged off suggestions that his chairman's patience was wearing thin.
But then in recent weeks and months Warnock had appeared a manager further and further removed from the reality of his situation. Lost in his outrage at a series of decisions which he insisted had cost his side vital points, such as Shaun Wright-Phillips disallowed goal against West Brom and Joey Barton's sending off against Norwich last weekend, Warnock's press conferences had become less focused on the importance of survival, and more pre-occupied with pursuing personal vendettas against those who he perceived to have crossed him.
Whether Warnock genuinely felt aggrieved, or whether he was merely attempting to deflect the criticism which increasingly came his way, is debatable perhaps it was both.
But such talk, allied to the disappointing form of almost all of his summer signings, would have alerted Fernandes to the fact that all was not well in the QPR camp.
So too would the increasing rumours of unrest on the training pitch whispers of captain Joey Barton refusing to train under coach Curle's 'old-fashioned' methods would only have heightened Fernandes' alarm.
But perhaps most telling of all, were Warnock's tactical decisions on the pitch. The manager seemed unable to decide on his first-choice line-up. Striker Jay Bothroyd was dropped, re-instated, and then dropped again. Midfielder Shaun Derry has been in and out of the side, while 34-year-old Heidar Helguson was left on his own up front, and Wright-Phillips seemed utterly lost in his 'free role' which Warnock insisted he was suited to.
In defiance, Warnock pointed to injuries to the likes of Anton Ferdinand, DJ Campbell and Kieron Dyer, and to a point he was right, but the blame for the under-performance of his key players lay solely with him.
Fernandes recognised that fact, and baulked at the thought of handing more cash to a manager who might very well spend it unwisely, simply repeating his failings of the summer. Instead, Fernandes made a brave decision.
It is hard not to like Warnock. Charismatic, approachable and never short of an opinion, he is a reporters dream and often a press officer's nightmare. At QPR he had appeared determined to re-invent himself as a family man enjoying one last hurrah in the big time before retiring from the managerial game.
But tactically he was found wanting, and although the circumstances of his dismissal warrant sympathy, the board had to act with head over heart, and it is hard to argue with the logic of his dismissal.
Fears will arise that sacking Warnock dismisses any notion of stability at Loftus Road , that the habitual hiring and firing of managers under the clubs previous regime is about to be repeated.
But in contrast to the flippant actions of Ecclestone and Briatore, the decision taken by Fernandes on Sunday was clearly not one taken lightly. In his words, it was taken 'with the club's best interests at heart', and it is the future of the club which must come above all else.
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