An Open Letter To Chris Ramsey

[SARQPR]

Dear Chris

Many of us have, at some time in our working lives, been in jobs that we know in our heart of hearts we just aren't very good at and, despite having a supportive employer, need to move on from

Often this isn't a comment on our effort or on the ability of us to apply our talents more successfully in other roles

It can be an incredibly difficult decision to leave a job and head into the - potentially - unknown outside your existing employer, but it is sometimes possible that a simple change of role at your existing employer would benefit everyone, and allow you to really use your talents positively

I, and many other loyal and long standing QPR supporters, believe that you are first and foremost a coach, and are not the effective manager this club so badly needs and deserves. Your talents as a coach have been well documented, and whilst you have been given the opportunity to manage in the two top leagues in this country, now is the time to return to what you do best - coaching

It takes a brave man to take a difficult decision such as this, but please do the right thing for yourself, the club, the staff, and the supporters, and make way for a better equipped and more experienced manager to take up the challenge of taking this great club forwards

Thank you for reading this and good luck with your new role

StortfordQPR

 

[Star of David Bardsley]

I wouldn't walk if I were him. You'd be mad to forego probably hundreds of thousands of pounds when at best he'll get another job on a small fraction of his current salary.

 

[TheBigDipper]

This isn't helpful, necessary or supportive of the club.

 

[Star of David Bardsley]

This isn't helpful, necessary or supportive of the club.

I'd argue the supporters have put up with enough crap over the years. We're paying champagne prices for a ribena manager.

 

[Frome-Ranger]

Good god the man isn't a child, whatever his managerial failings perceived or otherwise he's been in the game a long time and doesn't deserve patronising nonsense like this.

 

[SARQPR]

This isn't helpful, necessary or supportive of the club.

I've supported this club for almost 40 years, spend £000s a year with my son following us all round the country (will you be at Derby on Tuesday night, Middlesbro in a couple of weeks?), not to mention the 100s of hours of my time

I'm entitled - as is anyone else - to express my views here or anywhere else. My post wasn't offensive, just an honest assessment of where I think Chris is and what I feel he needs to do personally

I will be here supporting the club long after the current players, management team, and (probably) owners have moved on, and I take a long term view of what I believe the club should be doing. This, to me, isn't about panic moves or short term fixes

Ultimately I pay to be entertained. And pay we do - football is big business, and we are customers, albeit ones that tend to buy the product regardless. HOWEVER, as I pay I will have my say, regardless of whether others disagree with me

This is a message board and part of its function is to stimulate and foster discussion. For any good discussion there need to be differing points of view. Mine is clearly different to yours (and many others on here), but I will always post what I feel, and even if it is critical of some aspects of how the club is run. Maybe you'd like to start a new thread on how great everything is at the club right now, and your belief in us storming back to the Premier League at the end of the season? Or is criticism to be suppressed because of those sensitive souls that it might upset?

 

[Sooperhoop]

Best scenario is Sherwood gets a job and takes Ramsey as his assistant...

 

[SARQPR]

Good god the man isn't a child, whatever his managerial failings perceived or otherwise he's been in the game a long time and doesn't deserve patronising nonsense like this.

He isn't, but he has his head stuck in the sand

Anyone at Brentford last night or watching on TV could've seen this

 

[sb_73]

After the high profile appointments of Hughes and Redknapp the Board took a risk in appointing Ramsey, a proven coach with no first team experience. Given the Board's record it's hardly a surprise that it has failed so far.

Why did they do it?
- he's Ferdinand's mate (why they appointed Ferdinand, another zero experience DoF, is another mystery)
- he's cheap
- he's a nice bloke
- he was prepared to do the job with no January signings when others wouldn't, because they knew the dream of staying up with the team, and team spirit, we had was hopeless
- if it worked they would look like geniuses

Ferdinand then sold the owners a vision of rebuilding based on youth and canny lower league and foreign signings which would stop the heamorraghing of cash, and the chance of 'improving' players and selling them on for big profits. But the failure to sell Austin, Phillips, Fer and Green scuppered that, along with the perceived lack of quality of the youngsters. So expectations were racked up again. We add a 'wise old head' to help, bunging yet more weight on a top heavy management structure, which allows blame to be moved around and for no one to be accountable.

Ramsey is just a sympton of the malaise, not a cause of it. Face it, the club is stunningly poorly run, and it's owners are facing tougher financial times. There is no consistent strategy, no clear identity just a series of broken promises, chaotic decisions and disappointment. Ramsey will doubtless pay the price, perhaps very soon, perhaps when it is blindingly obvious we won't get to the play offs. But that won't solve the problem. When your owner says 'We don't need to do the same as Southampton", a club with a similar recent history to ours, alarm bells should ring.

Still 3 or 4 wins on the trot, very possible in this crap league, and all will be forgotten in our ADHD universe.

 

[Wherever]

Best scenario is Sherwood gets a job and takes Ramsey as his assistant...

Please NO

 

[Loveitupthebush]

I'd argue the supporters have put up with enough crap over the years. We're paying champagne prices for a ribena manager.

RIBENA!!! it's Tesco value ****ing spring water.

 

[rangercol]

I have nothing against Ramsey the person, but I have seen nothing to suggest that he is anything but way out of his depth.

 

[sb_73]

I have nothing against Ramsey the person, but I have seen nothing to suggest that he is anything but way out of his depth.

...and so are the people who appointed him.

 

[TheBigDipper]

I've supported this club for almost 40 years, spend £000s a year with my son following us all round the country (will you be at Derby on Tuesday night, Middlesbro in a couple of weeks?), not to mention the 100s of hours of my time

I'm entitled - as is anyone else - to express my views here or anywhere else. My post wasn't offensive, just an honest assessment of where I think Chris is and what I feel he needs to do personally

I will be here supporting the club long after the current players, management team, and (probably) owners have moved on, and I take a long term view of what I believe the club should be doing. This, to me, isn't about panic moves or short term fixes

Ultimately I pay to be entertained. And pay we do - football is big business, and we are customers, albeit ones that tend to buy the product regardless. HOWEVER, as I pay I will have my say, regardless of whether others disagree with me

This is a message board and part of its function is to stimulate and foster discussion. For any good discussion there need to be differing points of view. Mine is clearly different to yours (and many others on here), but I will always post what I feel, and even if it is critical of some aspects of how the club is run. Maybe you'd like to start a new thread on how great everything is at the club right now, and your belief in us storming back to the Premier League at the end of the season? Or is criticism to be suppressed because of those sensitive souls that it might upset?

Try not be so sensitive yourself and please don't put words into my mouth. I'm commenting on your post, not your opinion or you personally. Any point you may have wanted to make is lost by the patronising and insulting (to Ramsay) way you chose to say it. What were you hoping this would achieve?

If you want to, please do explain to me how your post was helpful, necessary and supportive of the club and change my mind.

My post doesn't say criticism should be suppressed. It doesn't say you aren't entitled to a point of view. My own view is anyone who feels an emotional attachment to the club is entitled to express an opinion. The amount of money they spend on following the team is irrelevant. That's just a byproduct of disposable income and personal choice.

Oh, BTW, I've followed Rangers since the 67/68 season, when my dad took a wide-eyed 9 year old to his first game...

 

[Uber_Hoop]

After the high profile appointments of Hughes and Redknapp the Board took a risk in appointing Ramsey, a proven coach with no first team experience. Given the Board's record it's hardly a surprise that it has failed so far.

Why did they do it?
- he's Ferdinand's mate (why they appointed Ferdinand, another zero experience DoF, is another mystery)
- he's cheap
- he's a nice bloke
- he was prepared to do the job with no January signings when others wouldn't, because they knew the dream of staying up with the team, and team spirit, we had was hopeless
- if it worked they would look like geniuses

Ferdinand then sold the owners a vision of rebuilding based on youth and canny lower league and foreign signings which would stop the heamorraghing of cash. But the failure to sell Austin, Phillips, Fer and Green scuppered that, along with the perceived lack of quality of the youngsters. So expectations were racked up again. We add a 'wise old head' to help, bunging yet more weight on a top heavy management structure, which allows blame to be moved around and for no one to be accountable.

Ramsey is just a sympton of the malaise, not a cause of it. Face it, the club is stunningly poorly run, and it's owners are facing tougher financial times. There is no consistent strategy, no clear identity just a series of broken promises, chaotic decisions and disappointment. Ramsey will doubtless pay the price, perhaps very soon, perhaps when it is blindingly obvious we won't get to the play offs. But that won't solve the problem. When your owner says 'We don't need to do the same as Southampton", a club with a similar recent history to ours, alarm bells should ring.

Still 3 or 4 wins on the trot, very possible in this crap league, and all will be forgotten in our ADHD universe.

I can't help but think that Fernandes is fast approaching the point where he very much needs the club to win promotion this season or he's further in the brown stuff. Promotion gives him the opportunities to either sell the club at a better price than at a Championship fire sale, or at least enjoy some vastly higher revenues (and perhaps breathing space) for a season, provided he doesn't spunk the cash on more Bosingwas. On that basis I'd be stunned if he persists with Ramsbottom for much longer. If we're not sniffing the lower dangly bits of the play-off spots come the New Year then it'll be the latest and worst event in the unenviable catalogue of Fernandes ****-Ups since taking on this club.

As fans we need to be getting away from the belief that this squad should be tearing up trees in this division. Just because one has heard of a certain player doesn't mean he's any good. Likewise, just because one hasn't heard of another doesn't mean he's crap. I hadn't heard of Alan Judge until last night, but now do I wish he'd have been in the hoops. I can't think of a single player in our current squad that I'd be disappointed now to see go, even Austin.

If some Houdini manages to pull off the great escape and get this club promoted, has anybody got any confidence that we have the nucleus of a good side within the squad? Flyer saw this year's ago and it's still happening.

In the meantime the Southamptons of this world have built a fine reputation as the go-to club for aspiring young talent, whilst the Rs loan theirs out for a number of seasons and then let them go anyway.

One other comment in what has been a disjointed collection of random thoughts: why do I keep reading people on this forum describing Ramsbottom as undeniably a proven coach, but not a manager? Just where have his coaching credentials been proven? Sure, he's coached at Spurs, but so what? The man's a knob.

 

[sb_73]

I can't help but think that Fernandes is fast approaching the point where he very much needs the club to win promotion this season or he's further in the brown stuff. Promotion gives him the opportunities to either sell the club at a better price than at a Championship fire sale, or at least enjoy some vastly higher revenues (and perhaps breathing space) for a season, provided he doesn't spunk the cash on more Bosingwas. On that basis I'd be stunned if he persists with Ramsbottom for much longer. If we're not sniffing the lower dangly bits of the play-off spots come the New Year then it'll be the latest and worst event in the unenviable catalogue of Fernandes ****-Ups since taking on this club.

As fans we need to be getting away from the belief that this squad should be tearing up trees in this division. Just because one has heard of a certain player doesn't mean he's any good. Likewise, just because one hasn't heard of another doesn't mean he's crap. I hadn't heard of Alan Judge until last night, but now do I wish he'd have been in the hoops. I can't think of a single player in our current squad that I'd be disappointed now to see go, even Austin.

If some Houdini manages to pull off the great escape and get this club promoted, has anybody got any confidence that we have the nucleus of a good side within the squad? Flyer saw this year's ago and it's still happening.

In the meantime the Southamptons of this world have built a fine reputation as the go-to club for aspiring young talent, whilst the Rs loan theirs out for a number of seasons and then let them go anyway.

One other comment in what has been a disjointed collection of random thoughts: why do I keep reading people on this forum describing Ramsbottom as undeniably a proven coach, but not a manager? Just where have his coaching credentials been proven? Sure, he's coached at Spurs, but so what? The man's a knob.

Re your last paragraph Ubes, Ramsey coached several Spurs youngsters in to their first team, was an England set up coach and is a UEFA pro licence assessor. All of that may mean nothing, but on paper, at below first team level, he's 'proven', and in a 'beggars can't be choosers' position I can see why it may give a reason to hope he'd be ok. Schteve McClaren is a proven first team coach, but still struggles as a first team manager 4 seasons out of 5. Jose Mourinho was a translator, but has a win rate of over 60% for his career. Mark Hughes has done ok-ish everywhere he's worked except QPR. It's all guesswork.

 

[SARQPR]

Try not be so sensitive yourself and please don't put words into my mouth. I'm commenting on your post, not your opinion or you personally. Any point you may have wanted to make is lost by the patronising and insulting (to Ramsay) way you chose to say it. What were you hoping this would achieve?

If you want to, please do explain to me how your post was helpful, necessary and supportive of the club and change my mind.

My post doesn't say criticism should be suppressed. It doesn't say you aren't entitled to a point of view. My own view is anyone who feels an emotional attachment to the club is entitled to express an opinion. The amount of money they spend on following the team is irrelevant. That's just a byproduct of disposable income and personal choice.

Oh, BTW, I've followed Rangers since the 67/68 season, when my dad took a wide-eyed 9 year old to his first game...

Very fair points BD

I am sensitive because I care so much about the club. As I alluded to above, it has, is and will be a very big part of my life, and I will still be there long after the employees have moved on

Part of this is me letting off steam - recent performance on and activities off the pitch have been very frustrating - but this isn't intended as a slight on Chris Ramsey himself. Indeed I feel for Ramsey and the intense scrutiny that he is under all the time from us, the media and so on

BUT he has chosen to take, and stay in, this job knowing what we as fans / paying customers expect / hope for (BTW I don't expect an immediate return to the PL, but I do expect to see some attractive football played by individuals making a real effort)

I really wanted him to succeed but I just don't believe that he has the skill set to be a manager. So many people (including somebody I know who's son is in the youth set-up) have said what a great coach he is, and I wish he would return to what he's good at. Surely he cannot enjoy his current role

Strangely enough I'm currently contemplating a job change myself at the moment, and this has meant a lot of self scrutiny, some of which involves honestly appraising my own weaknesses and shortcomings (maybe one of these is posting insensitively on Not606). I've always tried to be realistic about my own talents - or lack of - and Chris must do just that himself. He has always come across as a genuine, hard working and caring man, unlike many of those in football management, and perhaps this in part is what makes him less suitable as a manager

 

[Uber_Hoop]

Re your last paragraph Ubes, Ramsey coached several Spurs youngsters in to their first team, was an England set up coach and is a UEFA pro licence assessor. All of that may mean nothing, but on paper, at below first team level, he's 'proven', and in a 'beggars can't be choosers' position I can see why it may give a reason to hope he'd be ok. Schteve McClaren is a proven first team coach, but still struggles as a first team manager 4 seasons out of 5. Jose Mourinho was a translator, but has a win rate of over 60% for his career. Mark Hughes has done ok-ish everywhere he's worked except QPR. It's all guesswork.

Yeah, but I didn't want the facts to get in the way of a good rant!

 

[UTRs]

Has anyone got an email address for Chris so I can forward him these useful links?...

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[Peter Damage]

Dear Chris

Many of us have, at some time in our working lives, been in jobs that we know in our heart of hearts we just aren't very good at and, despite having a supportive employer, need to move on from

Often this isn't a comment on our effort or on the ability of us to apply our talents more successfully in other roles

It can be an incredibly difficult decision to leave a job and head into the - potentially - unknown outside your existing employer, but it is sometimes possible that a simple change of
role at your existing employer would benefit everyone, and allow you to really use your talents positively

I, and many other loyal and long standing QPR supporters, believe that you are first and
foremost a coach, and are not the effective manager this club so badly needs and deserves. Your talents as a coach have been
well documented, and whilst you have been given the opportunity to manage in the two top leagues in this country, now is the time to return to what you do best - coaching

It takes a brave man to take a difficult decision such as this, but please do the right thing for yourself, the club, the staff, and the supporters, and make way for a better equipped and more experienced manager to take up the challenge of taking this great club forwards

Thank you for reading this and good luck with your new role

StortfordQPR

Admire the sentiment but he won't quit. He won't get the chance to earn this sort of money again. He's just bought his 18 year old son a place in Kew.

So as he won't he needs to be sacked

I would also sack Les for looking at Ramsey's managerial CV. Then looking at Warburton and Weir's and going for Ramsey

Last night was all a blur because I over did it on the sauce and can see sod all at pitch level when it's down the other end but even in my pissed up state it was clear once again we couldn't get hold of the ball in the midfield

If we get a pasting by Derby and then another bad game vs Preston and hopefully he'll get the bullet