For what it’s worth … an interesting narrative/background to MWs demise at the club… https://www.westlondonsport.com/qpr...finished-at-qpr-once-results-went-against-him
I was just about to post the same article! It doesn’t seem without merit, but these things never seem to be written up front, only with the benefit of hindsight. A bit worrying is the suggestion of two cabals: Warburton’s first team and his backers, and Ferdinand/Ramsey/Hall and theirs. If true, then much of the great strides the club has made to regain its values are somewhat flimsy and once again (for me) highlight the problems clubs can face having a DoF. Personally, I think things work so much better with a strong manager with the energy to sit atop the whole shooting match, a la Fergie in his prime. The biggest problem with a DoF is that when performances wane it’s always the manager that gets the chop. Whilst this isn’t necessarily wrong, the appointment is presumably made under the direction of the DoF and so the philosophy/ethos remains intact when he’s sacked. If the juniors and reserves report up to the DoF rather then the first team manager/coach is always going to get undermined at some point.
This I can believe There has been an anecdotal report about an overheard report of an argument between Chris Ramsey about playing academy players in the last few matches of the season (Not really sure about this as I have said our most promising players are out on loan (Duke-McKenna, Kelman, Gubbins, Armstrong, Masterson only Bettache seems to be around) But the odd stance of giving Kakay and Hamalainnen long contracts and not letting them near the match day squad (I know Hamalainnen is now gone)...but Kakay has played well the very few times we have seen him (also Kakay has several times been used as an emergency centreback). My major concern has been the very small squad and add to that the even smaller "used players" and that has created stresses, and no pathway to the first team...even for players like Dom Ball or George Thomas. When Ball came on vs Blackpool he played well and we have not seen him since (barely making the match day squad). Thomas also fantastic cross for Amos to score against Blackpool...didn't see him again for 5 matches. The aftermath of that Blackpool match was a real turning point for our whole season
Have to say I don’t think it’s as much to do with the structure as the personalities involved. Plenty of examples of the DoF structure working just dandy, and in the complexity of the modern game I can see why the model is pervasive at higher levels. In our case the main players seem to have behaved as petulant children, not talking to each other and behaving like twats. What the **** Fernandes is doing getting involved with favourite players is a joke. As you and I know in most decently run commercial enterprises this kind of behaviour would have led to some or all of the perpetrators being ‘moved on’ some time ago. It should be remembered that Warburton has some form in this regard. He actually was the DoF at Brentford before taking over from Rosler as manager when he left. Warburton walked when the owner put a well defined management structure around the club.
It’s important that the DoF supports the manager though. The greatest success comes when they work best together, share the same ethos for the club, team and style of play we take on. Feels like Sir Les works best with Ramsey and the manager comes in third - that will never ever work out in any way. You would think we would have a few players on the bench by now from the youth development system. Maybe it takes a little longer - perhaps Bob has a bit more hindsight and input on that? As someone stated earlier the DoF is the linchpin between manager and board and has the difficult task of battling for both sides to get the best result - arguing the case for the managers ideals for the first team and development of the youth team to feed the first team, also to support the boards financial plan and ideals for the club. If he’s doing one over the other he’s probably cowtailing to his employers rather than battling the right cause(s). No point in having the position if it’s too easy to do as anyone could, and would, do it.
That WLS article is a sad read. I'm not quite sure if it's possible to judge which camp/narrative is 'correct' without seeing more of some of the youth team players that Warburton doesn't think is ready. Very disappointing to see meddling from Fernandes persisted - he really has the inverse of the Midas touch. At least Austin's wages being out of the window might open up a chunk of budget for a new manager to sign someone half decent up front or in the number 10 role. I'm starting to worry about next season.
Thanks for posting this very well argued article. It sounds very much like a credible narrative and, whilst I supported him to the end, it adds a few more items to the list of mistakes that Warburton made. In any organisation striving for long-term success, you've got to be a proactive team player, to contribute to the collegiate atmosphere, even if that means swallowing your pride and adapting to the politics. Focus is all very well but it's dangerous not to give some weight to the views of those around you. I'm a bit surprised that someone like Warburton, with his business background, didn't make a better fist of this aspect of the job. In his interviews, he sounded like the sort of guy who would do so. Nevertheless, I will cherish the memory of the football we played in 2021 and be grateful for the recruitment/development of a promising core of players to take us forward in 2022/3. Like Brentford in the Championship in recent years, I hope we come back again and fight for promotion next season.
Yup! It definitely cuts both ways Rodney. We all have to ‘play the game’ to get what we want for the success of our jobs I guess. Les definitely seems to carry the weight of preference within the organisation and it would have been shrewd to give to get some of what you want (maybe he did). MW seems to be fairly forthright on his opinions, to which some would probably see as stubbornness.
It will surprise no one that I'm not in the least bit surprised to hear that Warburton was stubborn and wouldn't listen to other views.
All this confirms my suspicion there was a serious fallout that blew our season apart. Results suggest the U18s & U23s are not producing enough quality for the 1st team, both being bottom of their respective leagues which are the bottom tiers at their level. What I've seen of Armstrong & Kargbo suggests they would benefit from more gametime at a higher level, perhaps League One. With little coming through the whole set-up is questionable and how many more managers will Sir Les hire and fire before the board wake up and smell the coffee? This season was a golden opportunity to put the club on a sound footing for the next 3 or 4 years even if promotion was followed by the inevitable, I fear we won't get another anytime soon...
Whilst it would appear you're right about the U23s not being good enough, I find it pathetic that Warburton was so bloody minded that he picked only 6 subs instead of putting a youngster on the bench. He wouldn't have had to play him, but the lad would have got invaluable experience being with the first team squad on match day.
Yes, that seems both petty and a wasted opportunity. It would have been a big motivator, not just for the lad himself but for all the U23's - and for potential recruits - to see the door open.
It's really disappointing to read that the board's bizarre approach to player contracts contributed to the squad unrest. Absolutely shambolic stuff.
I don’t think anyone’s coming out of this looking good. Such a shame given we all (or at least I) believed the club was a better place than it used to be. You might well be right about the lack of quality, but the results, explicitly, don’t matter at this level according to the club’s ‘philosophy’, only for the first team. If the academy produces a new Eze (yeah, I know it didn’t produce him) every couple of seasons it more than pays for itself…….. …..but it’s a dead business model. You end up developing a Sterling and having him coaxed away, but at even younger ages and for less compensation, the tops clubs hoover up all the young talent. You are better up polishing other teams discards…like Eze. It’s why Brentford don’t have an academy at all.
Possibly, but he left them a year before they axed the academy. He needed to argue his case, but if none of these ****wits were actually talking to each other……
We did "produce " Eze. We gave him a chance as a youngster, when others have given up on him. Our academy must be a mixture of both kinds of players. Joined at 8 and 16 and all numbers in between We seem to have taken out the philosophy of sending our better 23 kids out to play in lower leagues. It is suppose to teach them that to some pros this is their livelihood and it really matters....and is not just a fun game that leads to infinite riches. I truly would have liked to see a few kids play some minutes here and there Armstrong and Karugbo couldnt have done worse than Dykes/ Gray/ Austin...but then they see George Thomas come on and make the winner in the match vs Blackpool...and not feature again for half a dozen matches...and they think what's the point. There has been a lack of bringing through. We have really suffered from a small squad, and an even smaller playing team. That was the managers choice
