Queens Park Rangers give new manager Mark Hughes free rein to overhaul club in quest to become real force Mark Hughes has been given the mandate for a complete overhaul of Queens Park Rangers following his appointment on Tuesday as the clubâs new manager on a two-and-a-half year contract. By Jason Burt 10:00PM GMT 10 Jan 2012 Hughes will be involved in everything from the plans for a new 30,000-capacity stadium in west London and a state-of-the-art training ground to revamping QPR's scouting network, medical facilities and sports science department. The 48 year-old has vowed to completely revamp the club, which is not regarded as up to Premier League standard, and is understood to be excited by the project and substantial financial backing he has been handed to create a new force in top-flight football with the support of owner Tony Fernandes and the Asian investors behind him. Hughesâ immediate task, however, will be to stave off the prospect of relegation, with Rangers in 17th place just one point outside the bottom three, and it was instructive that in the press release issued by the club on Tuesday it stressed his record in signing players â including Nigel de Jong and Christopher Samba who he could attempt to attract to Loftus Road. There are serious concerns about the strength of the squad and some of the signings made by the previous manager Neil Warnock who, as Telegraph Sport revealed, had lost the support of Fernandes and was sacked on Sunday. Indeed Rangers are hoping to complete at least one new signing before Hughesâs first match in charge, away to Newcastle United this weekend with a renewed bid expected for Samba. Chelsea defender Alex is among other targets being identified. Hughes, who took his first training session on Tuesday within hours of signing his deal, will be presented to the media today and will explain the reasons why he believes Rangersâ can fulfil his demand as a club that matches his own ambition â something he said Fulham failed to do when he left them last summer. It is understood that the Welshman has reasoned that with Fulhamâs infrastructure in place and the club apparently happy to simply remain in the Premier League, and despite plans to upgrade Craven Cottage, he didnât feel there was scope for much improvement. At Rangers he inherits a completely different scenario where he can make a far greater impact. Hughes arrives at Rangers with his trusted backroom staff of Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Hitchcock and said on Tuesday: âItâs a great feeling to be back in football and to be manager of QPR. Iâm fully aware of the challenge in the short and long term and I am genuinely excited about the ambition of the owners. âNobody can doubt the history of this great football club and the passion of its fantastically loyal supporters. Now the immediate priority is to consolidate our place in the Premier League, but beyond that the future is very bright and fills me with great enthusiasm.â Fernandes said that Hughesâ desire to prove himself made him the ideal appointment. âHe had a great passion to achieve as a manager and has already been hugely successful in his career,â he said.
Thats a great article and totally re enforces the reasons for leaving Fulham and it looks liek we have a great future. Ironic they made this up minutes before the article was put online https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...50012917.66084.267180833346262&type=1&theater
It's a bit strong that though, imo. Licence to input into superstructural stuff like the new grounds etc.? Playing side I understand - but for a journeyman on a short contract to be handed full spectrum powers? Can't see that at all.
These feel good articles just keep on coming THIS! We will never, never make progress until this has been properly adressed. What we do in this transfer window will entirely be "survival signings". There is no chance for us to buy the quality required from the Premier League. Phil Jones £16m, Andy Carroll £35m, Jordan Henderson £16-18m, Stewart Downing £20m and the list goes on, and i'm not sure all of these represent the proposed quality at all! Definetely not Andy Carroll No, the value for money is outside of these shores and that is something i know Hughes will live up to.
Hopefully he will know we dont want a flat pack stadium like SMS or Pride Park and we will get a Boavista like stadium, Im happy he will be involved rather than just leaving the money men to it. We dont even have a scouting network, we had a dodgy Italian trying to do dodgy deals. We especially need a foreign scout as thats where all the best value comes from. ie Samba when he came over to blackburn.
The reality is probably a bit different but sure as hell I'm excited. With NW it was just about survival (which was a big struggle) and then what? The appointment of Hughes has been made with progression and development in mind. Never before have our owners come up with such a vision of the future.
Exactly, Warnock doesnt even do tactics and players wouldnt sign for him. If you look at our vision for the future then the sacking makes even more sense. Its harsh but then he did exactly the same thing to Ephraim, Agyemang, Ramage etc and I think even he understands why he was let go.
So very true. But what we will also get with Hughes is a fitter, well drilled team, who all know there jobs with or without the ball. No square pegs in round holes. A team prepared for each match with no stone un-turned. A team without fear and no respect for the opposition. ie Profesional and determined.
I am worried about the new stadium. I hope he knows what makes Loftus Road special, even though it only holds 18,000. TF seems to realize, but will Hughes? Don't want to move if we end up in a soul-less place where supporters are miles away fom the action.
Can't believe they would take that edge away from us. Our soul will die if they build some purpose built stadium like the Ricoh Arena. They're talking about a 30.000 capacity stadium. This will give them the oppurtunity to build a two tier stadium, like they have done in Holland and Portugal with great success.
