Post by Macmoish on Jan 10, 2013 at 2:43am
Before the Official Announcement...
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
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 –
Liverpool's John W Henry is another stalwart of the 140-character
communiqué – but 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
MAIL
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.
Post by Macmoish on Jan 10, 2013 at 2:44am
And post-Announcement articles
The Mark Hughes Era Begins: Big Plans for Little QPR!
-
-
The
Mark Hughes Era Begins: Good luck to Mark Hughes...Good luck to
QPR...And of course, deepest and most profound thanks to Neil Warnock -
who, along with Ian Holloway, a decade ago, truly "saved the Club" and
took us to a higher level. Five, ten, twenty years from now - wherever
we are personally and as a club: Be it in Europe playing at "New Loftus
Road" Stadium; or in the lower leagues - Neil Warnock will be spoken in
the revered, warm tones which are reserved for Alec Stock and Gordon
Jago; Dave Sexton and Terry Venables. Neil Warnock has secured his place
in QPR history; in QPR folklore; in the pantheon of greatest QPR
Managers. So thank you again.
GUARDIAN/Jamie Jackson
What Mark Hughes must do to get Queens Park Rangers going again
Making some smart moves in the transfer market and hitting the ground running will be two of Hughes's priorities at QPR
Strengthen quickly
Managers
live and die by their signings and Neil Warnock's summer recruitment
drive proved the bell toll for his hopes of retaining his job. Of Kieron
Dyer, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jay Bothroyd, Danny Gabbidon, DJ Campbell,
Armand Traoré, Bruno Perone, Brian Murphy, Anton Ferdinand and Joey
Barton only the latter two have a case for not disappointing, and even
that is a relative judgement.
Now Mark Hughes has to utilise the
next three weeks to strengthen all departments of his side while turning
round a rotten run of two points from the past eight league outings.
The Welshman may chase Darren Bent, Andrew Johnson, Clint Dempsey and
Bobby Zamora to lead his attack, Chris Samba, Sébastien Bassong, Alex,
Nedum Onuoha and Wayne Bridge to stop up the defence, Niko Kranjcar,
Giovani dos Santos, Junior Hoilett and Josh McEachran to enhance the
midfield. The word is that Tony Fernandes will "back Hughes if he can
entice some big names", so this now becomes a test of his contacts book.
Hit the ground running
Newcastle
United, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn
Rovers, Fulham, Everton and Bolton Wanderers are the league opposition
starting from Sunday until 10 March before Liverpool, Arsenal,
Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea come into view. QPR
stand 17th, so Hughes will hope to ensure that the club has a safety
cushion before the season moves towards the defining month of May.
Get QPR scoring
Especially
at home. Nine league goals before the congregation at the supposedly
hostile Loftus Road is not good enough. Neither is the one more scored
on the road meaning that QPR have managed less than a strike a game from
their 20 matches. An impression of the season so far is Jamie Mackie
and the left-back Traoré bombing forward and delivering dangerous balls
only for Bothroyd and Campbell, who has been hampered by injury, being
unable to convert. Warnock came to rely on the 34-year-old Heidar
Helguson whose seven league goals in 13 matches is an impressive return
but the Icelander requires help. And not only from the attack: Barton
and the full-back Luke Young, Bothroyd and Mackie are the next highest
scorers with two.
Replace Faurlín
While QPR's insipid
performance in the hardly deserved 1-1 FA Cup draw at MK Dons confirmed
to Fernandes that Warnock should go, Alejandro Faurlín's anterior
cruciate ligament injury in the tie leaves a creation void with the
side's best performer ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.
Perhaps Hughes can remind Adel Taarabt that he is the reigning
Championship player of the season and was the team's totem before
promotion and Barton's arrival and finally coax match-shaping displays
from the temperamental Moroccan.
Solve the Barton problem
Barton
is captain and the highest earner and how Hughes handles him will be
instructive. The 29-year-old with a penchant for throwing his weight
around on Twitter has failed to do so effectively in a QPR shirt – it is
a struggle to recall any match he has won for the team. After Hughes
met his squad for the first time at the training ground on Tuesday
afternoon Barton walked to his car with a gesture to the TV cameras that
said he was not allowed, or did not want, to speak.
This
followed a heated exchange with Matt Holland, the former Charlton
midfielder, on Twitter on Monday after which Barton stated he would
avoid the social media site: "Am going to abstain for a week, see what
the withdrawal symptoms are like. Have a nice week people. Spk soon," he
wrote. Yet how long he can resist is moot and Hughes will not want any
of his players straying off-message. Whether the new manager decides to
retain Barton as skipper and if he can get him to shine on the field
could define each man's fortune this season.
Stay the distance
Now
48, his CV already had Blackburn Rovers, Wales, Manchester City and
Fulham on it before Hughes strode into the old club of Rodney Marsh and
Stan Bowles to take charge.Successful everywhere he has managed
(including City, despite being sacked), Hughes wants to build a legacy
and has three, four, maybe five years in mind. Yet if he performs
grandly this season chairmen will be quick to speed-dial his agent, Kia
Joorabchian, with offers and, as a self-stated "ambitious" manager, the
Welshman will listen.
Hughes is also Fernandes's first managerial
appointment after the Malaysian inherited Warnock from the previous
regime, and with QPR's majority shareholder still learning the moves of
the Premier League his relationship with his new No1 is vital. On
Monday, Fernandes tweeted: "You live or die with your decisions. I'm
sorry to those I upset. Time will tell if we made the right or wrong
decision. But a decision had to be made. I thank neil for all he's done
and welcome mark to the QPR." Guardian
TELEGRAPH
TELEGRAPH/Jason Burt
Queens Park Rangers give new manager Mark Hughes free rein to overhaul club in quest to become real force.
Mark
Hughes has been given the mandate for a complete overhaul of Queens
Park Rangers following his appointment on Tuesday as the club’s new
manager on a two-and-a-half year contract.
Hughes will be
involved in everything from the plans for a new 30,000-capacity stadium
in west London and a state-of-the-art training ground to revamping QPR's
scouting network, medical facilities and sports science department.
The
48 year-old has vowed to completely revamp the club, which is not
regarded as up to Premier League standard, and is understood to be
excited by the project and substantial financial backing he has been
handed to create a new force in top-flight football with the support of
owner Tony Fernandes and the Asian investors behind him.
Hughes’
immediate task, however, will be to stave off the prospect of
relegation, with Rangers in 17th place just one point outside the bottom
three, and it was instructive that in the press release issued by the
club on Tuesday it stressed his record in signing players — including
Nigel de Jong and Christopher Samba who he could attempt to attract to
Loftus Road.
There are serious concerns about the strength of the
squad and some of the signings made by the previous manager Neil
Warnock who, as Telegraph Sport revealed, had lost the support of
Fernandes and was sacked on Sunday.
Indeed Rangers are hoping to
complete at least one new signing before Hughes’s first match in charge,
away to Newcastle United this weekend with a renewed bid expected for
Samba. Chelsea defender Alex is among other targets being identified.
Hughes,
who took his first training session on Tuesday within hours of signing
his deal, will be presented to the media today and will explain the
reasons why he believes Rangers’ can fulfil his demand as a club that
matches his own ambition — something he said Fulham failed to do when he
left them last summer.
It is understood that the Welshman has
reasoned that with Fulham’s infrastructure in place and the club
apparently happy to simply remain in the Premier League, and despite
plans to upgrade Craven Cottage, he didn’t feel there was scope for much
improvement. At Rangers he inherits a completely different scenario
where he can make a far greater impact.
Hughes arrives at Rangers
with his trusted backroom staff of Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki and
Kevin Hitchcock and said on Tuesday: “It’s a great feeling to be back in
football and to be manager of QPR. I’m fully aware of the challenge in
the short and long term and I am genuinely excited about the ambition of
the owners.
“Nobody can doubt the history of this great football
club and the passion of its fantastically loyal supporters. Now the
immediate priority is to consolidate our place in the Premier League,
but beyond that the future is very bright and fills me with great
enthusiasm.”
Fernandes said that Hughes’ desire to prove himself
made him the ideal appointment. “He had a great passion to achieve as a
manager and has already been hugely successful in his career,” he said.
TELEGRAPH
The Independent - Complete control!
QPR's new man will relish being in control of the club
Mark Hughes will be given a freer rein to implement his ideas and ambitions than he was granted at Manchester City or Fulham
MARTIN HARDY WEDNESDAY 11 JANUARY 2012
If
there is a starting point for Mark Hughes' reign at Queen's Park
Rangers, it is in the level of control that he will be afforded. Lower
the eyebrows at a return to management for a relegation fight, forget
QPR's recent history of upheaval and under-achievement. Mark Hughes is
back in management because he has the chance to mould a football club in
his image; an old-fashioned ideology perhaps, but one that was too good
to turn down.
Only recently, in his admission about the
devastation he felt at leaving Manchester City just over two years ago,
Hughes offered this: "I compromised myself by allowing things to happen
that I was not comfortable with.
"There were certain things I
wasn't comfortable with and I allowed them to happen under my watch. The
way it was sold to me was that I was still in charge of football
things, but I'm presented with this dotted line, shown all sorts of
charts and I thought, 'What the hell's all this?' I have an
understanding of business and business models, but sometimes, really,
it's about your relationships with people.
"Bringing in all these
business people and business consultants to tell people what to do, and
how to structure their club, wasn't right, but it was my own fault
because I allowed it to happen. At the time I just wanted the club to
succeed and you could see that the train was going in the right
direction."
That is where the reasoning for a man who left Fulham
seven months ago after finishing in the top 10 of the Premier League
and took over as Neil Warnock's successor yesterday should begin. It is
easy to forget the ascendancy of Hughes' career before he moved to
Manchester City, before Sheikh Mansour took over and before the blue
half of Manchester exploded.
Hughes had led Blackburn Rovers to
European competition. He spoke of ambition when he left Ewood Park, but
unwittingly walked into an avalanche of it on joining City. It is
sometimes forgotten that it was Thaksin Shinawatra who was in control
when Hughes was appointed in 2008. A football club changed its
ambitions, its owners and its identity on Hughes' watch and for a man
who was at Manchester United for 15 years, having power wrestled from
the manager's office was never a prospect that he would be able to
stomach.Perhaps the signing of Robinho on transfer-deadline day in
August 2008 gave the greatest indication that Hughes had been usurped in
the desire for a marquee signing. It would be unlikely for such an
event to transpire during his latest managerial role.
This time
the canvas presented before the 48-year-old by QPR owner Tony Fernandes
has been left blank. The instruction is clear; stay up this year with
investment in the current transfer window and then push for the top 10
next season when there will be the entire summer to show full intent in
the transfer market.
That of course appeals. Hughes is no fool.
He needs to strengthen his squad, and he will be given the finance to
attract more players of the calibre of Joey Barton and Shaun
Wright-Phillips, who were late signals of intent after the club had been
taken over by Fernandes last summer.
But in building a football
club there is a real, genuine attraction. In putting in place an
infrastructure for two owners who have said all the right things about
their combined ambition, there has been real desire from Hughes. He will
revamp the club's scouting and youth set-up. There will be an increased
use of sports science and the belief is that his profile will make the
summer rebuilding at Loftus Road easier. The targeted players will be
higher and the target from the owners will be as well.
Hughes
agreed a two-and-a-half year contract and he will need that amount of
time to push for the Premier League's second tier that is beginning to
form underneath City, United, Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
That is the size of the ambition within the boardroom at Loftus Road,
and this is perhaps the greatest contrast to the situation that Hughes
walked away from at Craven Cottage. Then, after an eighth-placed finish,
Hughes was rebuffed in his attempts to kick on in the transfer market.
It did not make sense. As a result, he walked, ill-prepared to tread
water.
Those that have played for Hughes talk of a meticulous
attention to detail, of the strength of the working quartet he forms
along with Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Hitchcock, who have
all joined him at Rangers.
"Mark was very thorough in everything
he did," said Shay Given, who signed for Hughes at City. "Training was
very sharp and match-orientated. We didn't train long but it was very
intense. He wanted high intensity. Players really had to work hard in
training just like they would play in games. He didn't leave any stone
unturned in his preparation.
"I got on well with him. I enjoyed
my time with Mark and the backroom staff. They work well as a team.
They're comfortable working for each other. He has people he can trust
around him. I worked with Kevin Hitchcock who is a great coach and there
is Eddie and Mark as well. They're a really good team. They bounce off
each other. That is why they have been successful.
"Mark Hughes
covers all to be honest; both sports science and video analysis that big
clubs would need. He's very thorough. I'm sure he'll do the same at
QPR. They will be extremely well prepared.
"You respected him as a
person and a manager because of what he did in the game and achieved as
a manager," Given added. "You can see the clubs he's been at have been a
success in the sense they've gone on from where they've been. Players
want to play for him.
"He has that respect and aura and you could
approach him if you wanted to. It was a mutual respect between him and
the players. I think he will do well at QPR. He's ambitious. If the
owners are going to invest in the team, he would have asked the
questions about who he can bring in. He does want to do well. That is
one of the reasons he left Fulham. He wants to progress QPR to be a club
settled in the Premier League. If they do invest in three or four
players, other teams will be looking over their shoulders."
As
may one or two managers. Hughes is back, and do not let Rangers' recent
history undermine the size of his ambition. Independent
Daily Star
MARK HUGHES: I’LL PROVIDE SPARK AND BEAT DROP
ABOVE:
Mark Hughes vowed to save QPR from the drop after signing a
two-and-a-half-year contract I’m fully aware of the challenge in the
short and long term and I am genuinely excited about the ambition of the
owners
Mark Hughes
11th January 2012 By Paul Brown
MARK HUGHES vowed to save QPR from the drop after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract at Loftus Road.
Mark
Hughes, 48, had refused to agree terms until he was convinced the club
matched his ambition but yesterday took charge after being promised a
£20m transfer kitty.
The former Manchester City, Wales and Fulham boss replaces Neil Warnock, who was sacked on Sunday.
Sparky,
who was impressed by the club’s plans for a new 30,000-seat stadium,
said: “It’s a great feeling to be back in football and to be the manager
of QPR.
“I’m fully aware of the challenge in the short and long term and I am genuinely excited about the ambition of the owners.
“The
immediate priority is to consolidate our place in the Premier League.
But beyond that, the future is very bright and fills me with great
enthusiasm.”
Hughes walked out on Fulham claiming he had doubts
about the club’s ambition, but was won over by the plans of Malaysian
tycoon Tony Fernandes.
He agreed to become QPR’s ninth full-time
manager in just four years after missing out on vacancies at Aston Villa
and Sunderland.
Hughes hopes to make Fulham striker Andy Johnson his first signing, with the clubs £500,000 apart on his valuation.
He is also chasing Blackburn defender Chris Samba, City misfits Nedum Onuoha and Wayne Bridge, and Chelsea defender Alex.
Rangers
chairman Fernandes said he faced a backlash from fans unhappy at his
treatment of Warnock, who won promotion in his first full season at the
club.
But QPR could be in the bottom three before they face
Newcastle on Sunday, and Fernandes said: “You live or die with your
decisions.
“I’m sorry to those I upset. Time will tell if we made the right or wrong decision. But a decision had to be made.”
Hughes
met his players and took training for the first time yesterday, with
midfielder Tommy Smith the first to give him a warm welcome.
Smith
said: “We’re all very pleased. His record as a manager has been good,
and his playing record speaks for itself, so it seems like a positive
move.
“Maybe certain players who didn’t think they had a chance under the last manager will now.”
Warnock
said last night: “People think every time you get a new manager it
works, but we will have to see. I am still feeling very confident.”
Daily Star
Mirror/John Cross
Hughes to get £1m bonus if QPR stay up
Mark Hughes will be paid Champions League money to manage QPR - and get a bumper bonus if he keeps them in the Premier League.
The
former Wales, Blackburn, Manchester City and Fulham boss Hughes has
signed a two-and-a-half-year deal that's worth nearly £10million, making
him one of the best paid managers in the top flight.
At around £3m-a-year, Hughes is just behind the likes of Arsene Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini in terms of wages.
There
are also big-money bonuses written into his deal, including around £1m
for saving the west London side from their current precarious position
one point and one place above the bottom three.
QPR owner Tony
Fernandes has also promised Hughes around £30m to spend to prevent the
Hoops making an instant return to the Championship - although there is
likely to be a clear-out as well as new arrivals.
Aston Villa and
England striker Darren Bent is Rangers' top transfer target, while the
likes of defenders Clint Hill and Fitz Hall are set to be sold off this
month in a major shake-up of the squad.
Hughes, 48, will be officially unveiled on Wednesday and will be in charge for Sunday's televised game against Newcastle.
"I'm
fully aware of the challenge in the short and long term and I am
genuinely excited about the ambition of the owners," he said.
"Nobody can doubt the history of this great football club and the passion of its fantastically loyal supporters.
"Now
the immediate priority is to consolidate our place in the Barclays
Premier League, but beyond that, the future is very bright and fills me
with great enthusiasm."
Fernandes insists Hughes is the man to keep QPR up.
He
said: "Mark has a proven track record in the Premier League, bringing a
wealth of experience at both Club and international level.
"He has a great passion to achieve as a manager and has already been hugely successful in his career.
"His ambitions match those of the Board and we are delighted to have him at the helm." Mirror
Dave McIntyre/West London Sport - Paul Parker's Perspective re Hughes and QPR (and Great Parker comments re QPR)
Hughes may need to change style – Parker
hughes
10/01/2012
by David McIntyre
Ex-QPR
and England star Paul Parker believes his former team-mate Mark Hughes
may have to adjust his style if he is to succeed at Loftus Road.
Parker knows the Welshman well, having playing alongside him for Manchester United after leaving west London in 1991.
And
he insists the sometimes aloof Hughes will find managing Rangers a very
different type of assignment to his last job at Fulham.
“QPR are
in a precarious position and need to dig themselves out of it, but
‘Sparky’ doesn’t lose many battles,” Parker told West London Sport.
“Sparky’s got a reputation from when he was a player and he’s got to earn the respect of QPR fans.”
“He
inspired Blackburn after taking over from Graeme Souness and will be
looking to do the same at Rangers. It’s a great chance for him.”
Parker, who started his career with Fulham, added: “When you manage QPR you’re part of a community as well as being a manager.
“I hope Sparky appreciates that and is open, comes out and speaks to people. He’ll need to engage the fans.
“He’s managed Fulham but I can say that QPR is 100% a totally different club to Fulham – and he’ll find that.
“Fulham
don’t have the same mentality or hardcore of fans as QPR. At Rangers
you find loads of fans who were there way before I played there and can
tell you everything about that club.
“It’s a proper club – a
smaller version of Man United in that sense. Fulham is a different type
of club and the QPR way is something I hope Sparky embraces.
“I’ve always likened QPR to West Ham, who were my local team. They’re similar sorts of clubs.
Parker was a fans’ favourite at QPR.
“It’s a great chance for him there and I’d love to see him do well because I love QPR – it’s always them I look out for first.”
Hughes,
48, is remembered by many R’s fans for his bruising – and sometimes
controversial – encounters with Parker, Danny Maddix and in particular
Alan McDonald during the 80s and 90s.
He also played for Rangers’ local rivals Chelsea, but Parker believes supporters will be keen to get behind the new man.
“Sparky’s got a reputation from when he was a player and he’s got to earn the respect of QPR fans,” he said.
“A lot of Rangers fans don’t like him because they accuse him of getting Alan McDonald sent off [in an FA Cup tie in 1989].
“But results make all the difference and they’ll of course give him an opportunity if things go well.”
Hughes’
appointment was confirmed within 48 hours of Neil Warnock’s sacking. He
met the players for the first time at Rangers’ Harlington training
ground on Tuesday afternoon.
And with the R’s having recently
been linked with the likes of Chris Samba, Andrew Johnson and Bobby
Zamora, Parker suspects the ex-Manchester City boss was lined up by
majority shareholder Tony Fernandes some time ago.
“He must have been in the thoughts of Tony Fernandes,” Parker said.
Fernandes is keen to make major signings.
“You
look at the players QPR have been linked with over the last six to
eight weeks and they’ve mostly been at Blackburn or Fulham – players
who’ve played under him before.
“It may be a pure coincidence, but it seems very strange to me. It suggests to me that Fernandes wanted Mark Hughes all along.”
He added: “Tony Fernandes is all about big names. He wants big-name players and a big-name manager.
“And
for quite a small club, Rangers has always been a very good club – a
top club in London for many years – and will feel they’re back where
they belong now.
“But you have to earn the right to sign big
players. You first have to consolidate in the Premier League and once
that happens, I’m sure players will want to go to QPR because it’s a
good club.
“It’s also a club in the best part of London. Players
from up north and outside England will want to live around west London
rather than anywhere else, so Sparky’s got a great opportunity.” West
London Sport
The Updated First Team Staff Directory
(Currently have TWO Goalkeeping coaches: Incoming Kevin Hitchock. And David Rouse whose been with QPR for several years]
Manager - Mark Hughes
Assistant Manager - Mark Bowen
First Team Coach - Eddie Niedzwiecki
Goalkeeping Coach - Kevin Hitchcock
Reserve Team Manager - Ronnie Jepson
Strength & Conditioning Coach - Carl Serrant
Goalkeeping Coach - David Rouse
Head Physio - Nigel Cox
Assistant Physio - Sangi Patel
Kit Man - Gary Doyle
January 11 2012 Premiership Table: The Start of the Hughes Era!
January 11, 2012
1 Man City 20 40 48
2 Man Utd 20 29 45
3 Tottenham 19 16 42
4 Chelsea 20 14 37
5 Arsenal 20 8 36
6 Liverpool 20 6 34
7 Newcastle 20 4 33
8 Stoke 20 -9 29
9 Norwich 20 -5 25
10 Sunderland 20 4 24
11 Everton 19 -2 24
12 Swansea 20 -3 23
13 Aston Villa 20 -4 23
14 Fulham 20 -4 23
15 West Brom 20 -9 22
16 Wolves 20 -14 17
17 QPR 20 -16 17
18 Bolton 20 -18 16
19 Wigan 20 -23 15
20 Blackburn 20 -14 14
|
