EXCLUSIVE: After being criticised in these pages by Martin Samuel, the QPR manager responds in his own words... 'I'm angry, the whole club's angry, so now WE MUST WIN By Mark Hughes ..Make no mistake, Saturday's game with Southampton is massive for both sides and a potential launch pad for us in the Premier League. Our chairman, Tony Fernandes, has called it a must-win game â and I canât argue with that. As I said after the game at Stoke last week, we canât keep simply playing well without being ruthless. Only that ruthlessness will get us away from the foot of the table and only a consistent run of results is going to keep us out of trouble. Crunch clash: Hughes is under no illusions as to what his side must achieve against Southampton Martin Samuel on Mark Hughes'Hughes was once tipped to follow Sir Alex into the United hotseat but now he's in a fight he can't afford to lose' .It would be easy to make excuses and point out the injuries to the likes of Andy Johnson, Fabio, Park Ji-sung, Jose Bosingwa, Armand Traore and Samba Diakite over the course of the season so far. Theyâre not excuses but they have been a factor in where we find ourselves. The squad has been improved over the summer but we still canât replace those guys like-for-like at the moment. Through all that, weâve shown we can play good football and thatâs come out in games against Chelsea, Everton, Spurs and even at Stoke last weekend. Again, I come back to the need to be more ruthless when weâve been on top. Despite everything, if anybody thinks thereâs a sense of panic among the players and the staff, theyâd be wrong. There is a great potential at this club and we have to start realising that potential as soon as possible. No joy: QPR have lost seven and drawn four of their league fixtures despite the number of new additions this summer The players are angry. Angry theyâve not got the results they think their football deserves. Angry theyâve let down the fans, whoâve been superb. Angry the club is in this position. If there wasnât that anger there, Iâd be worried. As a manager, you want the players to have that fire, not to be moping around feeling sorry for themselves. If that was the mood around the training ground, then I would be worried and weâd be in trouble. As I said, Iâm not panicking. Of course Iâm upset, only a fool wouldnât be upset when you get to November and you are in the relegation zone and thereâs nothing in the victory column, no three points to our name. But Iâve been here before when I first took charge at Blackburn. We pulled out of that poor situation and emerged a stronger group and a stronger club. That taught me time, talent and hard work always pay off. I know we have all of those qualities at Rangers. Last season when I arrived at Loftus Road it was tough. We were charged by Tony and the board with saving QPR from relegation and thatâs what we did. Yes, it was tight but the home wins against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Stoke towards the end of the season were the key to our escape. Thatâs the kind of form at Loftus Road we have to re-discover. Gritty, tough, hard- working and disciplined, those are the qualities which will see us right. I read Martin Samuelâs column in these pages on Wednesday. I respect Martinâs views but if I had taken to heart half the things that have been said or written about me by him and others over the years, I would have walked away from football before Iâd even started. He talked about my track record and reputation being tarnished beyond repair by QPRâs current position. Firstly, itâs not about me at this stage, itâs about the players, my staff, the fans and the board. Itâs about QPR. If I worried about my own reputation or about my ego being damaged, I wouldnât have survived in football as a player or a manager for as long as I have. Secondly, I truly believe every club Iâve ever managed Iâve left in a stronger position than when I arrived. At Blackburn, we saw the club clear of relegation, finished sixth in my second season, 10th the next year and seventh in my final season. We also reached an FA Cup semi-final and regularly beat the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. When I arrived at Manchester City, the club wasnât in anything like a sound financial state and in my first month we were tasked with selling to raise cash. Ruthless: Hughes is angry his team have dominated games but failed to win them Martin Samuel's column last Wednesday But we oversaw a huge change in structure and culture once Sheik Mansour arrived and leaving them with the likes of Vincent Kompany and so many others remains something I take real pride in. I was only at Fulham a year but we identified talent such as Mousa Dembele who they sold for a club record in the summer at a huge profit as well as finishing eighth and being profitable. None of this buys QPR three points, I know that. But what it does do is underline the work I and my staff put in at different clubs and why there is still so much self-belief at QPR. With the help of Tony and the shareholders â whoâve been nothing short of magnificent in their support â I feel QPR are a stronger, better club than it was when we arrived. Thereâs been a huge overhaul of the scouting structure and weâre identifying top-class talent from across Europe, bringing in players of real pedigree and character. The academy has made huge strides in the nine months weâve been here and I honestly believe QPR will never be in a position where they nurture somebody like Raheem Sterling but lose him to Liverpool for just £500,000. As one of the board said to me the other day, weâre not building something at QPR for six weeks or six months, the work weâre doing here will see the club survive and thrive for the next six years and beyond. Obviously what counts more than anything, though, is getting that elusive first win against Southampton today. Thatâs what matters, thatâs what will lift the whole club and the supporters. The belief is there. The character is there. The determination is there. We know weâre better than the league table tells us. We just have to start proving it. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...amuel-QPR-beat-Southampton.html#ixzz2CQw3eitm Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Blimey Northy, your burning the midnight oil! I've not seen you around these parts after eleven before. Must be getting serious?
It's a results business, he has not delivered and neither does look likely to deliver, no away win under Hughes, yeah let's stick with him !!
Hold the front page! Looks like we're going to be OK after all. QPRâs Mark Hughes: My big-name stars can cope with a relegation scrap QPR manager Mark Hughes is adamant his big name players, such as Esteban Granero, have what it takes for a relegation battle ShareCommentsBy Kieran Beckles 12:01am UK, Saturday 17 November 2012 Esteban Granero joined QPR from Real Madrid in AugustThe Sport Review Mark Hughes has dismissed the suggestion that Queens Park Rangersâ big-name stars do not have the stomach for a Premier League relegation scrap. The 48-year-old made 11 summer signings, including the likes of Park Ji-Sung, Esteban Granero, Jose Bosingwa and Júlio César. But despite the plethora of talent at Loftus Road, the Hoops are still searching for their first Premier League victory, with Hughesâ men languishing at the bottom of the table. Some QPR supporters have suggested their new signings do not have the necessary appetite for a relegation battle after spending years competing for silverware, but Hughes disagrees. âYes, absolutely [they have what it takes in a relegation battle],â said Hughes. âIt goes without saying. They have come from clubs that are used to winning [such as Chelsea and Real Madrid]. âBut to stay at clubs like that, you have to have a certain mentality or you donât last there. âThe fact they played at those clubs tells you theyâve all the attributes and qualities needed to be in a battle such this.â Hughes is well placed to help QPRâs big names adjust to their change of environment, with the former Wales international swapping Chelsea for Southampton in 1998. âI had the same experience. Initially, itâs difficult,â he added âI went from Manchester United, Barcelona, Barcelona and Chelsea to Southampton. We had a shocking start to the season but we turned it around. âIt was a shock to the system because it wasnât what I was used to but you use the qualities that got you to the top in the first place.â He continued: âPerhaps itâs their demeanour. They are not extroverted, they are introverted. But I see things every day here in training which doesnât allow me to doubt them. âIrrespective of the circumstances, you get the job done because thatâs the mentality you have to have to be at a top club.â
Only wish that we had Defoe and Dawson or Samba from the start of the season. One half decent striker and a 34 year old centre back being the best in our back four is our real problem. We are work in progress mate, we will be fine!!
He's worse than a bad Hollywood screenwriter who writes down the most obvious lines for the most obvious scenes!
