QPR, with Neil Warnock still in temporary charge, face fellow circus act Leeds United at Loftus Road on Saturday with the hunt for a new manager ongoing.
Championship >>> Saturday November 28, 2015 >>> Kick Off 15.00 >>> Weather — Dry and windy initially, heavy rain later >>> Loftus Road, London, W12
Without a win, or even a goal, in four matches and with only one point taken from that possible 12, the need for a new manager at Queens Park Rangers seems to grow by the day. Rangers are now fifteenth in the Championship, eight points away from the play-offs and just five from the drop zone.
If you're still of the belief that Rangers could/should be pushing for promotion this year this decline, which is gathering pace, must be fairly alarming - every day that ticks by without an inspirational appointment being made another day wasted. If you've long since accepted this team is so far short of what is required to get out of this division the right way then rejoice, there are actually lots of positives to read into the 'delay'.
QPR have appointed their managers quickly under the last two boards, and rarely achieved any success. It's often been from a shortlist of one, and in the case of Mark Hughes and then Harry Redknapp because somebody got into Tony Fernandes' ear or Twitter account and made it seem as though this was such an obvious option he was a fool for not taking it long before. As we know, the results have been like paying to be whacked over the head with a metal dustbin lid every Saturday at 15.00 for several years.
Initially it seemed that was likely again. Nigel Pearson was backed in as a heavy favourite, Neil Warnock was heavily involved, a board meeting was held in Malaysia — as far as the national press was concerned this would all be over with very quickly as usual.
Those early reports, however, also mentioned that Uncle Tony was leaning heavily on CEO Lee Hoos. This was put forward in a negative light — pesky executive getting in the way of the football people like Warnock who know what they're talking about — but given his record at Leicester where he was involved in the original recruitment of Pearson, and Burnley where Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche both arrived on his watch, it cannot be bad news.
Hoos subsequently said the following at the Fans Forum…
LH wants to establish what competency level and strengths we’re looking for first and foremost — he says some clubs are guilty of appointing managers simply because they think they might be able to secure them bigger name players or loans from top clubs. Big fan of the Swansea model, where the philosophy is written down and managers are appointed according to it. LH has "set piece interview questions" he asks every candidate, with some things weighted more heavily than others. Currently cutting a long list down a short list, followed by interviews first with LH and Les Ferdinand (LF) and then a round of second interviews with the final four or five candidates, LH, LF and "the others" — presumably the board — and from that will come an appointment. No definite timeline, looking for a long term appointment and need to get it right. LH: "Urgency, not haste. We don't want to go hell for leather and overlook the right choice." Want the best man for the job so will consider people in employment.
LH said he was thankful for Neil Warnock being here to help as a safe pair of hands. Wants to be involved and help the club out but doesn't want the job permanently. He has a "firm commitment" until the end of this month and "where it goes after that depends where we are in the process".
I've heard less soothing Scala & Kolacny Brothers covers than this.
It does make me laugh/cry myself to sleep that the lack of an interview process was a regular stick to beat Tony Fernandes with, and now they're apparently holding one that's taking a bit of time the club is wrong again and should be getting it done quicker according to some. If the process is as thorough as Hoos makes out, we'll be all the better for it. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Burton Albion will be approached next week, according to West London Sport today.
Hoos feels like a key man at Loftus Road right now. This pie in the sky idea that QPR can push for promotion this season ignores the angle of list on the good ship Rangers at present. This could get a whole lot worse before it gets better, but the American has a record for returning clubs to an even keel.
What we may have to get our heads around is the process eventually producing a final candidate that we don't particularly like, rate or agree with. The idea that Chris Powell, who did a decent job at Charlton and was harshly sacked by Huddersfield after the club sold his best players in the summer and wondered why the results were poor, might be a candidate provoked a bit of a message board outcry during the week. He's not a particularly inspirational candidate, but he's probably worth an interview, and that's all we've given him so far.
There are those who don't think Hasselbaink is a good choice. In fact, by the time you do start to get to candidates the vast majority agree on you're into a fantasy land even more fanciful than Game of Thrones, where somehow David Moyes or Brendan Rodgers are persuaded to join an ailing Championship outfit.
Whoever it is will have an incredibly difficult job on his hands. This will take a deal of time to turn around. It might not turn around at all - why would a manager with the ability to do so come here?
There seems to be a weird badge of honour some of the online QPR community like to pin on saying "I said he was rubbish first" when it comes to new players and managers which will be unhelpful if it happens again this time. Even if it is Chris Powell, let's trust in the process, trust in the CEO with the track record, and hope to God they get it right and there is a manager out there who can succeed here.
In the meantime, a goal would be nice against a Leeds United club even more farcical than our own.
Links >>> Cellino's farcical reign — Opposition focus >>> Promising kids, dodgy owner — Interview >>> QPR thrash champions-elect — History >>> Philosophically speaking — Podcast >>> Second QPR game for Bankes — Referee
Extended highlights of QPR's 4-1 home win against champions-elect Leeds at Loftus Road in 1992. Bradley Allen's pinpoint finish from Ray Wilkins' cute pass the pick of the goals.
Team News: QPR could still be without talismanic forward Charlie Austin with the calf injury that kept him out of last week's loss at Middlesbrough. Leroy Fer's impromptu appearance as a goalkeeper in that game was frowned upon by the match officials and he serves a one match ban as a result. Clint Hill may feature after a month out with a hamstring injury suffered at Brentford.
Steve Evans has made it very plain that Steve Evans is struggling to work with players who weren't brought to the club by Steve Evans, so Steve Evans has taken the first step towards correcting that by loaning in Liam Bridcutt from Sunderland who will make his debut here. "Steve Evans has never been one to stand idly by, Steve Evans is a doer," said Steve Evans earlier today.
Steve Evans is also suffering a shortage of goalkeepers with Marco Silvestri the only senior player fit to play between the sticks. Ross Turnbull broke his ankle when his condom challenge attempt went badly wrong and Charlie Horton has cancelled his contract and returned to the US after a death in the family. Eric Grimes and Bailey Peacock-Farrell are both busy revising for their SATs but Steve Evans is negotiating with the parents to allow one of them to come and sit on the bench under the promise of having them back home in time for an early night.
Gaetano Berardi is serving a two match ban for sheep rustling.
Elsewhere: A Championship weekend spread across four glorious winter days as November enters December, starting with the highflying Derby Sheep hosting the even higher flying Tigers Tigers Rah Rah Rah tonight and ending with the one you've all been waiting for between Bolton and Abacus on Monday night.
Ten fixtures are shoved into the Saturday schedule with relegation-haunted Charlton hosting an Ipswich side they used to spend millions poaching excellent players from for their Premier League side. Just what they need.
Paul Lambert started life with the Mad Chicken Farmers with a win at local rivals Preston last week and will be looking to back that up against the Sheffield Owls at the coop this Saturday. Preston, meanwhile, look to recover with a trip to Rupert and Tarquin whose Come Dine With Me-style search for a new manager took a dramatic turn last week when Steve Clarke turned up with a four-pack of Tennents rather than the bottle of Côtes du Rhône they'd requested to compliment the starter.
Clarke, therefore, returns to his existing job at Waitrose where he hopes the staff aren't holding his attempted defection against him as they travel to Nottingham Trees.
Down at the bottom there's a six pointer between Rotherham and the Wurzels, and with the Franchise unlikely to win at Wolves and Middlesbrough almost certain to win at Huddersfield, it's a chance for both teams to gain some ground on those around them.
The Red Dragons against Big Spending Burnley is also on the card while Birmingham v Brighton is this week's match between two teams beginning with B.
Referee: Peter Bankes has only been on the league list for 18 months but is clearly being fast-tracked into the Championship, and probably beyond if it goes well for him. This is his second QPR appointment of the season already, following August's 3-2 win at Wolves. Click here for details of that game and his stats for the past few seasons.
QPR: Having won four of their first seven games and been as high as fourth in the langue, QPR have only won two games since in 12 outings and are now fifteenth. Having been the top scorers in the Championship at the beginning of October, the R's have now failed to score in five of their last six matches including the last four. And having had the league's worst defence on October 17 they've now conceded just three in six matches. It's all quite an about turn. So far at Loftus Road this season Rangers have beaten MK Dons, Bolton and Rotherham, drawn with Cardiff, Sheff Wed and Preston and lost to Forest and Carlisle in the League Cup.
Leeds: Leeds' big problems have been at Elland Road wherte they've won only once going all the way back to the beginning of March. Three of their four victories so far have been on the road and they've won two, drawn two and lost only one of their last five away matches. Victories at Huddersfield and MK Dons perhaps weren't that unexpected, but the 2-1 win at Derby in August is a notable scalp. Leeds have lost six and drawn two of their last 11 matches. Leeds haven't lost a game at Loftus Road since Ray Wilkins' first match in charge of the R's back in November 1994.
Predictions: Reigning Prediction League champion isawqpratwhitecity tells us…
"Ah, Leeds United, a club as charming and beloved as Millwall. Unfortunately for this fixture, their run of form away from home is impressive, while currently we'd have trouble finding a point in a sack of needles. Still, Rotherham beat them last week, surely that counts for something?"
Jim's Prediction: QPR 1-1 Leeds. Scorer: Charlie Austin
LFW's Prediction: QPR 1-1 Leeds. Scorer — Matt Phillips
The Twitter @loftforwords
Pictures — Action Images