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The news that exiting Ipswich Town manager Jim Magilton has been awarded the vacant managers job at Queens Park Rangers has left many Ipswich fans wondering if there is something that we have missed.
On paper, the aspirations of Queens Park Rangers football club appear to be very closely aligned with those of Ipswich Town.
Both clubs have seen their financial circumstances completely revitalised by takeovers by wealthy businessmen. In both cases, the new investment has been principally made with the intention of expediting the return of the clubs to the premiership, whereupon a return on the investment can be achieved.
It is on this latter point where the appointment of Jim Magilton as manager of Queens Park Rangers raises questions. Not least, because the very same manager had spent the previous 18 months failing to achieve the exact same goal at Ipswich Town. Had the margin of failure not been quite as severe, then he might well have still been in employment. As it was, the Ipswich Town board saw no indication that an upturn in fortunes was forthcoming.
So, what is it that the Queens Park Rangers board have recognised that went undetected by Marcus Evans? After all, the finance available at Loftus Road these days suggest that they can aim even higher than the likes of Roy Keane, should they wish.
It cannot be ignored that one of the best performances of Jim Magiltons Ipswich Town reign came at the home of QPR last season, where a thumping 3-1 victory, beamed live for all to see, served as something of a blueprint for what a Magilton side was capable of. However, any due dilligence would demonstrate that the performance was somewhat in isolation, particularly compared to the home form in the same season.
Having given Magilton 18 months to preside over his team, Marcus Evans clearly felt his patience did not extend to allowing a further year. Yet, the QPR board have been shown to have dramatically shorter patience. Whilst Evans has just employed his 2nd manager, Magilton represents QPRs 5th manager in a similar space of time.
So, a manager who failed to show progress when given significant funds by a relatively patient owner, manages to gain employment at a team with even more significant funds and a significantly shorter attention span?
There seem two plausible possibilities, when assessing the background to this decision. The first is that several of the recent managers at QPR have quit amid accusations that decisions regarding signings and, more importantly, the team itself, were being taken out of their hands. Whilst on the face of it, a man of Jim Magiltons personality would ordinarily baulk at working under such conditions, it would seem Magilton would consider himself fortunate to be offered such a high profile role so soon after ultimately failing to achieve at Portman Road. Equally, despite the funds available to attract a high profile manager, it would seem unlikely that the QPR board would find such a manager willing to accept the extent of their input on the playing side of the club. It may just be that this represents the best fit for both parties at this moment in time, given their circumstances.
The other possibility is simply that, as with his interviews at Ipswich Town, Jim Magiltons passion, drive and general enthusiasm for football and how it should be played stood out so much as to make him the best candidate. The self same statements are being made by QPR as were made by the Ipswich board at the time of Magiltons employment; it seems that the impact Magiltons makes on a board of directors is impressive. And yet, one cannot help but be reminded that the nagging feeling when Magilton was appointed at Ipswich was that, despite being hailed as the best candidate for the job, it also was as much about fitting the circumstances that existed at the club at the time.
With patience and support, Jim Magilton may well go on to become the manager he looked like he might become eighteen months into his Ipswich career. What is certain is that he is a very determined individual and if all goes to plan, he might well become an opponent to Ipswichs Towns future success.
Best of luck, Jim.
On paper, the aspirations of Queens Park Rangers football club appear to be very closely aligned with those of Ipswich Town.
Both clubs have seen their financial circumstances completely revitalised by takeovers by wealthy businessmen. In both cases, the new investment has been principally made with the intention of expediting the return of the clubs to the premiership, whereupon a return on the investment can be achieved.
It is on this latter point where the appointment of Jim Magilton as manager of Queens Park Rangers raises questions. Not least, because the very same manager had spent the previous 18 months failing to achieve the exact same goal at Ipswich Town. Had the margin of failure not been quite as severe, then he might well have still been in employment. As it was, the Ipswich Town board saw no indication that an upturn in fortunes was forthcoming.
So, what is it that the Queens Park Rangers board have recognised that went undetected by Marcus Evans? After all, the finance available at Loftus Road these days suggest that they can aim even higher than the likes of Roy Keane, should they wish.
It cannot be ignored that one of the best performances of Jim Magiltons Ipswich Town reign came at the home of QPR last season, where a thumping 3-1 victory, beamed live for all to see, served as something of a blueprint for what a Magilton side was capable of. However, any due dilligence would demonstrate that the performance was somewhat in isolation, particularly compared to the home form in the same season.
Having given Magilton 18 months to preside over his team, Marcus Evans clearly felt his patience did not extend to allowing a further year. Yet, the QPR board have been shown to have dramatically shorter patience. Whilst Evans has just employed his 2nd manager, Magilton represents QPRs 5th manager in a similar space of time.
So, a manager who failed to show progress when given significant funds by a relatively patient owner, manages to gain employment at a team with even more significant funds and a significantly shorter attention span?
There seem two plausible possibilities, when assessing the background to this decision. The first is that several of the recent managers at QPR have quit amid accusations that decisions regarding signings and, more importantly, the team itself, were being taken out of their hands. Whilst on the face of it, a man of Jim Magiltons personality would ordinarily baulk at working under such conditions, it would seem Magilton would consider himself fortunate to be offered such a high profile role so soon after ultimately failing to achieve at Portman Road. Equally, despite the funds available to attract a high profile manager, it would seem unlikely that the QPR board would find such a manager willing to accept the extent of their input on the playing side of the club. It may just be that this represents the best fit for both parties at this moment in time, given their circumstances.
The other possibility is simply that, as with his interviews at Ipswich Town, Jim Magiltons passion, drive and general enthusiasm for football and how it should be played stood out so much as to make him the best candidate. The self same statements are being made by QPR as were made by the Ipswich board at the time of Magiltons employment; it seems that the impact Magiltons makes on a board of directors is impressive. And yet, one cannot help but be reminded that the nagging feeling when Magilton was appointed at Ipswich was that, despite being hailed as the best candidate for the job, it also was as much about fitting the circumstances that existed at the club at the time.
With patience and support, Jim Magilton may well go on to become the manager he looked like he might become eighteen months into his Ipswich career. What is certain is that he is a very determined individual and if all goes to plan, he might well become an opponent to Ipswichs Towns future success.
Best of luck, Jim.
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