QPR have confirmed the sacking of manager Paulo Sousa after just 26 matches in charge after details of a conversation he had with a supporter appeared on a message board.
In an official statement released just before 8pm on Thursday he club confirmed the sacking of the two times Champions League winner. Gareth Ainsworth will take temporary charge of the team for the second time this season starting with two games in quick succession over Easter against Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday.
The club say the sacking is due to Sousa divulging highly confidential information about the club without authority. This relates to a post on the wearetherangersboys.com message board earlier this week from a supporter who spoke to Sousa after the Crystal Palace match on Saturday. Sousa apparently told this supporter a number of details about the fitness or otherwise of first team squad members and criticised the ability of others. This post was not immediately removed by the moderators and its content got back to the players and club sparking a chain of events that has today seen Paulo Sousa fired.
Sousa had already incurred the wrath of the board for telling members of the press after the Palace mach that he had no knowledge of the deal to take Dexter Blackstock to Nottingham Forest until after it had been agreed.
The Portuguese arrived at Rangers in November following the sacking of Iain Dowie and won his first match at home against Charlton Athletic – but only won six further matches. A play off push looked on when the R’s strung consecutive away wins together at Derby and Blackpool in January but that was proceeded by a run of nine matches without a win that terminally weakened his position in his first managerial role. Rangers are however unbeaten in their last four matches with two wins and two draws.
Paulo Sousa has tonight told Sky Sports News that he completely denies all allegations against him.
Sporting director Gianni Paladini told Sky Sports News: “Paulo Sousa has parted company with the club and the club is sticking with the decision made. The people running the club want it to go forward. Supporters must stay behind the club and those who are running it. I ask them to do that.”
Former R’s manager Gerry Francis said: “I don’t think this is so much of the blue, we’ve been hearing quite a bit about it in the papers. I think it was Dexter Blackstock that went somewhere else and the manager said he didn’t know anything about it. It’s certainly not bringing much stability to the club and it certainly can’t help in getting the club settled and trying to push on into the Premiership.”