Really? I thought it was a money pit for egotists - those that waste their money as owners, and (mostly) those that hang around for a few years pampered and mollycoddled to bank millions while complaining those nasty fans say nasty things about them. I thought it was an institution that instilled hope and then disappointment - but NEVER in equal amounts. But thankfully I believe it is an institution where adults and children share a common faith in all that is their club, their colours, their history, their ground, their players and most of all in one another as true (yes true wherever you are following your club) true fans of our club!
Firstly congratulations on retaining your Championship status secondly can we have our manager back and thirdly as I take it that's a no for the last one maybe you would like this that I wrote this for a match thread 9 years ago during our darkest week until it all changed on 3rd May 2014 And now the end is here and so we face our final curtain, after 21 seasons of being a football league club our fate is far from certain We pray we've got it wrong as we travel the M5 highway and wished Gareth Ainsworth had done it our way. Regrets we've had a few but then again far too many to mention, we didn't do what we had to do and now we need divine redemption, we messed up each charted course, each stumbled step along the byway and wished Gareth Ainsworth had done it our way. Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew when we drank more than we should do But through it all, when there was doubt we drank it down and spat it out and wished Gareth Ainsworth had done it our way. We've loved, we've laughed and cried we've had our fill of pies our share of losing and now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing to think we did all that and may I say, not in a quiet way, oh no Gareth should have done it our way. For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he scores nought To say the things we truly feel and wish our manager was Martin O'Neil The record shows we took the blows and did it Gareth's way. Link to the original thread Bird Droppings Gulls v Chairboys Turd of May | Not606
Good post and to be honest there is a large percentage here and at Loftus Road that wouldn’t mind him returning, I for one. He really hasn’t done much more than the last manager, less than the snake before and a lot less than the one before that, and that’s just the last 12 months. Everybody loves GA, his commitment and enthusiasm but do not like how we are playing, I would like a more exciting and 21st C. Approach
Firstly, thanks Guy. Nice post. Secondly, as you so kindly asked, ... NO. Thirdly, we keep throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Sometimes our posters (including I) get too zealous for our team, without stepping back and taking in the broader picture. You have to appreciate that they do this for the love of QPR (can't blame them there). But, by God's grace, we don't run the place, otherwise we'd be like the Push Me Pull You, that mythical beast from Dr. Dolittle, i.e. going nowhere (and full of ****e; stay cool Bros ). Rightly, we are all entitled to our opinions, and some make more sense than others, but unless you're part of the QPR organisation, then that is all you are entitled to. We got out of gaol with GA in charge, so give him at least until January, 2024, to mold a team that can achieve mid table or better. Then and only then, he may be able to launch us into a promotion bid in that year or the next. We seem to want to build Rome in a day (something I confess to want), but reality hit hard this season and we got off lightly by the barest number of games. All I am saying, is give GA a chance (RIP John L). So you can't have him back. (Not for a while anyway). And good luck to you guys next season.
If it's true that SLF did not want GA as manager, with the style of football played, it becomes clearer why. It is strange that as a relatively young manager, GA is not more versatile and has multiple tactics which he's studied and applied over the 10 or more years as a manager. One possibility is that he never had the tools to play the beautiful game (Akinfenwa!) and, with a rebuild over the summer, something better might emerge. Hopeful as ever!
Good post and thoughts that have crossed my mind. For want of a better expression, 'you live within your means'. Wycombe certainly did that and the standard of player becomes relative to the financial and league positions of the club. Short of a superb recruitment policy, you sign who you can sign and play to your strengths. It's not been pretty under Ainsworth, I don't forsee it getting much better but I believe he should be given some time to see if he is adaptable. It all depends on how far the club are willing to back him.
Right, horrible season over. Now we need to save £10m on our operating costs next season in order to stay within FFP for 24/25. Unless of course we get promoted to the PL……. Our major cost is player wages, which take up 125% of our income, so that’s where we have to save. Do not renew any out of contract players unless we actually want to keep them, and they take a big pay cut. Sell any player in contract that any other club will buy, no matter for how little cash, just get them off the payroll, unless they are prepared to take a big pay cut. Any player in contract that we don’t want and won’t attract a transfer fee, let them go on a free. As quickly as possible. I wouldn’t be worried if I didn’t see any of the current squad again, but I suppose we have to keep some of them. Replace the ones that go with cheap wages (ok ‘affordable’) free transfers/out of contracts/ hey our own kids! What the **** has Ramsey been doing all these years? If we need to save money the whole youth/academy set up seems over staffed and underperforming. Cull it. From the football I have seen recently Ainsworth’s chief asset is doing stuff on the cheap. So I assume we are going to struggle again next year and I would put us in the favourites for relegation group. Let’s at least try and balance the books if I am going to waste my time and money (of course I’ll get a ST, I can’t help myself) watching us lose playing really **** football. I’m assuming Ainsworth will be sacked well before Christmas. Then some other temporary mug comes in. Looking forward to Ipswich and Plymouth away though.
A season over in which we were well and truly screwed over by a manager departing at an awful time, having built his own team, who weren't then willing to play for anyone else. I wouldn't rush to change Ainsworth before next season, but his stats aren't great. 3 wins in 13, and 11 points from 13. That form would see us well and truly in a relegation dog fight next season. He'll need to act quickly to get rid of those he wants rid of, and start scrapping around for whoever we can afford, and ideally players that will add to the squad, not just make up the numbers. Unfortunately, given the finances, I can only see it being another year where we heavily rely on loan players...and hope that by getting rid of those who don't have their heart in it anymore, the mentality will change throughout the squad and the results will too. I know I'm way too optimistic, but realistically, who else could come in and do a better job with the resources we have? If we get rid of our second manager in the space of a few months, who would want to take over?
Not sure about next season being great as it looks like the 3 teams coming down could be established top league sides and have budgets to match, although if forest come down it would be fun watching the efl trying to pin ffp penalties on them and hopefully they crash and burn.... Add budgies, West brom, Watford all who have some form of parachute payments then add Ipswich and Plymouth are 2 decent sides so it looks far more competitive than this season..... I feel we will be one of the 3 worse teams in the league that everyone looks for.....
I have to agree, watching a completely clueless side today was horrible and can’t see any improvement with GA, I am not looking forward to next year. Today we looked like eleven blokes turning up on a Sunday morning for a kick around and not knowing who else was worth passing to. A bit pished now that has ease the blow of watching today, I have not seen us win this year in fact I think Cardiff was the last time I saw us win in October
Plymouth away was the most positive thing to come of our post match analysis. From the current first team squad I'd like to see us keep only Field, Dykes, Dieng and Paal, but In my self-appointed role as lone positivist on here, I'm looking forward to GA sourcing a group of young, hungry, talented and, most importantly, cheap players to supplement these. It is gonna be great, and yes, I'll get another ST too.
If there is something I have learnt from our policy of the last few season. Getting in injury prone players with great flare is not working. We have faded badly in the second half of the last two seasons, mainly because we could not sustain our early season form. On several occasions we could not put out a bench, or it was bereft in certain positions. Roberts, Richards, Amos, ClarkSalter, Laird...Willock, Johansen have all had reoccurring and long injury. 6 possible starters. I suspect Ainsworth will bring in solid, non injury prone players from low leagues....solid players, without that flair we we crave for. They will obviously be cheaper than this years players. We will have to get use to a different style of football I am afraid.
