Latest Articles
Carroll passes West Ham medical
Post comment
Andy Carroll is on the brink of joining West Ham permanently after passing a medical with the Premier League club.
Brighton hit back at LMA
Post comment
Brighton have threatened to take action against the LMA as the dispute with Gus Poyet rumbles on.
All Articles
Mark Hughes: Backed to turn things aroun
Former QPR player and manager Iain Dowie believes Mark Hughes deserves more time at the helm to give the players he has brought into the club a chance to gel.
Hughes is widely believed to be fighting to hang onto his job after Saturday's 3-1 loss against Southampton left Rangers four points adrift at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League table and still looking for a first victory 12 games in.
The results have been even more disappointing considering the influx of high-profile players to Loftus Road in the summer, including Park Ji-sung from Manchester United, Esteban Granero from Real Madrid and former Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
But Dowie believes that is part of the problem, telling Sky Sports News: "Mark's a very experienced manager and he'll understand that when you don't get results you come under pressure. But with the sheer number of players that have come in, it takes time to gel.
"I felt they were outplayed on Saturday and that will be the big disappointment for Mark and his coaching staff. Southampton looked the more creative side, which will be a big concern."
Dowie, meanwhile, does not agree with criticism that QPR's players are not giving their all to try to get the club out of trouble.
He said: "Sometimes when things aren't going your way people throw up the line about players not trying. When you look at the likes of (Ryan) Nelsen and (Jamie) Mackie, I think they do have players who'll demand effort. Mark's sides have always been that way."
Hughes insisted after the match that QPR need stability and his position has been defended unequivocally in recent weeks by owner Tony Fernandes.
However, Fernandes did not mention Hughes in his Twitter comments after the game this time, instead apologising to the fans for the performance.
He said: "I feel gutted. I have put my heart and soul into this with my other shareholders. And done all we can to give support to players and all management. I can only apologise to the QPR fans. we keep fighting.
"Let me tell you Fans come first. Everyone including me let the fans down. Many of us need a hard look at themselves. QPR has amazing fans. They deserve better."
The Malaysian businessman spent the weekend in the United States, overseeing his Formula One team before heading back home, and he hinted on Twitter that Hughes' position may be on his mind.
"On my way home from amercia," he wrote. "Long long flught to think of many things. Just stopped of at osaka. Now back home to kuala lumpur."
QPR winger Junior Hoilett, another summer import from Blackburn, moved to assure the fans that the players do care and they will put in the hard yards to try to turn things around.
He told www.qpr.co.uk: "The first half just wasn't good enough. We came out second to everything and that's not acceptable.
"We got a rollicking from the manager at half-time. We came out strong in the second half but we left ourselves with too much to do to get ourselves back into the game.
"Everybody in the dressing room was hugely disappointed with the result. We're all really disappointed and frustrated with how things are going at the moment, but we will work hard to put it right.
"I can understand the fans' frustrations. We're as frustrated as they are because we want to change this around and climb the table. We've got to stick together as a team."
Meanwhile, former Rangers midfielder Martin Allen, now manager of Gillingham, questioned whether Hughes had got his transfer policy right in the summer.
Allen told talkSPORT: "I'm not being critical of Mark Hughes but all managers are judged on results and to get the results it's nearly 100% of the time about what players did you sign. Are they good enough players? I suppose that would have to be the thing you bring into question."
Click here for completely free £10 bet with Sky Bet & £5 free every week
Post Comment
