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Window pain — Column 23:12 - Aug 9 with 2383 viewsNorthernr

Stupidly expanded thoughts on the window out into this column, leaving me to think of a whole new angle for the match preview tomorrow. FML.


Window pain — Column 9th Aug 2018 22:47
Another summer transfer window closes and with QPR down a clutch of senior players and only Toni Leistner incoming the church is restless. 7

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Window pain — Column on 23:44 - Aug 9 with 2290 viewsDejR_vu

We clearly had targets, but couldn't get the deals done. The 'negotiations' on Smithies seem to have amounted to calling anyone who might be interested and asking them to make an offer. Negotiating transfers at QPR at the moment is obviously an incredibly tough job given the mess we're in but that said, if you want the job you have to play the hand you've been dealt. It looks suspiciously like whoever's in the hot seat may not be up to the job.

Poll: Season tickets - who’s renewing?

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Window pain — Column on 23:48 - Aug 9 with 2277 viewsFDC

Insightful as ever, thanks Clive. I do feel for you, for some reason I remember a post of yours about twitter many moons ago saying "I just don't know what it's for". This would have been a long time ago obviously, before its all-pervasive influence in public life. Apart from makimg me feel old, it reminds me that whilst the likes of me can opt out of the mentalist football supporter corner of twitter and carefully tweak my little bubble so that i just get my political biases confirmed and follow musicians and comedians I admire, as a fan account you've had to go all in and engage with it headlong. That's got to be extremely testing to put it mildly.
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Window pain — Column on 23:50 - Aug 9 with 2268 viewsCliveWilsonSaid

Window pain — Column on 23:44 - Aug 9 by DejR_vu

We clearly had targets, but couldn't get the deals done. The 'negotiations' on Smithies seem to have amounted to calling anyone who might be interested and asking them to make an offer. Negotiating transfers at QPR at the moment is obviously an incredibly tough job given the mess we're in but that said, if you want the job you have to play the hand you've been dealt. It looks suspiciously like whoever's in the hot seat may not be up to the job.


Seem to remember Warnock complimenting Smithies last season at least once.

Poll: Expectations for this season?

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Window pain — Column on 00:21 - Aug 10 with 2198 viewsRs_Holy

Interesting read as ever Clive... I do worry about Shteve!... I don’t think his body language was great when he arrived and it will be interesting now to see if he has the stomach for a long winter with a small/ inexperienced squad?
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Window pain — Column on 02:41 - Aug 10 with 2110 viewstimcocking

I'm disappointed hearing Lee Hoos going on about how good loans are. Personally, i'd be far happier if loans were abolished altogether. The whole concept of filling out the team with young Chelsea or Spurs players makes me fcuking sick.

Even if Kyle Walker's contribution was immense for us. Respect to you Kyle.
[Post edited 10 Aug 2018 2:42]
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Window pain — Column on 03:52 - Aug 10 with 2065 viewssuperhoopdownunder

Window pain — Column on 23:44 - Aug 9 by DejR_vu

We clearly had targets, but couldn't get the deals done. The 'negotiations' on Smithies seem to have amounted to calling anyone who might be interested and asking them to make an offer. Negotiating transfers at QPR at the moment is obviously an incredibly tough job given the mess we're in but that said, if you want the job you have to play the hand you've been dealt. It looks suspiciously like whoever's in the hot seat may not be up to the job.


Thanks Clive - great work as usual.

The last time our recruitment was effective was between March 2010 and the end of the 2010-11 season when we went up as Champions.

Since then our recruitment has generally been very poor
The reason we are in this position is due to the seasons between 2011-12 and 2014-15.
As we know Warnock signed some dross at the last minute on huge 4 year contracts and then the problem became even bigger under Hughes and Redknapp.
Since then our squad has progressively become less experienced with fewer stars/names.

In more recent times since Les Ferdinand became our DOF in January 2015 our recruitment has remained poor - albeit on a smaller scale.
Ferdinand has got a few deals right like Paul Smyth but the majority have been poor (JET being one of many examples).
In the last 4 years only around 25% of purchases have been a success - this needs to significantly improve with money being so tight.
Only time recruitment has been ok was with Holloway and Penrice on the Freeman and Matt Smith deals.

It is also a worry that we can't attract even lower league players here or decent bids for our players like Brentford, Norwich and Southampton seem to do all the time.

Our progression with youth players has been hugely impressive over the past couple of seasons - kudos to Chris Ramsey and Les for this.
Excellent work on Eze and Furlong and other youngsters we have found and retained.

Our squad now has 28 players - which is still reasonably large but the smallest it has been for quite a few years.
Hopefully over the next 3 weeks we can sign another quality central defender and a goalscorer - whether it is just a loan or preferably a loan with the opportunity to buy option.
We should also continue to loan out players who are not ready for the first team yet.

Whatever teams like Brentford are doing is working.
Using data and buying the best players from lower leagues or overseas, building them up and selling them on.
Apparently one of the teams they have sold in the past few years cost them around 5 million and they sold them for 56 million - over 50 million profit.
This is the model we should be looking at replicating.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2718752-brentfords-moneyball-way-to-beat-foo

I think the next few seasons will be tough and we have to become better with our recruiting. Is Les the man for this - I'm not sure.
[Post edited 10 Aug 2018 6:10]
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Window pain — Column on 09:33 - Aug 10 with 1581 viewsTheChef

Window pain — Column on 00:21 - Aug 10 by Rs_Holy

Interesting read as ever Clive... I do worry about Shteve!... I don’t think his body language was great when he arrived and it will be interesting now to see if he has the stomach for a long winter with a small/ inexperienced squad?


You're hoping the discussions McLaren had with the board when he took the job went along the lines of:

"We're limited financially as to who we can buy and add to the squad, you've got a great record of coaching and getting the best out of players, we need you to go out and do that with this squad and with any luck finish higher than last season."

Anything else would have been mis-selling the job or not managing his expectations? In which case he'd be within his rights to consider his position.

Poll: How old is everyone on here?

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Window pain — Column on 10:06 - Aug 10 with 1522 viewsDavieQPR

Our squad does have 28 players but we do include youngsters with no first team experience. We also have quite a few who have played under 10 games for us.
Using this criteria on other clubs means we have a relatively small squad.
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Window pain — Column on 10:10 - Aug 10 with 1506 viewsrobith

TBH, this is the kind of window I've felt we've needed for a long time. Why is the solution always another signing? When does it stop? I feel working with and improving what we've got is important, to break the trend of this "spending is better than mending" mentality.

Do we need more players? Actually, yes - I think a centre back and a striker. Do I like loans? No, but it's good we've shown the flexibility to adapt. Is it scary now we're here? Yes.

But every year teams rock up at Loftus Road that on paper looked weaker than us, or were full of youngsters, and out played us, beat us, were better drilled than us. And I always thought - why can't we be like that? We've appointed the coach to do it, and I'm nervously optimistic we can turn out decent

But ultimately, they've not done this for the craic. They've made a call with the long term future of the club as their primary thought, and sadly that is predicated more on keeping our spending under control than buying players at any cost
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Window pain — Column on 11:07 - Aug 10 with 1437 viewsqprd

As much as I enjoy your columns and am impressed by your output, I have to say I have quite a bit of fatigue about FFP, finances, shareholder loans, shareholder and board room back dealings, etc..

Will be nice when we can just think about what happens on the pitch
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Window pain — Column on 13:37 - Aug 10 with 1304 viewsSimonJames

Very good analysis.

100% of people who drink water will die.

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