Aaron Moys looks back at the season just gone, the highs and lows and who is to blame for the failings, and at the prolonged search for a successor to Paulo Sousa that seems to be coming to a head.
When the final game at Deepdale came to an end on May 3 having to watch highlights of another team celebrating becoming one step closer to the Premier League made me realise it was going to be a terribly long summer. That being said I knew stories produced by the usual unimaginative and useless members of the press would not be about the players coming in or going, no not any more, all the hype surrounding QPR these days seems to be about our new manager - or new ‘yes man’ depending on what you choose to believe.
I was surprised at how happy I was that I missed the final game of the year for the first time in nearly a decade, whilst sitting on a beach in Spain. Maybe I’m being abit of a pessimist but for the first time in a long time I was actually happy the season was over. No longer did we have to listen to how the QPR ‘Project’ was doing really well. In reality this season started as it ended for many, with a feeling of discontent. Starting the season with Dowie as the manager didn’t exactly excite many, if any, of the fans and it was only going to get worse.
The opening game of the season in my opinion was a sign of what was to come. All the hype surrounding us being among favourites were quickly rubbished when we were forced to watch the style of play we were going to be ‘treated’ to under Dowie. Rangers, being the team we all know and love, conceded first. Chants of ‘there’s only one Lee Camp’ filled the stadium - unfortunately for Cerny he had in many opinions taken the number one spot unfairly and from what first appeared unjustifiably off of Camp. Well every team needs its hero - cue Fitz Hall for his only meaningful contribution to the season. Rangers ended up winning 2-1 and all left the ground that day unsure of what was to come.
Well unfortunately it didn’t really going to get any better and the first league away game of the season was a clear sign of what to expect on our travels. Dowie didn’t last long in a job everyone was surprised he got in the first place. It was loyal club servant Ainsworth’s time to take caretaker charge, but we all knew he wouldn’t get the job full time. Ainsworth wasn’t high profile enough. So It was a job for a man with such great pedigree as a player to step up as the club welcomed ex- Portuguese star Paulo Sousa to try his luck. From the off Sousa spoke about his goal of making the ‘project’ work he seemed to win the players and fans over with his playing pedigree and the women fans over with his charm.
Thing’s didn’t go to well for Sousa and I think he struggled to really find his best XI. That being said, Sousa didn’t really help himself with his team selection and the Charlton away game was kind of the beginning of his fight to justify just what it was he was planning to do with this project. Sousa, such a well respected player, did have some major injuries to key players. The injury to Rowland at Derby I think spelled the end of any chance we had of making the play offs. Then there was the terrible run we had when we went nine games with out a win. However the club at every opportunity still felt the need to tell us play-off were still within our reach - many fans by then had conceded it wasn’t. Sousa’s record as are manager wasn’t bad, the problem was, it wasn’t that good either. Out of the 26 games Sousa was in charge Rangers only lost seven of the games, the problem was is that we only won seven as well. That taken into account I still think Sousa should have been given until the end of the season. But it wasn’t to be, Sousa contract was soon terminated for what everyone believes to be the most ridiculous reason of all. Speaking out to the fans about the way the club was being run.
Throughout the season I was so quick to have a go at Flav for the way he was running the club, but after thinking about things it soon dawned on me that Flav might not be the problem leading me the write the article which appeared on this site on the ,a href=http://www.clubfanzine.com/QPR/v2.showNews.php?id=18698&search=Aaron+Moys>March 18. I believe that the problem with the club is not created solely by Bernie or Flavio - Gianni Paladini must bear some of the responsibility as well. Gianni’s arguments at QPR are well documented - with Gallen and Bircham for instance. Ian Holloway also had a fall out with him, and revealed this week that it was over the signing of Ian Evatt without a medical. He is in charge of player recruitment and must therefore hold his hand up to the long contracts, injury prone signings and striker light squad.
This season although it was a disappointment did in many ways help us, it burst the bubble surrounding Rangers as the money bags of the Championship who were going to buy their way out off the division. So what next for QPR and what needs to be done? The hype surrounding the new manager is ridiculous with around 20 names mentioned already from Aidy Boothroyd to a return of Luigi Di Canio.
I’m sure along with the thousands of other Rangers fans I want the manager to be named as soon as possible so we can start building towards next year - I still cant believe I paid for a season ticket when we have no manger and it looks like no striker on the way. I’m tired of reading newspaper articles saying that Mr X is to be named our manager. Hopefully when the manager is named, whoever it is, he will be given enough time to get this team together and enough money to sign the players he wants. Until then I’m afraid its going to be a very, very long summer and the thought that the start of the season is still over two months away is a horrible feeling as I’m left with prospect of nothing to do with the weekend then to trek endlessly though shopping centre’s and a packed Portobello Market with my girlfriend and family to fill the void. This summer feels like its going to drag, but as Q.P.R fans I don’t think we are ever stop believing the hype were fed. Maybe just maybe we will sign a striker who will score the goals that will fire us back to where we all think we rightfully belong. Enjoy the summer….
….COME ON YOU SUPER…..
(Please someone finish the chant as a comment so I don’t fell like I’m the only QPR fan left out there)