Still think there may be a slim chance that Harry wont be with us at the start of next season? or is it a given? I mean, the only signings we've made thus far are those that would have been made by Beard and tony anyway. lot of other players heading to other clubs on decent contracts (Ince, Huddlestone etc) that we "could have" bid for but you would have thought we'd have a few in place by now, esp with the amount we prob need (8 or so). I may well be wrong but Im still not sure if all is "Rosey" behind the scenes with our "leaders" and Harry resigning wouldn't surprise me at all! It has to said though that Im not one who wants him gone. What do you think?
I think he'll still be in charge this coming season mate. Although I've never been convinced by him I think professionally it really rankled him that he was at the helm when we were relegated. I reckon he sees QPR as a job half done, for me he'll retire after the season with us hopefully sitting mid table.
I'm thinking that if he doesn't get the funds and or some of the players he wants, he'll be gone mid season by mutual consent.
I'm wondering if all the Harry vs the Board stuff being played out in the newspapers is just the precursor to him going. TF has been clear all along that ageing, high-earners are not in our plans, but Harry seems determined to challenge that, being very vocal in the papers about players he 'admires', and allegedly even to the point of agreeing terms with a player (Terms were agreed with Ferdinand if you believe the papers!) without the Board's consent. If he does go, then I hope that the Board have a successor ready in the wings to take the helm, otherwise it could be a long and tortuous summer of uncertainty - again! I would imagine that he won't walk though, managers today are all too canny to miss out on the payoff that a dismissal would generate - if it did happen it would most likely be a 'mutual' decision with an agreed severance and public smiles/thanks all round.
Well, when Mclaren came over, I was sure he was the succession plan ........... work with team as a coach for a bit, Harry, after getting us back to the promise land, take's off in the sunset or in his case ....... the golf course and big Steve lands the perfect job managing the RR'rssss, whilst having a good club owner with a bit of coin. Perfect set up ................... yeh, well I was wrong!
It's an interesting idea and would explain the lack of signings so far. On the other hand, TF being more canny and business like with signings is as valid an explanation. I do hope it is the latter.
I was hoping he'd be gone by july first. Its the friction thing a set up by the board so they can get rid of him with the fans consent? After all, no one in their right mind would want the Redknapp signings. The sooner it happens, the quicker we can move on. Id hate to go into august with no signings and Redknapp only wanting old players and the board always refusing them.
I'd hope and expect that most of the discussions about potential targets and transfer kitty have already been agreed (if I was manager that would have been my first meeting with TF after the play-off final) so there's little chance of a major bust-up if one hasn't already surfaced. I reckon, if there's any truth to all the speculation of vetoes of transfers (ie Rio) then that's just finer points about the few wiser heads that Arry wants with their agreed quota of younger players still on the cards (which I'm sure the board will pursue to all reasonable ends to ensure they happen). Redknapp has assembled a group of "his type" players and I think the chance to garnish that with some flair and have another crack at the Prem will be too much of a draw to see him jeopardising it.
Regarding Harry and signings ... It is the time of year when loads of people start moaning because other clubs have made a few signings and we haven't. Every player that is signed come with a chorus of "Why weren't we in for him?" I think that money could be behind all this. Notice that we haven't sold Remy, Taarabt, Cesar or Granero yet. Might have to wait until we can see how much there is to play with or which of those above we might be stuck with and so it is not worth signing anyone if we can use them instead. Of course ... none of us knows (including the ones who know everything and post their opinions as fact - just because that is what they want everyone to think!) The OP mentions Ince and Huddlestone. Ince had talks but has not signed for Hull yet as there are other clubs interested. Huddlestone was on loan there last season and wanted to stay and so his permenant transfer is no surprise as I don't suppose he was looking to go anywhere else. Be patient and don't let others, who read everything into nothing, worry you.
The cynic in me thinks the deal might all be agreed but they wanted to publicise a disagreement for the symbolic reason of not seen to be turned over by every agent in the world.
Great post. Well said Eamon. I do recall reading somewhere, or it may have been on London Call-In, that Tony and Harry had a meeting following our Wembley win and drew up a list of targets. This list included back-up players should we not get the intended targets.
The chances of Harry resigning are zero unless he has negoiated that his contract will be paid up in full. I agree that TF may be waiting to see how much we receive in transfer fees before finalising his budget on how much we have available for purchases. This figure will include the cost of wages. As a club, I think we are in a very strange position where the club management have totally different views to the team manager as to the type of players we should be investing in. Personally, I believe that TF has the best approach for the future of Queens Park Rangers & it is the duty of the team manager to follow the club policy. If HR is not happy with this, he should resign with no financial redress & state his objections to the said policy. I really hope that we survive this season, but I can't wait for a year's time when the man "has walked out the door & is not welcome any more". Then I might start to enjoy our football again as I'm not expecting any change in our playing style while he is in charge.
