By Sean Smith of ESPN So, the pressure on Mark Hughes continues despite chairman Tony Fernandes issuing some very strong words in favour of his first managerial appointment. Fernandes has stated categorically that he is standing by Hughes: "Mark has my backing and the shareholders. We need a little luck and no injuries. What's written in the press is all rubbish. - Granero believes in Hughes - Fernandes: There is no Hughes ultimatum "I honestly believe we have one of the best managers in the Premier League. And we are in for the long term. Whatever happens. We love QPR. Trust me on this one. Keep the faith. Stability is the key." "What's written in the press is all rubbish." Indeed, what rubbish. In fact, it has been absolutely staggering how the press have been making stuff up about the club since the new regime took over. There has been reports of a host of different managers coming in, ultimatums over when Hughes is likely to get the sack, and false rumours about the finances of the club too. Not to mention the future of the Mittals in the boardroom, too. Perhaps the most bizarre piece of misreporting came from BBC commentator Alan Green who, live on air before the Everton game, claimed that a senior member of the QPR hierarchy told him that Hughes had just two games to get a win or he was off - the Everton and Arsenal games, to be exact. Can you imagine? A chairman who has talked about the need for stability, for keeping faith in his own long-term project, sacking a manager because he did not beat either the fourth or the fifth placed sides in the biggest league in the world? Perhaps less absurd but far more frightening were the press articles - based on no fact whatsoever - claiming that Harry Redknapp was about to take over the helm at Loftus Road. After an influx of players since Hughes took the job, any change of personnel at the top would need to be a coach who could work with the tools already available to him. That is not the way Redknapp works. The former Tottenham manager's modus operandi is to totally restock a football club's first team with new players - and that won't be cheap. Then there is his fee, plus the cost of compensation for Hughes and the not inconsiderable team he has already put together ... the story just does not add up. It does all add up to an unsettling time for the players and the staff at the club, however. While it is easy to blame the fourth estate for this contaminated sea, the reason for such a deluge of lies must lie with the club itself. You see, QPR - unlike, say, a Swansea or Norwich or Reading - are news. The club sells newspapers, unfortunately mainly because the general consensus is that the club is barmy. To whit, we are still paying for our recent past. I mean, what self-regarding sports journalist would not want to write about the F1 magnate (Ecclestone) who bought into a club thinking it was a restaurant before being dragged into a $400m bribery case in Germany? Or the director with the supermodel girlfriends who was banned from F1 and sentenced to prison twice in Italy (Briatore)? Or even the restaurant owner who claimed a gun was held to his head in the boardroom - a claim thrown out by a court of law (Paladini)? Under such colourful characters the press office resembled a school playground. Information leaked like a sieve, the owners issued press releases about their own personal lives, and their own personal opinions, chaos ensued. In short, if you were looking to fill a couple of column inches with someone engaging and interesting, you could trust in QPR. Since the Fernandes regime, the place has become heaps more professional. The media team have held a tight rein on the outpourings from inside the club, which has been refreshing in places. The considered missives during the year-long Terry affair, culminating in the joint statement by the Ferdinand brothers was enlightening and a breath of fresh air considering the Tweet-crazy world of football these days. The less said about Joey Barton the better, but he has been made old news very quickly. But herein lies part of the problem. Squeeze the media's access too hard and you find that you end up oppressing the truth. If journalists are starved of the facts, they will make them up. They have to. In the digital age the need to fill a few column inches has multiplied a thousandfold, stuff has to be written. The media won't just make stuff up in a random manner - they aim to get it right some way down the line: they speculate, placing a grain of truth in each article to grow the fables within. These missives plant seeds of doubt within the club, players begin to question what is happening, fans become disgruntled, the whole thing becomes self-fulfilling. So, while it is refreshing that QPR is newsworthy, and I am impressed with their attempts to plug the leaky sieve that was the corridors of W12, the time has come to open up a little. Or the media will continue to eat the club alive. The lies will become half-truths. The worst of their stories will come to pass.
Wow a journalist who can actually write. Very refreshing and a good article. He's wrong about one thing though: "Can you imagine? A chairman who has talked about the need for stability, for keeping faith in his own long-term project, sacking a manager because he did not beat either the fourth or the fifth placed sides in the biggest league in the world?" Answer: Yes, it happens in the PL all the time.
I don't know what he means about the club "opening up". TF wears his heart on his sleeve and is surprisingly communicative. Given the article admits most of recent rumours are made up, what is there to open up about? Otherwise, I agree, it's pretty well written.
Good article particularly in regards to the scandals involving the Goons and all. However it would be naive to illude ourselves about the present lot and their business practices. The club and the fans are what counts at the end of the day, not the owners.
A sensible, straightforward article. Generally fair - I think misses some actions which create problems. "It does all add up to an unsettling time for the players and the staff at the club, however. While it is easy to blame the fourth estate for this contaminated sea, the reason for such a deluge of lies must lie with the club itself. You see, QPR - unlike, say, a Swansea or Norwich or Reading - are news. The club sells newspapers, unfortunately mainly because the general consensus is that the club is barmy. To whit, we are still paying for our recent past. Your board (mostly TF) has always and is still 'giving a lot of press' = talking about ground and training facilities, talking about signings, talking about The Project and talking UP the expectations of it. All OK - at the same time managing expectations is important - of your staff, players supporters, investors and any other stakeholders.
Wasn't bad was it? Sounded like a bit of an R to me. I know ESPN ain't press but still surprised at the 'necessary fiction' confession. Also wasn't sure about the end bit saying give us material or (we'll) make it up for you. Sounded a tad threatening and as Goldie suggests, hasn't he heard about Twitter?
