Tony Fernandes blogs about this season: They say you make your own luck in professional sport. I can't say I disagree with that to be honest, but sometimes things just don't go your way for one reason or another. This season, at Queens Park Rangers, we've definitely suffered our fair share of bad luck. These aren't excuses, they are facts. We lost Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson at a time when they were really starting to gel again, showing signs of the great partnership they sparked up at Fulham before joining us. Losing them both to injury was a bitter pill to swallow and whilst we've welcomed Bobby back into the team in recent weeks, even though he's not 100% fit, AJ's absence has hit us hard. I firmly believe their injuries have had a big impact on our season. Then we lost our captain, Ryan Nelsen, in February. That was bad luck because he had been fantastic for us, leading by example week after week and producing one solid performance after another at the heart of our defence. No one envisaged him moving into coaching during the season but the opportunity to manage Toronto was just too good for him to turn down and we reluctantly allowed him to move on with our best wishes after he gave everything during his short spell with us, On the pitch, we've had three penalties this season and missed them all. Adel Taarabt missed a crucial spot-kick against Norwich earlier this season and the latest saw Loic Remy's effort saved by Mark Schwarzer at Fulham on Monday night. Call it bad luck. Call it misfortune. Call it what you like. But whilst those things have gone against us, we still remain focused and determined on achieving our short, medium and long term objectives at the club. In Harry Redknapp, we have one of the great English managers of this or any other generation. Harry is a special man and a great character of the game. We are very lucky to have him at the club. We also have a very talented squad of players, with the January additions of Christopher Samba and Loic Remy - to name just two - further evidence of how far we have come at the club in such a short space of time. At times this season we have played some fantastic, free-flowing attacking football and on our day we have proven what a good side we are. Our win at Chelsea was extra special for our fantastic, loyal supporters, who packed into the away end and make some incredible noise throughout the 90 minutes. Wins like that are special and one of the many reasons I love being chairman of our great club. But I've said before that I learn more about being chairman when things aren't going our way. I look back to the heavy defeats we suffered at Chelsea and Fulham last season and the way in which the Rangers fans supported the team to the very end. That's what fills me with pride and that's the reason this club has got under my skins much in the last 18 months or so. This is not a one-year or two-year project at QPR. This is a lifelong commitment. We need a new training ground, a new stadium and a more successful academy. The path in front of us is exciting. With a little bit of luck along the way, I am confident we can fulfil the dreams of the R's supporters over the coming weeks, months and years.
That's what fills me with pride and that's the reason this club has got under my skins much in the last 18 months or so. By that he must mean his four or as Imaz suggests he is fact a lizard overlord I have found the bold button and I will be using it ... oh yes
Thanks Tone for taking the time, you seem sincere to me. But using the term bad luck and trying to back up your arguement with the "losing both AJ and Bobby to injury was a bitter pill to swallow", then sorry you have lost it mate. Jol just said Zamora only played 30% of Fulhams games because of various injuries, and if you don't know AJ injury record you must have been living on Mars! The missed spot kicks, yeah bad luck can be contributed to it, if you miss one or two. Miss three (100%) and incompetence and poor nerves comes into the equation. Keep the dream alive Tony and I'm sure you'll succeed
I won't comment on the rest of the blog, as I'm certain most of you wouldn't really care for the thoughts from a Fulham fan. However, I did want to comment on this little bit - Zamora and AJ were consistently injured at Fulham. AJ had a serious injury which will always have a high chance of recurring and Zamora seems to pick up a new niggling injury every week. They never had a great partnership for us (although they of course had the potential for one) as they never had a real run together for an extended period. EDIT: What NorwayRanger said. To be honest, I'm sure all the fans are aware of the reality around these two. It just seems odd to me if Fernandes really believes that AJ and Zamora were so crucial to QPR's season.
I'm always pleased to see this kind of reassurance from TF. If he really means it we should have a great season to look forward to next time around (presumably in the Championship but you never know). But... "At times this season we have played some fantastic, free-flowing attacking football and on our day we have proven what a good side we are." Really?
I agree Norway. The sentënce that sent bells ringing with me is the one about Harry - I feel like I read this from TF before, first time the name was Neil Warnock, second time Mark Hughes.
The 'lifetime commitment' stuff may indeed come back to bite him, but I'm sure it reflects his feelings today, when we are at our lowest ebb, so good on him. Still gets my support. Does Bhatia still work at the club? If so what does he do?
Well sorry but he is not wrong IMO ... best football i have seen for 18 years in fact Away to Spurs was very good stuff
That 60 minutes and Sunderland at home showed whats in this team. ****ers are close to throwing away the chance to prove they can do it consistently at the top level.
Have not enjoyed the whole Tone thing since the start and happen to still think he is of little class with less idea of how to put a sporting team together. I find a couple of things particularly galling - Zamora & Johnson were proclaimed as never have been crocks before being bought by EVERYONE. Ryan Nelsen was not our club captain for the vast majority of the time he played this season - that was one Mr. Park. Also, if losing Nelsen was considered such a blow, why did the management only see him as a bit part player at start of season? Our Tone seems to consider himself a bit hard done by in the Lady Luck stakes - BS. We've been s...t since SWP's disallowed goal vs WBA last year. (Bar the 5 miracle home games last year) During his near 2 year tenure we still have the most archaic training facilities probably in the NPC and definitely the PL! Anyone who's even ever driven past Harlington would know what a hole that is! You will of course voice (as is your perogative) that Dear Tone didn't need to say anything and he's doing us all a massive favour! On top of that, I'm just an ungrateful imbecile who cant see the magnificent future that awaits my beloved rrrrs. Well I'm sorry - Sorry that our Tone has manged to preside over an even bigger laughing stock than we were under The Goons. Sorry that everyone, and I mean everyone is just so happy to see us where we are. Sorry that the turd currently residing in Sud France is still associated with us. Sorry that our Tone couldn't see the bleeding obvious in L' Incompetant. Sorry that L'Incompetent sleeps so well at night! Sorry that so many Counts are going to continue getting sweetly paid off while we're up to our necks in it. Sorry that Sweet Tone still shows no sign of reality or calling it as it is, if he so insists to keep on calling it! Sorry that I'm even writing this, I am spoilt in everything else in life so should just accept that the highs of the club forced upon me, will be my checks and balance in life. I love my rrrrs!!! - And while I'm on here for my tuppence- Out of order what's happened to Swords, that Cerny is not well - in all of his heads. Take that to your legal team, but would advise upon the shrink first!
There is no doubt that some of the 'bad luck' has been down to errors of judgement. Arguably mostly down to Mark Hughes! However, to crticise a Chairman who has worn his heart on his sleeve, confessed to have been bitten by the QPR bug and declaring lifelong passion for the club is just mean IMO. I say well done TF. As DT has been saying consistently, and if TF stands by those words in years to come, then the future is still bright despite possible / probable relegation this season.
As I have said before and I shall say in again Tony Fernandes is the best chairman since the great late Jim Gregory.
