Les is a legend at the Club for his class on the pitch, and a Leg-end at the club for his disastrous tenure as DOF,great footballer yes,but DOF not even close..His time was up,and thankfully he's been moved on. Whoever comes in as DOF will have his work cut-out and any quality DOF wouldn't touch us with a barge pole.
As I recall, the feeling when Gallen left was that he'd been treated shabbily. Maybe Tango and Cash days? I've got a feeling he was not given the support he needed as the idea of the day was to buy big name players in. Maybe incorrect but others will say if so.
Makes no difference to me if the new person has played for us or not. Needs to be the right person for the job. I wonder if the people who approved the fitness of all the sick note players are being looked at. Anything that could improve us as a club should be looked at.
I coached with both Stephen and Joe in the USA. Both nice fellas, decent coaches but there were many that impressed me more in the company that we worked for at that time. DOF is a bizarre role in my opinion. I suppose it's been the evolution of football, one not necessary a decade or so ago.
It’s so depressing, I couldn’t finish it. I’m sure it’s spot on, but I’m beginning to think his fetish with QPR isn’t healthy. He needs a break.
A good article with lots if titbits I can’t say I knew. Do feel that by the end of it Clive still isn’t sure who to blame. One thing he seems sure of is that we need a good DoF. A good DoF with a clear remit and time to get it right. GA may not like all the answers he gets, but it goes back to the remit. A lot to get right. Minimal confidence we can do it.
I think that's sort of his point - it's nuanced and not all on one person. Les has probably done as much good as he's done bad. But sounds like he's had the owners ignore his advice on the appointment of GA and the transfers for this summer and so he's walked, which I respect. Fundamentally, the owners aren't very good. I like the way he put it - "the benevolent but incompetent ownership".
Les going is added to the long list of imponderable 'what if?' QPR moments. He clearly believed his way was correct and there is substantial evidence to justify that, particularly slashing the wage bill by 75%!! What if Les had stayed another year? Would we have turned the corner under his guiding hand? What if GA really is not the best fit for QPR? What if Colin wasn't sacked? What if QPR had been sold to Amit instead of TF (as The Four Year Plan showed was the plan) etc etc etc. Renewed my ST and will turn up weekly hoping against hope but what if this year, defying the odds, we do well?! What then?
There is not much more to add as Clive has said it all. For me, Les’ position was untenable and it was time for him to go.
Good piece, but very depressing. The appointment of Ainsworth plainly made Ferdinand's position untenable.... Having not been responsible for Gareth Ainsworth’s appointment, but then criticised for it when the results got even worse still, he’s now facing a summer of signing off on Gareth Ainsworth signings, which he doesn’t agree with and are diametrically opposed to the style of football he wants here, and then being criticised for those as well. So, he’s decided to walk. This made me laugh.... Listening to a few gobshites telling you to “show some ambition” is not a strategy.
