According to several newspapers and media outlets this morning (Thursday) QPR could be about to part company with yet another manager as Paulo Sousa teeters on the brink of getting the axe.
A run of nine games without a victory through February and March weakened Sousa’s position at QPR and although a recent upturn in fortunes appeared to have eased the pressure things could well be coming to a head again at Loftus Road.
Sousa’s assertion after the draw with Crystal Palace at the weekend that he had no idea top scorer Dexter Blackstock was being loaned to Nottingham Forest until the deal had been agreed has not gone down well with the QPR board. Sousa’s right hand man Bruno Oliviera was sacked on Monday out of the blue with no reason given and a meeting was held on Wednesday evening to duscuss the manager’s future.
Sousa is unlikely to resign and would be owed substantial amounts of compensation were he to be sacked - unless the club attempts to prove his comments at the weekend amount to a misconduct charge. The 38 year old former Champions League winner has only won seven matches since taking over from iain Dowie in November but fans have largely been patient with the Portuguese and threads on the message board today suggest supporters would rather he be given a summer to build his own team and judged on results next season.
The Daily Telegraph today reports that no definite decision has been reached but the manager’s position is vulnerable after he failed to achieve the aims set down by the board upon his appointment - mainly making the play offs this season. That would conflict with comments in the past from Sousa and owner Flavio Briatore who have very much put the emphasis on building towards next season and pointed to injuries sustained by key players as a reason for lack of success this term. Sky, The Mirror, The Mail, Teamtalk the BBC and The Sun are all reporting this morning that he is on the verge of being replaced with the latter saying Briatore hit the roof after learning of Sousa’s post Palace comments at the weekend.
Should Sousa get the push before the end of this season Gareth Ainsworth would again be called upon as a caretaker manager - the second time he has fulfilled the role. It would take the number of people picking the QPR team on a permanent or temporary basis since the takeover in September 2007 to six.
Names in the frame to replace Sousa permanently are wide and varied although quite why any manager worth his salt would come and work at QPR at the moment - a club with no scouting system, where the manager does not buy the players and where one poor run of results can bring on the sack - is unclear. Dennis Wise, recently departed from Newcastle, Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson and Paul Ince are the names being touted around most frequently.
Keep logging onto LoftforWords for the latest updates.