TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR MARK HUGHES AT QPR Betfair: 8 October 2012 Reproduced with permission from betting.betfair.com. (c) The Sporting Exchange Limited Time may be running out for Mark Hughes and QPR even at this early stage in the season, says Romilly Evans... Take it from someone who has stood in front of Tony Fernandes at the Loftus Road corporate canteen, he's not a patient man. Mark Hughes knows this too. And he's battling for something more nourishing than the last remains of the crab linguine: Premiership survival, with a side order of dignity please. The Welsh manager received the dreaded vote of confidence from his chairman last week but it didn't make a jot of difference on Saturday as QPR slumped to their fifth defeat of the season at West Brom. "You're getting sacked in the morning" was the familiar refrain from the Hawthorns faithful. But rather than brush off the taunts, it really looked as though those words were hitting home while Hughes was patrolling the touchline. His post-match interview was accordingly characterised by a funereal pace and tome. "It's just not good enough," lamented the embattled leader. "I'm disappointed. We've given us too much to do for the second game running." It didn't exactly sound like the man in the Hoops dugout was digging in. In truth, Hughes' disappointing run of results is longer than a couple of games. QPR have amassed but a brace of points this season and are without a win in seven matches. They remain rooted in fear to the bottom of the league ladder, gazing up at a task which is growing taller with every passing fixture. Something needs to change. And change quickly. Else Hughes will find himself following Neil Warnock out of the door. Warnock, of course, split acrimoniously with the Hoops in January after a nine-match winless streak, and Sparky looks and sounds like a cat with only two more lives left. Yet while QPR are bringing up the rear in the Premier League, they are by no means cut adrift (which is why they're still a healthy 3.3 to back for relegation). A solitary win could see them climb out of the relegation places altogether and they have more than enough buoyancy aids in some quality players to keep their campaign afloat. For whatever reason, though, Hughes has as yet been unable to pull the rip chord on these talents and deploy them effectively. Ji-Sung Park, Adel Taarabt, Junior Hoilett, Esteban Granero... the roster reels off flair, technique but no current cohesion. On Saturday, this team of individual talents lost to a side in West Borm who are proving more than the sum of their parts under Steve Clarke. Hughes should view his Albion counterpart, who has already amassed 14 points this term, as an eloquent example if he is to make things add up to survival on QPR's side of the ledger. It's the very least Fernandes will demand of him after a summer in which he backed Hughes to sign 10 new players at a cost of nearly £200m. For his part, Fernandes can't be faulted on his ambition and chequebook. Even his Twitter feed has a healthy account of followers. But this is an owner who likes to be seen and heard. A decision even Fernandes may now be regretting as he struggles to stem the social-media stream of angry complaints being voiced by fans. On Hughes' continued tenure, however, he has remained steadfastly defiant: "I am 1000% behind Mark." Such meaningless exaggeration won't help Hughes. He needs to stop promising a better tomorrow and actually deliver it on the pitch. His recent acquisitions have now had ample time to bed in. They must now flourish. And in a week where Ashley Cole has shown that even evidence can "evolve", Hoops supporters are right to expect a little natural evolution in their own team. Possibly by better selection - Darwin's lesser-known thesis. Still, you don't need to be the father of evolution to know that the Premier League sack race is all about the survival of the fittest. If Hughes doesn't effect a change soon, another manager will be along to knock him off his perch. Harry Redknapp is the man lurking in the shadows. However, having taken Tottenham to fourth place last season, Loftus Road might seem like a step down. So while the sword of Damocles hangs perilously over Hughes, it is yet to fall. He remains a good manager (as spells at Wales, Blackburn, Fulham, even Man City have proved). He is still to prove himself a great manager. The sands of time are running dry and Hughes can ill afford this high-profile failure which could result in him be unfairly viewed as damaged goods. One can only hope his players gel as a unit before Fernandes brings down the axe. Or he could just ask me to stall him at the salad counter.
10 players for 200 million quid i would expect more truth from someone who has spent time in the QPR canteen
Ex-Tottenham boss Redknapp waiting for QPR call this week Submitted by tribalfootball.com on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 03:02 Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is waiting for a call from QPR. The Sun says QPR chiefs will this week decide whether to replace Mark Hughes with Redknapp. The R’s are anchored to the bottom of the Premier League with few signs they will pull away from trouble. And influential figures at the club know they have to act swiftly before the situation becomes impossible to turn around. Former Spurs boss Redknapp could take over straight away without any compensation to pay.
That's not a bad write up tbh. I particularly think this sums up my feelings ' For whatever reason, though, Hughes has as yet been unable to pull the rip chord on these talents and deploy them effectively. Ji-Sung Park, Adel Taarabt, Junior Hoilett, Esteban Granero... the roster reels off flair, technique but no current cohesion.'
