Why Redknapp won't be able to mastermind QPR's great escape By James Tompkinson | Nov 27,2012 | 1 comments In terms of football related miracles, Harry Redknapp is something of a managerial messiah. The man who salvaged Portsmouth and took Tottenham from the threat of the Championship to the brink of the Champions League has now been called into action to do what he does best. This time the venue is Loftus Road and the task is incredibly uncomplicated - save QPR from relegation. On the surface, you could be forgiven for thinking that Redknapp's appointment means that Rangers will almost certainly survive the drop. After all, they now have the man who many believe should be managing England at the helm, and better still someone who has defined his career in terms of keeping teams in the top flight. It sounds straightforward enough, but here's the problem - asking Redknapp to save QPR from relegation is not just asking for a miracle, it is almost asking for the impossible. One of the primary reasons why Redknapp's new job is so difficult is that QPR shouldn't be rooted to the foot of the table. Chairman Tony Fernandes backed former manager Mark Hughes with not only time and space but an incredible amount of cash - both in the transfer market and in his pocket. In fact some sources speculated that Hughes was the eighth highest paid manager in the world. Hughes spent extremely heavily in the summer and brought in enough players to form an entire new squad without really moving existing players out of the club. The result has been a deadly tonic of new and old, and has ultimately resulted in an unhappy and divided dressing room which Hughes couldn't control. Whilst it may appear that a new manager such as Redknapp now has the freedom to walk in and treat everyone as an equal , the reality will be far from that scenario. There are many inflated egos within the dressing room at Loftus Road and it will take time for Redknapp to find a happy medium. Unfortunately it is time that QPR don't have and despite only being in November, their clock is well and truly ticking. There's also the small matter of the maths to consider. Rangers have not won a game this season and are firmly anchored to the foot of the Premier League table. A seven point gap already exists between QPR and Southampton, who currently occupy the ever elusive 17th position in the league. That's not to say that QPR can't win three games. In fact with the talent in their squad it is perfectly conceivable that they have the players to win three games. But when you are in a relegation dogfight, talent goes out of the window and heart, nerve and steel come to the fore. On the basis of what I have seen of Rangers this year I cannot see them being out of the relegation zone before the new year and then they are in trouble. Fundamentally, QPR's season rests on their next three games. They face Sunderland, Aston Villa and Wigan back to back, and if current form holds true and wins don't arrive then it will be hard to see where Rangers will pick up points. My gut football instinct also says that Villa and Sunderland will move away from the relegation mix because they have too much experience and depth, so it is difficult to see who Redknapp's team will realistically pass in their fight for survival. This isn't to say that I don't want Redknapp to succeed, and if anyone can pull off the impossible then he is definitely the man. However before everyone gets duped by some form of Harry-hysteria, let's just remember the enormity of the task that he faces. Rate this article: Average: Select ratingPoorOkayGoodGreatAwesome
I could quibble on the details of the piece, but my gut feeling is that the drift of it is broadly correct - Redknapp has joined too late in the day and avoiding relegation looks very tricky indeed.
****ing depressing,but he could be right.But then we all knew it anyway. The next three games could be the difference between staying or going. 1.5 points per game from now on and that is just to get to 40ish points!...I still cant believe we are here again.Its smacks of 95!
Hard to disagree with most of this and I don't think Harry has a magic formula. DON'T agree that Villa have too much experience in depth, their squad is full of unknowns and youth players.
Hang on a minute, isn't there still 72 points up for grabs? Another load of arse from a bloke that sounds like a rugby union fan.
Another lazy wannabe article that may have accidentally smacked that nail square on the head. Huge game tomorrow.
1. I think personal animosities and resentments will evaporate with Harry focusing them on what's at stake. They have a single objective now and time to achieve it. It will unite them imo. 2. Load of rubbish that if we are in the relegation zone by the New Year we will not be able to get out. If we've closed the gap by the NY and Harry buys or loans prudently, we have momentum on our side, and it's the other relegation-threatened sides that will be sh*tting themselves. We have to start winning - from tomorrow
Things aren't too bad. Hughes was such a terrible manager and caused such severe problems that things not only can only get better but will do so faster than normal due to the gravity of the situation that moron left us in. Only way is up, it's a fact in our case
Play the triers and lets go down fighting if that's to be our faith. No-one should play unless they are prepared to put in 100% effort.
That's an awful lot of words to say the bleedin' obvious. Yes, it will take a major turnaround to dig us out of the hole. Yes, the next three games are crucial. Yes, the current squad have been found seriously lacking in terms of teamwork and effort. My conclusions are the same as his sadly but I sure as hell hope that 'Arry gives it a go.
Spot on mate, my thoughts exactly. Villa had an average squad age of 23 against Reading the other day. I know they won, but too experienced??? Give me a break.
This is the key imo. Draws obviously won't be enough. We MUST go for it and attack, especially at home.
Disagree totally IMAZ old chap, you see the devastation (and I can find no other word) that has been caused through the Hughes reign will be with us for years to come - of that we can be assured. Let me get one thing straight, Harry is the man and am chuffed he's with us but his hands are tied. We will have some sort of a bounce but unfortunately we need Europa League form now to get out of this. Let me explain why - We are looking at a minimum of being better than 3 clubs, We are probably unanimous that Reading can be caught - but what then? Southampton look OK and seem united - Will continue to pick up points, no easy nut to pass. A.Villa - Strange side, this weekend will tell us alot Newcastle - Have too many good players to come back Norwich - Have more or less carried on from last year Sunderland - You just get the feeling that they could be pegged back Wigan - Martinez has steered them clear before and look as though they have goals in them Harry is a great motivator and better tactician but he can't fashion a goal machine out of what he currently has. That means we will probabaly at best get 9 points out of next 5 games. That puts us on 14 for half way, TF will then have the biggest gamble to play, we are not going to be able to get rid of big earners who mean nothing to us in Jan, will he then go and invest another 50 Mill? How do I reach 50 Mill? 2 decent CBs at 5 Mill each on around 50,000 per week on 3 year contract + 2 decent forwards at 5 Mill each on around 50,000 per week on 3 year contract. You do the math, because he's still going to be stuck with Cisse,Onouha,Zamora,Johnson,Bosingwa,Green or Cesar,Barton,Park potentially in the Championship. It's a fortune he's already played with and backed on the clueless one. Can't see him doing it again, although granted with someone we THINK he can trust.
Thought provoking, Danish and of course, it's difficult easily to identify three no-hopers above us at the moment. The hope has to be that, as is generally believed, our players are a great deal better than our points total. If Harry gets them into winning form, there's time and we just have to hope that three of the 6 or 7 clubs at risk, start to show cracks under our pressure coming up from beneath TF won't let Harry spend big. A CB and possibly a striker (may depend how long Zamora is out), bought or loaned.
As per the divided dressing room thing, imo it's understandable that those with more QPR (NPC) about them having to watch those with more money about them (including the former manager) failing so so dismally. However, the fact that 'Arry wasn't involved in any of the transfers means that there can be no real mood-inducing loyalties. It's a straight question of convincing 'Arry you're part of the solution and then going out there and leaving him in no doubt. The younger players have to make an effort. Their future stock depends on it. As for the contracted thirtysomethings, we'll soon see who can better the likes of Nelsen, Hill and Derry. It's all about the moody Cisse really. Can 'Arry bring him round and back to the confident goal scorer he can be? Joe Jordan will surely have a role to play in getting Cisse's attention... Vital also now to find other hungry, determined and able goal getters among the first 15 or so. Not just the forward midfielders, that's an absolute must - but also from players you wouldn't normally expect goals from: the likes of Nelsen, Hill, Derry, Diakite, M'bia, Traore, Bosingwa, Park and so on. The term 'goal-focused' can rarely have had more meaning than it does for us right now.
We so hope that hese players are better than what they've been showing - one thing I must say - I personally at least have hope with Harry that I would never have had with Hughes and am sure he will at least get the best out of them. Now let's see how good they are and how good the 12th man can be. Have got approval from the "Home Office" to take the kids to City and Norwich home at end of Jan, so hopefully, we're still in the mix. Come on you rrrrrrrrrrs
