| Furs leaving on 21:00 - Nov 28 with 2552 views | JamesB1979 |
| Furs leaving on 19:35 - Nov 28 by Northernr |
Okay, well, again, speaking for myself, I wasn't jumping to conclusion without facts at all.
And if Dave Mc did so he'd be in trouble. |
I didn’t say you were Clive. I was just pointing out that I don’t think Matt Winton was saying the WLS article was made without facts. He was pointing at fans reaction to it (not yours). That’s all. |  | |  |
| Furs leaving on 21:05 - Nov 28 with 2521 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| Furs leaving on 21:00 - Nov 28 by JamesB1979 |
I didn’t say you were Clive. I was just pointing out that I don’t think Matt Winton was saying the WLS article was made without facts. He was pointing at fans reaction to it (not yours). That’s all. |
I mean, Clive can talk for himself, but didn't Matt Winton as good as say that direct to Clive and another poster on a podcast in the summer? |  | | |
| Furs leaving on 21:07 - Nov 28 with 2508 views | KensalT |
| Furs leaving on 20:33 - Nov 28 by KensalT |
For the benefit of anyone who hasn't read the Matt Winton piece the link is here and I will paste the text below the link:
https://medium.com/@matt.winton/why-i-support-qprs-leadership-and-why-so-much-of
Why I Support QPR’s Leadership — And Why So Much of the Criticism Misses the Point
I wanted to put some of my views down in longer form, mainly because it’s impossible to distil this outlook into a tweet without getting dragged into misunderstandings. Over the last week or so, I’ve again found myself in heated back-and-forths on X, trying to dampen a groundswell of criticism that I simply don’t think is warranted. And what strikes me is this: so much of the criticism of the club is based on things supporters have no real understanding of behind the scenes.
This isn’t a new pattern; it’s been consistent over the last year. We’ve had waves of anger over issues where the club quite literally cannot divulge details, often for legal, strategic, or employment-related reasons. Yet, even with complete information absent, the reflex is always to assume the worst.
The Transparency Myth
Injuries and contracts:
For months, fans complained about a lack of transparency. The club stated clearly that they preferred to keep details private for strategic reasons, something many clubs around the world do as standard. The club actually took learnings from that communication backlash and has already been far more transparent about injuries this season.
Martí on gardening leave:
The outrage machine went into overdrive when Martí was placed on gardening leave. Nobody outside the club knows the details, not the contractual obligations, not the HR context, not the legal restrictions, and not the internal dynamics. Matters of employment law and severance are always confidential in every business, across every sector. Yet somehow, QPR fans expect full disclosure and assume wrongdoing when they don’t get it.
This week’s uproar about Furlong:
WLS published a story saying he might be leaving. No explanation, no real info. For all we know, he could be ill, he could have a new job, or the club simply may feel it’s the right time for a change. But again, despite having zero facts, fans rush to blame the club, accuse leadership of disloyalty, and side with the employee.
It’s extraordinary how easy it seems to be to assume the club is in the wrong without knowing a single thing about what has actually happened.
Why My View Has Changed — And Why I Back the Leadership
Now, on a personal level, this comes from someone who has a long history of being critical of the owners. And, to be fair, there have been periods where criticism was justified based on the information in the public domain.
But right now? I’m throwing my support behind the club, and particularly behind the people running it behind the scenes, because I see genuine progress, genuine competence, and genuine strategy. And after a decade of inconsistent direction, that matters.
For years, fans have said:
· “We need a club model that isn’t dependent on the manager.”
· “We need clarity about who’s actually responsible for decisions.”
· “We need to modernise our operations.”
Well, now we finally have exactly that. For the first time in ages, accountability is clear. We know who leads on what. We know where decisions sit. And we’ve put in place a structure that is ahead of what many competitors are doing, which is vital given our budget constraints.
And crucially, we’re not relying on a single personality to hold everything together, unlike the Holloway or Warburton periods, where things worked largely because the manager was strong enough to mask deeper structural issues. Once they left, everything fell apart. That’s not a sustainable model.
This time, it feels different.
The Evidence: Tangible, Measurable Progress
Criticism thrives in the absence of information. So let’s focus on what we do know, using actual data and on-pitch evidence.
1. The Managerial Decision: Replacing Martí Was Spot On
Getting rid of Martí already looks like an unquestionably smart move. The numbers are clear:
· Win rate / points:
QPR went from 2 wins in 17 to 7 wins over the same stage. Points per game more than doubled from 0.71 → 1.47.
· Attack:
Goals scored increased from 0.94 → 1.24 per game — a big shift in productivity.
· Defence:
Goals conceded improved from 1.65 → 1.47 per game. This despite shipping 7 in one game.
· Overall:
We’ve gone from being in relegation form last season to being a competitive, stable, mid-table side this season.
Stephan is a clear upgrade on Martí, and Martí’s struggles at Leicester only reinforce that reality. This wasn’t luck. It was a strategic call made by people who actually understand what’s going on inside the club.
2. Talent Acquisition: A Recruitment Structure That Actually Works
In the last two years, recruitment has transformed. The structure, the process, the profiles, all of it.
· The squad is more balanced than at any point in the last decade.
· The depth is night-and-day from previous seasons; we can finally rotate without collapsing.
· Young talent in the DLS pipeline, Smith, Akindelini, Isak, Esquardinho, is genuine, not hype.
· The club is smarter, leaner, and far more strategic than during the Ferdinand era.
Yes, Ferdinand inherited a mess. Yes, he did some good things. But after eight years, the club was still lopsided and under-resourced. In two years, Nourry has achieved more with less.
3. Youth Structure: Real Progress, Real Results
The academy and DLS setup is producing consistent, meaningful results across age groups.
· The U18s are strong and cohesive.
· A group of U16s went to Manchester United and won.
· There’s a conveyor belt forming between U18 → DLS → first team.
· We have numerous young players on loan in the National League performing incredibly well.
Under the previous structure, after eight years, we had virtually no meaningful pipeline to the first team. Players were poorly developed, given overly long contracts, and retained far too long. Now we’re seeing a strategy that works.
Performance × acquisition × development, all trending upward.
4. Operational Decisions: Small Things That Make a Big Difference
A good example: removing away fans from the Lower School End.
It’s a simple, clever decision that instantly made Loftus Road a more difficult place for visiting teams. These marginal gains matter.
Most Importantly: QPR Is Fun Again
On a personal level, taking my kids to Loftus Road this season has been a joy. They see:
· Goals in the Loft End
· Wins
· Attacking football
· A team playing with identity and pride
It’s night and day from the previous two years where home wins were rare and goals even rarer.
The Owners: Still Investing, Still Writing Off Losses
People love to assume the owners are inactive or detached. Yet they continue to write off losses and keep the club afloat while moving us toward becoming as self-sufficient as possible. That matters. It’s real commitment, not PR.
So Why the Relentless Negativity?
I genuinely don’t understand why so many smart, well-informed fans choose contempt as their default response. Why do they assume the worst of decision-makers without knowing any facts? Why do they ignore the clear, measurable progress in favour of hypothetical grievances?
We must stop whinging about the unknowns and start supporting the many positives backed by actual evidence.
My Conclusion
I support the current leadership because:
· I see measurable progress.
· I see strategy.
· I see accountability.
· I see improvement across every key metric that matters.
· And I see a club moving in the right direction both on and off the pitch.
We’ve spent years begging for exactly this model of operation. Now that we have it, it’s time to get behind it.
Enough complaining about what we don’t know.
Let’s support the things we do know, and the people delivering them. |
I don't know Matt Winton personally but fair play to him for setting out his stall.
MW covers a range of issues and there are bits I would agree with:
- QPR are fun again (at times)
- There does seem to be some genuine young talent coming through the DS
- Christian Nourry has done some good things
- Les Ferdinand's reign was underwhelming
- Thankfully for all of us the owners continue to pick up the tab
There are also bits in MW's piece that I would disagree with or question the logic.
- Marti's gardening leave
This is a really big contradiction by MW.
He starts by saying:
"Nobody outside the club knows the details, not the contractual obligations, not the HR context, not the legal restrictions, and not the internal dynamics. Matters of employment law and severance are always confidential in every business, across every sector."
Later in his piece he says:
"Getting rid of Martí already looks like an unquestionably smart move."
And:
"Stephan is a clear upgrade on Martí, and Martí’s struggles at Leicester only reinforce that reality. This wasn’t luck. It was a strategic call made by people who actually understand what’s going on inside the club."
So on the one hand he tells us that for legal reasons no one outside the club knows the facts of Marti's departure.
On the other hand he tells us Marti was dumped by the club and it was the smart move to make.
You can have one or the other there Matt but you can't hold both positions at the same time.
- Win rate/points
Matt correctly points out that we have more points than the same stage last season. Which is true.
But to put this in its proper context we all knew that the fixtures this season had been kind and Julien Stephan was getting a gentle introduction to life in English football.
I think we need more than a third of a season to make a fair comparison. If JS significantly improves on Marti's points total then we can talk about him being an upgrade. So lets wait and see.
- Goals
Matt correctly points out that we are scoring more goals, which is true. But to put this in its proper context we went into last season with two senior strikers and for large parts of that season one or both of them was unavailable.
For further context, both our senior strikers last season (Frey and Celar) were signed by this CEO/DoF!
- CN better than Sir Les
Can't argue that the club seemed stuck in a rut in the eight years of Les.
However, just because the last guy had his faults doesn't mean the new guy must be better.
I'm prepared to give CN the benefit of the doubt for now but his tenure has seen some questionable first team recruitment with lack of strikers last year, only one senior LB in each of his two seasons, and a curious obsession with short players when everyone else seems to be getting bigger and stronger.
So for me it is far too soon to say CN is a clear improvement on Sir Les.
I hope CN learns as he goes and I hope he does move the club forward and bring success. Time will tell.
- Finally on Furlong's departure
For me this is the key phrase in the WLS piece:
"Earlier this year, Rangers’ youngsters won the Premier League Cup under Furlong, beating Brentford in the final.
Since then there have been discussions about his future role, and changes to the development structure, with Anthony Hayes appointed as methodology manager, focusing on the Under-17 to Under-21 age groups."
The way I would be inclined to read that is that Furs has been made redundant as a result of changes in the development structure.
That might not be the case but it's how I read it.
For the Furs farewell piece on the website I'm glad that Furs was given the final say instead of ending with a comment by CN. I think that was the correct way to do it.
Overall Furs seems to be taking it with good grace and I'm sure we all wish him all the best for the future. [Post edited 28 Nov 21:10]
| | | |
| Furs leaving on 22:03 - Nov 28 with 2315 views | Hunterhoop |
| Furs leaving on 21:00 - Nov 28 by JamesB1979 |
I didn’t say you were Clive. I was just pointing out that I don’t think Matt Winton was saying the WLS article was made without facts. He was pointing at fans reaction to it (not yours). That’s all. |
Have you considered some fans know more than what was included within the WLS article?
As I keep saying…football is a people business, and people talk.
There are lots of people who know a lot more than is in the public domain. And they can’t say too much on a public MB for fear of potential legal action.
Everyone is entitled to ignore posters. I’d merely suggest you consider what’s posted. Entirely your choice though. |  | | |
| Furs leaving on 22:06 - Nov 28 with 2308 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Furs leaving on 17:40 - Nov 28 by Northernr |
5pm on a Friday of course the traditional time for putting out press releases about things you're really proud about. |
My first thought, too.
Yet another scrambled mess.
I feel for the genuine people working at Rangers who have to put up with and endure this amateurish and undignified nonsense.
Hopefully it will be ended soon. |  |
| |
| Furs leaving on 22:34 - Nov 28 with 2208 views | derbyhoop |
| Furs leaving on 17:44 - Nov 28 by bosh67 |
I think the question we all have is why? Why is an enormously successful and popular person moving on? |
Just so.
The puff piece, rather tellingly, doesn't give any detail, other than "moving in a different direction". Such as, back to not producing any first team standard players; not winning a trophy? |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
| |
| Furs leaving on 23:27 - Nov 28 with 2051 views | numptydumpty |
They want a new team behind the scenes.
Can understand that.
Whether its right or wrong , we shall see
Furlong has been in football long enough to know this. Hope he gets a decent role somewhere else, if thats what he wants right now.
As said before, its football and the football world works like no other. [Post edited 28 Nov 23:28]
|  |
| |
| Furs leaving on 23:38 - Nov 28 with 2007 views | Ned_Kennedys |
| Furs leaving on 22:03 - Nov 28 by Hunterhoop |
Have you considered some fans know more than what was included within the WLS article?
As I keep saying…football is a people business, and people talk.
There are lots of people who know a lot more than is in the public domain. And they can’t say too much on a public MB for fear of potential legal action.
Everyone is entitled to ignore posters. I’d merely suggest you consider what’s posted. Entirely your choice though. |
And a large percentage of QPR fans agree with a lot of Matt Winton’s opinions and prefer not to dwell in negativity a lot of the time. Supporters eh? |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Furs leaving on 00:04 - Nov 29 with 1942 views | Northernr |
| Furs leaving on 23:38 - Nov 28 by Ned_Kennedys |
And a large percentage of QPR fans agree with a lot of Matt Winton’s opinions and prefer not to dwell in negativity a lot of the time. Supporters eh? |
QPR Supporters who are concerned about things like this are no less QPR supporters than those who aren’t. |  | | |
| Furs leaving on 00:08 - Nov 29 with 1917 views | connell10 |
| Furs leaving on 23:38 - Nov 28 by Ned_Kennedys |
And a large percentage of QPR fans agree with a lot of Matt Winton’s opinions and prefer not to dwell in negativity a lot of the time. Supporters eh? |
Nourry is still a very weird person, whom I just don't like and I probably never will. He just gives me the Mr Burns shiver. |  |
| AND WHEN I DREAM , I DREAM ABOUT YOU AND WHEN I SCREAM I SCREAM ABOUT YOU!!!!! | | Poll: | best number 10 ever? |
| |
| Furs leaving on 00:20 - Nov 29 with 1877 views | Hunterhoop |
| Furs leaving on 23:38 - Nov 28 by Ned_Kennedys |
And a large percentage of QPR fans agree with a lot of Matt Winton’s opinions and prefer not to dwell in negativity a lot of the time. Supporters eh? |
Entirely reasonable. Perfectly fair. But Clive’s point is valid.
All I’d add: If I didn’t know a lot of what I know, I’d probably agree with Matt Winton’s opinions too. | | | |
| Furs leaving on 00:25 - Nov 29 with 1864 views | eastside_r |
| Furs leaving on 23:38 - Nov 28 by Ned_Kennedys |
And a large percentage of QPR fans agree with a lot of Matt Winton’s opinions and prefer not to dwell in negativity a lot of the time. Supporters eh? |
It is demonstrable, that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for all being created for an end, all is necessarily for the best end. |  | | |
| Furs leaving on 00:54 - Nov 29 with 1806 views | JamesB1979 |
| Furs leaving on 22:03 - Nov 28 by Hunterhoop |
Have you considered some fans know more than what was included within the WLS article?
As I keep saying…football is a people business, and people talk.
There are lots of people who know a lot more than is in the public domain. And they can’t say too much on a public MB for fear of potential legal action.
Everyone is entitled to ignore posters. I’d merely suggest you consider what’s posted. Entirely your choice though. |
Hunter, all I was saying was that I didn’t read Winton’s article to mean that the WLS article
Or Clive’s pre-match were ignoring any facts and making things up. If there was anything in that article that said that, then point it out. I’m sure Danny P will tell me to “shut the f up” but that’s just my view on the Winton article. | | | |
| Furs leaving on 01:22 - Nov 29 with 1743 views | connell10 |
| Furs leaving on 20:33 - Nov 28 by KensalT |
For the benefit of anyone who hasn't read the Matt Winton piece the link is here and I will paste the text below the link:
https://medium.com/@matt.winton/why-i-support-qprs-leadership-and-why-so-much-of
Why I Support QPR’s Leadership — And Why So Much of the Criticism Misses the Point
I wanted to put some of my views down in longer form, mainly because it’s impossible to distil this outlook into a tweet without getting dragged into misunderstandings. Over the last week or so, I’ve again found myself in heated back-and-forths on X, trying to dampen a groundswell of criticism that I simply don’t think is warranted. And what strikes me is this: so much of the criticism of the club is based on things supporters have no real understanding of behind the scenes.
This isn’t a new pattern; it’s been consistent over the last year. We’ve had waves of anger over issues where the club quite literally cannot divulge details, often for legal, strategic, or employment-related reasons. Yet, even with complete information absent, the reflex is always to assume the worst.
The Transparency Myth
Injuries and contracts:
For months, fans complained about a lack of transparency. The club stated clearly that they preferred to keep details private for strategic reasons, something many clubs around the world do as standard. The club actually took learnings from that communication backlash and has already been far more transparent about injuries this season.
Martí on gardening leave:
The outrage machine went into overdrive when Martí was placed on gardening leave. Nobody outside the club knows the details, not the contractual obligations, not the HR context, not the legal restrictions, and not the internal dynamics. Matters of employment law and severance are always confidential in every business, across every sector. Yet somehow, QPR fans expect full disclosure and assume wrongdoing when they don’t get it.
This week’s uproar about Furlong:
WLS published a story saying he might be leaving. No explanation, no real info. For all we know, he could be ill, he could have a new job, or the club simply may feel it’s the right time for a change. But again, despite having zero facts, fans rush to blame the club, accuse leadership of disloyalty, and side with the employee.
It’s extraordinary how easy it seems to be to assume the club is in the wrong without knowing a single thing about what has actually happened.
Why My View Has Changed — And Why I Back the Leadership
Now, on a personal level, this comes from someone who has a long history of being critical of the owners. And, to be fair, there have been periods where criticism was justified based on the information in the public domain.
But right now? I’m throwing my support behind the club, and particularly behind the people running it behind the scenes, because I see genuine progress, genuine competence, and genuine strategy. And after a decade of inconsistent direction, that matters.
For years, fans have said:
· “We need a club model that isn’t dependent on the manager.”
· “We need clarity about who’s actually responsible for decisions.”
· “We need to modernise our operations.”
Well, now we finally have exactly that. For the first time in ages, accountability is clear. We know who leads on what. We know where decisions sit. And we’ve put in place a structure that is ahead of what many competitors are doing, which is vital given our budget constraints.
And crucially, we’re not relying on a single personality to hold everything together, unlike the Holloway or Warburton periods, where things worked largely because the manager was strong enough to mask deeper structural issues. Once they left, everything fell apart. That’s not a sustainable model.
This time, it feels different.
The Evidence: Tangible, Measurable Progress
Criticism thrives in the absence of information. So let’s focus on what we do know, using actual data and on-pitch evidence.
1. The Managerial Decision: Replacing Martí Was Spot On
Getting rid of Martí already looks like an unquestionably smart move. The numbers are clear:
· Win rate / points:
QPR went from 2 wins in 17 to 7 wins over the same stage. Points per game more than doubled from 0.71 → 1.47.
· Attack:
Goals scored increased from 0.94 → 1.24 per game — a big shift in productivity.
· Defence:
Goals conceded improved from 1.65 → 1.47 per game. This despite shipping 7 in one game.
· Overall:
We’ve gone from being in relegation form last season to being a competitive, stable, mid-table side this season.
Stephan is a clear upgrade on Martí, and Martí’s struggles at Leicester only reinforce that reality. This wasn’t luck. It was a strategic call made by people who actually understand what’s going on inside the club.
2. Talent Acquisition: A Recruitment Structure That Actually Works
In the last two years, recruitment has transformed. The structure, the process, the profiles, all of it.
· The squad is more balanced than at any point in the last decade.
· The depth is night-and-day from previous seasons; we can finally rotate without collapsing.
· Young talent in the DLS pipeline, Smith, Akindelini, Isak, Esquardinho, is genuine, not hype.
· The club is smarter, leaner, and far more strategic than during the Ferdinand era.
Yes, Ferdinand inherited a mess. Yes, he did some good things. But after eight years, the club was still lopsided and under-resourced. In two years, Nourry has achieved more with less.
3. Youth Structure: Real Progress, Real Results
The academy and DLS setup is producing consistent, meaningful results across age groups.
· The U18s are strong and cohesive.
· A group of U16s went to Manchester United and won.
· There’s a conveyor belt forming between U18 → DLS → first team.
· We have numerous young players on loan in the National League performing incredibly well.
Under the previous structure, after eight years, we had virtually no meaningful pipeline to the first team. Players were poorly developed, given overly long contracts, and retained far too long. Now we’re seeing a strategy that works.
Performance × acquisition × development, all trending upward.
4. Operational Decisions: Small Things That Make a Big Difference
A good example: removing away fans from the Lower School End.
It’s a simple, clever decision that instantly made Loftus Road a more difficult place for visiting teams. These marginal gains matter.
Most Importantly: QPR Is Fun Again
On a personal level, taking my kids to Loftus Road this season has been a joy. They see:
· Goals in the Loft End
· Wins
· Attacking football
· A team playing with identity and pride
It’s night and day from the previous two years where home wins were rare and goals even rarer.
The Owners: Still Investing, Still Writing Off Losses
People love to assume the owners are inactive or detached. Yet they continue to write off losses and keep the club afloat while moving us toward becoming as self-sufficient as possible. That matters. It’s real commitment, not PR.
So Why the Relentless Negativity?
I genuinely don’t understand why so many smart, well-informed fans choose contempt as their default response. Why do they assume the worst of decision-makers without knowing any facts? Why do they ignore the clear, measurable progress in favour of hypothetical grievances?
We must stop whinging about the unknowns and start supporting the many positives backed by actual evidence.
My Conclusion
I support the current leadership because:
· I see measurable progress.
· I see strategy.
· I see accountability.
· I see improvement across every key metric that matters.
· And I see a club moving in the right direction both on and off the pitch.
We’ve spent years begging for exactly this model of operation. Now that we have it, it’s time to get behind it.
Enough complaining about what we don’t know.
Let’s support the things we do know, and the people delivering them. |
U18,s sit bottom of their league on 5 points , goal difference minus 14 and one league win all season, don't sound very strong and cohesive! Plus hardly any youth players playing regularly for the first team. | |
| AND WHEN I DREAM , I DREAM ABOUT YOU AND WHEN I SCREAM I SCREAM ABOUT YOU!!!!! | | Poll: | best number 10 ever? |
| |
| Furs leaving on 01:35 - Nov 29 with 1714 views | numptydumpty |
| Furs leaving on 22:03 - Nov 28 by Hunterhoop |
Have you considered some fans know more than what was included within the WLS article?
As I keep saying…football is a people business, and people talk.
There are lots of people who know a lot more than is in the public domain. And they can’t say too much on a public MB for fear of potential legal action.
Everyone is entitled to ignore posters. I’d merely suggest you consider what’s posted. Entirely your choice though. |
We have heard about the "alleged" conversation between Ben Williams to Rayan Kolli.
Next two games, Kolli, who was never going to play again, played and performed.
This kind of comment feeds a narrative without having the balls to say what you implying that you know.
Tittle tattle without giving any evidence at all. If there are many of you know of awful things going on behind the scenes, have the guts to do something about it, as if its as awful as implied, take action. Otherwise, those of you that know and doing nothing about it are failing our club, with your silence.
People drumming up a narrative without having the guts to say exactly what it is. Is it really that bad ??
i very very much doubt it.
We are actually as a club improving. This kind of nonsense post is not helpful at all.
Speak or forever hold your peace. [Post edited 29 Nov 1:38]
| |
| |
| Furs leaving on 02:44 - Nov 29 with 1581 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Furs leaving on 01:35 - Nov 29 by numptydumpty |
We have heard about the "alleged" conversation between Ben Williams to Rayan Kolli.
Next two games, Kolli, who was never going to play again, played and performed.
This kind of comment feeds a narrative without having the balls to say what you implying that you know.
Tittle tattle without giving any evidence at all. If there are many of you know of awful things going on behind the scenes, have the guts to do something about it, as if its as awful as implied, take action. Otherwise, those of you that know and doing nothing about it are failing our club, with your silence.
People drumming up a narrative without having the guts to say exactly what it is. Is it really that bad ??
i very very much doubt it.
We are actually as a club improving. This kind of nonsense post is not helpful at all.
Speak or forever hold your peace. [Post edited 29 Nov 1:38]
|
This!
if you've got something to say/are genuinely ITK at QPR, and/or are working at the club,
1. Do what you can to change the culture; and/or
2. Put out some honest reportage (if you've something to say); and/or
3. Resign/do something else.
Much of this thread makes me feel relieved I never took up my English teacher's encouragement to become a journalist - all the double-dealing, fetishisation/protection of sauces (while, hilariously, railing against the club's lack of transparency - the irony is positively dripping), and associated nonsense would really do my head in. I've even had to put up with it on this messageboard at one point. Here's an idea for an authentic life - speak your truth the same way to everyone, and cultivate your own integrity. If you're unable to do that for some reason (say you work for a jackass and/or in a paranoid business with more gagging orders than a Prince Andrew civil trial - like, ooh I don't know, football), and this gives you a problem because you're a real person, you probably need to change your job. If so, leave as much scorched earth as you can on the way out.
Winton's views seem sane and sensible to me, and, though I'm a bit surprised by Furlong's departure, the club statement reads well enough to me (while, because of course, not telling us anything about the reasons), and he doesn't sound too unhappy about it - unless he's also lying to himself/us, I guess. I'm sure he'll be fine. Obviously, Paul himself couldn't possibly even allude discreetly to why he's on his way, as this would cause him to implode and QPR FC to disappear in a puff of smoke.
As for us, I'm sure we'll lurch on to 16th either way, or even higher. [Post edited 29 Nov 2:51]
|  |
| |
| Furs leaving on 08:22 - Nov 29 with 1266 views | Hunterhoop |
| Furs leaving on 01:35 - Nov 29 by numptydumpty |
We have heard about the "alleged" conversation between Ben Williams to Rayan Kolli.
Next two games, Kolli, who was never going to play again, played and performed.
This kind of comment feeds a narrative without having the balls to say what you implying that you know.
Tittle tattle without giving any evidence at all. If there are many of you know of awful things going on behind the scenes, have the guts to do something about it, as if its as awful as implied, take action. Otherwise, those of you that know and doing nothing about it are failing our club, with your silence.
People drumming up a narrative without having the guts to say exactly what it is. Is it really that bad ??
i very very much doubt it.
We are actually as a club improving. This kind of nonsense post is not helpful at all.
Speak or forever hold your peace. [Post edited 29 Nov 1:38]
|
As I keep saying lots of people know a lot more than is in the public domain because people talk. However there are serious insinuations of legal action which means no one can say everything they would want to. And people at the club have their livelihoods to think about, so they need to get things out through others. To ask for fans who are saying they know more than they can let on to just spill the beans on a public forum is, to be put it bluntly, stupid.
Instead some fans are trying to make other fans aware of what they can get away sharing, and some fans are trying to warn others who, not privy to the same information, they can see are misreading the situation(s).
Consider who on this MB has actually met members of our leadership, looked them in the eye, spoken with them, asked questions, etc. Then consider what their opinion seems to be about them. I have found there to be a remarkable consistency in these people.
And all of this does not mean everything the club and its leadership do is bad; it isn’t. But doing some good things doesn’t make the concerns of many less valid. | | | |
| Furs leaving on 08:26 - Nov 29 with 1256 views | Beckenhamhoop |
| Furs leaving on 00:20 - Nov 29 by Hunterhoop |
Entirely reasonable. Perfectly fair. But Clive’s point is valid.
All I’d add: If I didn’t know a lot of what I know, I’d probably agree with Matt Winton’s opinions too. |
We get the message; you’re in the know. 🥱 [Post edited 29 Nov 8:30]
| | | |
| Furs leaving on 08:57 - Nov 29 with 1155 views | HammersmithR |
Furlong was part of the ‘old guard’ and from what I hear was the reason he’s been pushed out. The QPR PR machine has been in overdrive to try and avoid any PR disaster. Time will tell if it’s the right decision or not. But he’s done fantastic for our club and I wish him all the best for the future. | | | |
| Furs leaving on 09:18 - Nov 29 with 1062 views | Wilkinswatercarrier |
This is a feisty thread! Just read that Matt Winton piece, what a load of selected bollox.
I'm really supportive of some of things Nourry has done, others I'm not.
Changes always happen in a work place, but it is how the management handle it that shows what they are like as people.
Our club has shown a complete lack of class regarding Furs and it isn't the first time they've behaved like this.
I hope Nourry and others remember to be nice to others on their way up as hopefully those people will be nice to them on their way back down.
Really poor show. | |
| |
| Furs leaving on 09:29 - Nov 29 with 1023 views | KensalT |
| Furs leaving on 20:33 - Nov 28 by KensalT |
For the benefit of anyone who hasn't read the Matt Winton piece the link is here and I will paste the text below the link:
https://medium.com/@matt.winton/why-i-support-qprs-leadership-and-why-so-much-of
Why I Support QPR’s Leadership — And Why So Much of the Criticism Misses the Point
I wanted to put some of my views down in longer form, mainly because it’s impossible to distil this outlook into a tweet without getting dragged into misunderstandings. Over the last week or so, I’ve again found myself in heated back-and-forths on X, trying to dampen a groundswell of criticism that I simply don’t think is warranted. And what strikes me is this: so much of the criticism of the club is based on things supporters have no real understanding of behind the scenes.
This isn’t a new pattern; it’s been consistent over the last year. We’ve had waves of anger over issues where the club quite literally cannot divulge details, often for legal, strategic, or employment-related reasons. Yet, even with complete information absent, the reflex is always to assume the worst.
The Transparency Myth
Injuries and contracts:
For months, fans complained about a lack of transparency. The club stated clearly that they preferred to keep details private for strategic reasons, something many clubs around the world do as standard. The club actually took learnings from that communication backlash and has already been far more transparent about injuries this season.
Martí on gardening leave:
The outrage machine went into overdrive when Martí was placed on gardening leave. Nobody outside the club knows the details, not the contractual obligations, not the HR context, not the legal restrictions, and not the internal dynamics. Matters of employment law and severance are always confidential in every business, across every sector. Yet somehow, QPR fans expect full disclosure and assume wrongdoing when they don’t get it.
This week’s uproar about Furlong:
WLS published a story saying he might be leaving. No explanation, no real info. For all we know, he could be ill, he could have a new job, or the club simply may feel it’s the right time for a change. But again, despite having zero facts, fans rush to blame the club, accuse leadership of disloyalty, and side with the employee.
It’s extraordinary how easy it seems to be to assume the club is in the wrong without knowing a single thing about what has actually happened.
Why My View Has Changed — And Why I Back the Leadership
Now, on a personal level, this comes from someone who has a long history of being critical of the owners. And, to be fair, there have been periods where criticism was justified based on the information in the public domain.
But right now? I’m throwing my support behind the club, and particularly behind the people running it behind the scenes, because I see genuine progress, genuine competence, and genuine strategy. And after a decade of inconsistent direction, that matters.
For years, fans have said:
· “We need a club model that isn’t dependent on the manager.”
· “We need clarity about who’s actually responsible for decisions.”
· “We need to modernise our operations.”
Well, now we finally have exactly that. For the first time in ages, accountability is clear. We know who leads on what. We know where decisions sit. And we’ve put in place a structure that is ahead of what many competitors are doing, which is vital given our budget constraints.
And crucially, we’re not relying on a single personality to hold everything together, unlike the Holloway or Warburton periods, where things worked largely because the manager was strong enough to mask deeper structural issues. Once they left, everything fell apart. That’s not a sustainable model.
This time, it feels different.
The Evidence: Tangible, Measurable Progress
Criticism thrives in the absence of information. So let’s focus on what we do know, using actual data and on-pitch evidence.
1. The Managerial Decision: Replacing Martí Was Spot On
Getting rid of Martí already looks like an unquestionably smart move. The numbers are clear:
· Win rate / points:
QPR went from 2 wins in 17 to 7 wins over the same stage. Points per game more than doubled from 0.71 → 1.47.
· Attack:
Goals scored increased from 0.94 → 1.24 per game — a big shift in productivity.
· Defence:
Goals conceded improved from 1.65 → 1.47 per game. This despite shipping 7 in one game.
· Overall:
We’ve gone from being in relegation form last season to being a competitive, stable, mid-table side this season.
Stephan is a clear upgrade on Martí, and Martí’s struggles at Leicester only reinforce that reality. This wasn’t luck. It was a strategic call made by people who actually understand what’s going on inside the club.
2. Talent Acquisition: A Recruitment Structure That Actually Works
In the last two years, recruitment has transformed. The structure, the process, the profiles, all of it.
· The squad is more balanced than at any point in the last decade.
· The depth is night-and-day from previous seasons; we can finally rotate without collapsing.
· Young talent in the DLS pipeline, Smith, Akindelini, Isak, Esquardinho, is genuine, not hype.
· The club is smarter, leaner, and far more strategic than during the Ferdinand era.
Yes, Ferdinand inherited a mess. Yes, he did some good things. But after eight years, the club was still lopsided and under-resourced. In two years, Nourry has achieved more with less.
3. Youth Structure: Real Progress, Real Results
The academy and DLS setup is producing consistent, meaningful results across age groups.
· The U18s are strong and cohesive.
· A group of U16s went to Manchester United and won.
· There’s a conveyor belt forming between U18 → DLS → first team.
· We have numerous young players on loan in the National League performing incredibly well.
Under the previous structure, after eight years, we had virtually no meaningful pipeline to the first team. Players were poorly developed, given overly long contracts, and retained far too long. Now we’re seeing a strategy that works.
Performance × acquisition × development, all trending upward.
4. Operational Decisions: Small Things That Make a Big Difference
A good example: removing away fans from the Lower School End.
It’s a simple, clever decision that instantly made Loftus Road a more difficult place for visiting teams. These marginal gains matter.
Most Importantly: QPR Is Fun Again
On a personal level, taking my kids to Loftus Road this season has been a joy. They see:
· Goals in the Loft End
· Wins
· Attacking football
· A team playing with identity and pride
It’s night and day from the previous two years where home wins were rare and goals even rarer.
The Owners: Still Investing, Still Writing Off Losses
People love to assume the owners are inactive or detached. Yet they continue to write off losses and keep the club afloat while moving us toward becoming as self-sufficient as possible. That matters. It’s real commitment, not PR.
So Why the Relentless Negativity?
I genuinely don’t understand why so many smart, well-informed fans choose contempt as their default response. Why do they assume the worst of decision-makers without knowing any facts? Why do they ignore the clear, measurable progress in favour of hypothetical grievances?
We must stop whinging about the unknowns and start supporting the many positives backed by actual evidence.
My Conclusion
I support the current leadership because:
· I see measurable progress.
· I see strategy.
· I see accountability.
· I see improvement across every key metric that matters.
· And I see a club moving in the right direction both on and off the pitch.
We’ve spent years begging for exactly this model of operation. Now that we have it, it’s time to get behind it.
Enough complaining about what we don’t know.
Let’s support the things we do know, and the people delivering them. |
Someone much younger and savvier about these things than me suggested that the Matt Winton piece did seem a bit clinical and not very well thought through.
For a laugh they suggested I run the piece through an AI content detector.
If you want to try it yourself this is the software I used:
https://copyleaks.com/ai-content-detector
If you can't be bothered to check it yourself I will paste the result below. But I do feel a bit of a plum for putting so much thought into replying to a piece generated by a robot!
This doesn't mean that the piece doesn't reflect Matt Winton's true feelings on the subject but if he had put more thought and effort into it he might have recognised the contradictions and weakness of the points he was making before he put it online.
But Matt Winton might say that he is not a journalist but a fan telling it how he sees it and feels it which is fair enough!
AI Content Found
Percentage of text that may be AI-generated.
85.6%
AI Phrases Detected
Beta
GenAI often overuses certain phrases learned during training, which is one of dozens of signals used to identify AI text.
16
The number of times a phrase was found more frequently in AI vs human text.
4x
33x | | | |
| Furs leaving on 10:22 - Nov 29 with 881 views | hubble |
This thread is like a Miss Marple Mystery, but with multiple detectives who disagree with each other. Who's right, who's wrong? Stay tuned to never find out!
Anyway, do carry on chaps.*
*Apologies to anyone who is offended by my flippancy. |  |
| |
| Furs leaving on 10:24 - Nov 29 with 881 views | QPR_Jim |
| Furs leaving on 21:00 - Nov 28 by JamesB1979 |
I didn’t say you were Clive. I was just pointing out that I don’t think Matt Winton was saying the WLS article was made without facts. He was pointing at fans reaction to it (not yours). That’s all. |
Personally, I put a lot of trust in what Clive writes and Dave Mc because they've been around for a long time and I'm fairly sure Clive has the best interests of the club as his main concern. So if they're telling me something, I'll take it seriously and if I don't like what they tell me, I'll probably react.
Is that so strange? Should I be waiting around for an official club response which will obviously be designed to make light of anything bad for the club just for balance? |  | | |
| Furs leaving on 10:53 - Nov 29 with 794 views | QPR_Jim |
In response to Matt's article, I had a few thoughts of my own.
The Transparency Myth
Injuries and contracts – It took the uproar to get them too loosen this up, their instinct was that they could get away with telling us nothing and it backfired. Kind of suggests they have a bad read of the situation they are in.
Martí on gardening leave – He was a popular manager and an asset that we paid to leave, could have been handled better after the last game of the season, again poor reading of the situation I would say.
This week’s uproar about Furlong – See Clive’s point about not needing to settle people leaving amicably.
Why My View Has Changed — And Why I Back the Leadership
“I see genuine progress, genuine competence, and genuine strategy.” I find it hard to agree that there is competence given the above.
For years, fans have said:
· “We need a club model that isn’t dependent on the manager.”
· “We need clarity about who’s actually responsible for decisions.”
· “We need to modernise our operations.”
“Well, now we finally have exactly that”. – We don’t, what do all these new head of whatever do? What does Ben Williams do? nobody knows.
We already had a DoF role, the issue wasn’t the structure so much as the owner interference as far as I could work out.
The Evidence: Tangible, Measurable Progress
Criticism thrives in the absence of information. So let’s focus on what we do know, using actual data and on-pitch evidence.
1. The Managerial Decision: Replacing Martí Was Spot On
“Stephan is a clear upgrade on Martí” He’s different but you’re not going to get a fair comparison when you compare his performance this season with actual strikers to choose from against last seasons squad.
2. Talent Acquisition: A Recruitment Structure That Actually Works
In the last two years, recruitment has transformed. The structure, the process, the profiles, all of it.
“The squad is more balanced than at any point in the last decade.” – Again it took having a very unbalanced squad last season to get to that realisation you can’t just keep buying 10’s. Learning on the job and we’re still short in some areas.
“The club is smarter, leaner, and far more strategic than during the Ferdinand era.” – There seems to be less interference from above. Not sure I’d say repeatedly telling players they’re free to leave then needing to rely on them is massively strategic.
“In two years, Nourry has achieved more with less.” – I’m not sure he does have less, some expensive seasons rolled out of our FFP window for Marti’s second season and we spent money on several players but ended up with the most unbalanced squad I can remember then this summer the Eze money. Why is this being framed as doing more with less?
3. Youth Structure: Real Progress, Real Results
Too early to tell, we’ve signed some exciting 18yo prospects that should be able to come through into the first team after some time in the development squad. But we did that with Eze, Manning, BOS, Walsh, Kelman, Lloyd previously with varying results, so not new.
4. Operational Decisions: Small Things That Make a Big Difference
Small things like how we treat our staff and players, sacking managers and coaches that are popular, telling players they can leave when we still need them, all bound to have more of an effect than who’s sat in the School end.
The Owners: Still Investing, Still Writing Off Losses
“People love to assume the owners are inactive or detached. Yet they continue to write off losses and keep the club afloat while moving us toward becoming as self-sufficient as possible. That matters. It’s real commitment, not PR.” – Not doubting the owners financial commitment, but they can still be hands off day to day, which is a concern if the people in charge start to put their own interests above those of the club.
So Why the Relentless Negativity?
See above | | | |
| Furs leaving on 10:54 - Nov 29 with 792 views | JamesB1979 |
| Furs leaving on 10:24 - Nov 29 by QPR_Jim |
Personally, I put a lot of trust in what Clive writes and Dave Mc because they've been around for a long time and I'm fairly sure Clive has the best interests of the club as his main concern. So if they're telling me something, I'll take it seriously and if I don't like what they tell me, I'll probably react.
Is that so strange? Should I be waiting around for an official club response which will obviously be designed to make light of anything bad for the club just for balance? |
That wasn’t really my point. I had a few light ales so maybe it wasn’t clear though. Earlier it was said that Matt Winton said that both WLS and this site reported something that wasn’t based on facts. My point was that Matt Winton doesn’t say that. He says the reasons were not given and that led to fan reactions etc. Fans can think what they like. That part I disagree with Matt on. But he certainly wasn’t disparaging Dave Mc or Clive in my view.
I also respect and like what Clive writes a hell of a lot. When my Dad was dying in hospital (many years ago), I used to print his match reports for him as they would cheer him up! I certainly don’t come on here for the political debates! | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
