Your thoughts on our "AMBITION"

[Ginger Ninja]

Hitman, with regards to the facilities, you can't expect everything to be sorted right away. The warren farm training site is coming, they've already said it'll be here by the end of the 2014/2015 season. In the meantime, harlington has to be used so revamping it would be a must imo.
As for the stadium, that'll take even longer.
Tony Fernandes has shown his ambition on numerous occasions, just by announcing there will be a new training ground and stadium he is showing he has big plans for QPR. And the amount of money he's given Sparky in 2 transfer windows shows his ambition in the football side of things.
We all have to be patient mate, Rome wasn't built in a day.

[bushcelt1]

not worthy of a proper reply from me hitman.

[bushcelt1]

Oh dear, oh dear.

my first reaction.

[klonk]

really?

there's lots that i could, if i were a miserable git, criticise the board for, but spending money isn't one.

do you remember what it was like last summer? signings needed but nothing happening...

have you, in any way, looked at the squad we had 12 months ago and the one we have today?

do you remember how stupid we felt (and looked) when tango and cash were sacking managers whenever they lost 4 games on the trot?

yeah, i've got doubts about how sustainable the current position is... but about the commitment of the board? no.

[Hitman34]

very good artical here.

the author points the finger of blame at someone else though.


From Daniel Storey on Football 365

QPR's Crippling Lack Of Transfer Imagination

Queens Park Rangers and Mark Hughes got a fortunate second chance to establish themselves in the Premier League. Their transfer policy may put paid to that.

Queens Park Rangers' fans rightly considered themselves dissatisfied at the end of last season. Since the sacking of Neil Warnock on January 8th, the club won just seven of their 21 remaining Premier League games and, due to their final day defeat at Eastlands, QPR survived courtesy of a controversial late Stoke penalty against Bolton. Such is life, however, and this 'great' escape afforded QPR the opportunity to progress and make a definitive imprint on the Premier League that went beyond simply employing its enfant terrible in midfield.

The club's initial fear was a squad that could at best be defined as bloated. As the season ended QPR had forty first team players, a figure that desperately needed reducing, particularly with the enforcement of the Premier League's 25-man squad rule. A genuine clear-out was obviously necessary, and manager Mark Hughes made clear his intentions. "Every club will look at their current staff and what they need to build and get stronger. That means a number of players will go as a result," said Hughes just before the City game.

Even more concerning was the age of the squad, and exactly half of those forty players within the squad were aged thirty or more. Of the side that started the defeat to Manchester City six were the wrong side of thirty, and none of the starting eleven was aged under 25. QPR did not give a single league start to a player under 21 years of age last season, the only top flight side not to do so.

Initially, the club made some headway. Danny Shittu, Fitz Hall, Danny Gabbidon, Lee Cook, Patrick Agyemang and Akos Buzsaky were all allowed to leave on free transfers, and Paddy Kenny and Heidar Helguson dropped down to the Championship for minimal fees.

All looked rosy until Rangers began to bring in replacements. Aside from Junior Hoilett's arrival and making Samba Diakite's loan deal permanent, the club has recruited five players. Ryan Nelsen is 34, Andy Johnson 31, Rob Green 32, Park Ji-Sung 31 and Jose Bosingwa 30. On Wednesday they began talks to enlist Ricardo Carvalho from Real Madrid, another 34-year-old. Carvalho will become the 19th thirty-plus player at Loftus Road. It's almost pipe and slippers time, and QPR's policy has been scorned by many.

Forgetting the weak Dad's Army and QPR OAP gags for a moment, this appears to be a futile exercise in short-termism, and Mark Hughes has sculpted a squad that will need an overhaul within two seasons. Moreover, the swollen nature of the squad has not been addressed. For a team that often fields only one striker (with Jamie Mackie pushed out wide right on Saturday), having Johnson, Cisse, Mackie, Bobby Zamora, Jay Bothroyd, DJ Campbell, Rob Hulse and Tommy Smith on the books falls somewhere between greed and lunacy. Should Carvalho and Michael Dawson sign, in central defence they will have at least six options to choose from.

Mark Hughes' plan to recruit enough Premier League experience to attempt to ensure survival is evident but by no means fool proof, and in addition QPR have added considerably to their wage bill this summer. It is a particularly disappointing approach from Hughes, who remarked after leaving Fulham that "as a young, ambitious manager I wish to move on to further my experiences." Signing ageing players on high wages in a bid to simply survive, looks like anything but 'ambitious'. Given Hughes' underperformance since his appointment, the carte blanche provided by Tony Fernandes is equally confusing. Matt Stanger's Eggert Magnusson comparison in Winners and Losers rings true, and should ring alarmingly for fans.

On Saturday, QPR looked woefully inept against a Swansea side expected by many to find things tougher this season, suffering their worst home defeat in over sixty years. Manchester United recruits Fabio and Park looked lost, and Rob Green displayed his World Cup 2010 form at an inopportune time. Rangers had four players making their debuts, and yet the frailties of last season appeared have been ignored. Another long season potentially awaits.

The saddest aspect of QPR's transfer window is that, unlike many other clubs, it appears that Hughes had a meaningful budget to effect change at Loftus Road. Given a fortunate second chance to establish themselves as a Premier League club after a substandard first season, QPR and their manager have ignored ambition and fancy (not to mention an effective scouting network) in favour of an expensive tunnel vision. They may regret such a lack of imagination.

[thefatgod1]

Why is it that we get so many moaning just because we haven't signed the players they want?
We would all like different players to eachother but surely whoever comes in and whatever age they are they should get our full support. Just like the board should get our full support for keeping us in the premier league and planning to build the club even if it doesn't happen overnight.

[bushcelt1]

very good artical here.

the author points the finger of blame at someone else though.


From Daniel Storey on Football 365

QPR's Crippling Lack Of Transfer Imagination

Queens Park Rangers and Mark Hughes got a fortunate second chance to establish themselves in the Premier League. Their transfer policy may put paid to that.

Queens Park Rangers' fans rightly considered themselves dissatisfied at the end of last season. Since the sacking of Neil Warnock on January 8th, the club won just seven of their 21 remaining Premier League games and, due to their final day defeat at Eastlands, QPR survived courtesy of a controversial late Stoke penalty against Bolton. Such is life, however, and this 'great' escape afforded QPR the opportunity to progress and make a definitive imprint on the Premier League that went beyond simply employing its enfant terrible in midfield.

The club's initial fear was a squad that could at best be defined as bloated. As the season ended QPR had forty first team players, a figure that desperately needed reducing, particularly with the enforcement of the Premier League's 25-man squad rule. A genuine clear-out was obviously necessary, and manager Mark Hughes made clear his intentions. "Every club will look at their current staff and what they need to build and get stronger. That means a number of players will go as a result," said Hughes just before the City game.

Even more concerning was the age of the squad, and exactly half of those forty players within the squad were aged thirty or more. Of the side that started the defeat to Manchester City six were the wrong side of thirty, and none of the starting eleven was aged under 25. QPR did not give a single league start to a player under 21 years of age last season, the only top flight side not to do so.

Initially, the club made some headway. Danny Shittu, Fitz Hall, Danny Gabbidon, Lee Cook, Patrick Agyemang and Akos Buzsaky were all allowed to leave on free transfers, and Paddy Kenny and Heidar Helguson dropped down to the Championship for minimal fees.

All looked rosy until Rangers began to bring in replacements. Aside from Junior Hoilett's arrival and making Samba Diakite's loan deal permanent, the club has recruited five players. Ryan Nelsen is 34, Andy Johnson 31, Rob Green 32, Park Ji-Sung 31 and Jose Bosingwa 30. On Wednesday they began talks to enlist Ricardo Carvalho from Real Madrid, another 34-year-old. Carvalho will become the 19th thirty-plus player at Loftus Road. It's almost pipe and slippers time, and QPR's policy has been scorned by many.

Forgetting the weak Dad's Army and QPR OAP gags for a moment, this appears to be a futile exercise in short-termism, and Mark Hughes has sculpted a squad that will need an overhaul within two seasons. Moreover, the swollen nature of the squad has not been addressed. For a team that often fields only one striker (with Jamie Mackie pushed out wide right on Saturday), having Johnson, Cisse, Mackie, Bobby Zamora, Jay Bothroyd, DJ Campbell, Rob Hulse and Tommy Smith on the books falls somewhere between greed and lunacy. Should Carvalho and Michael Dawson sign, in central defence they will have at least six options to choose from.

Mark Hughes' plan to recruit enough Premier League experience to attempt to ensure survival is evident but by no means fool proof, and in addition QPR have added considerably to their wage bill this summer. It is a particularly disappointing approach from Hughes, who remarked after leaving Fulham that "as a young, ambitious manager I wish to move on to further my experiences." Signing ageing players on high wages in a bid to simply survive, looks like anything but 'ambitious'. Given Hughes' underperformance since his appointment, the carte blanche provided by Tony Fernandes is equally confusing. Matt Stanger's Eggert Magnusson comparison in Winners and Losers rings true, and should ring alarmingly for fans.

On Saturday, QPR looked woefully inept against a Swansea side expected by many to find things tougher this season, suffering their worst home defeat in over sixty years. Manchester United recruits Fabio and Park looked lost, and Rob Green displayed his World Cup 2010 form at an inopportune time. Rangers had four players making their debuts, and yet the frailties of last season appeared have been ignored. Another long season potentially awaits.

The saddest aspect of QPR's transfer window is that, unlike many other clubs, it appears that Hughes had a meaningful budget to effect change at Loftus Road. Given a fortunate second chance to establish themselves as a Premier League club after a substandard first season, QPR and their manager have ignored ambition and fancy (not to mention an effective scouting network) in favour of an expensive tunnel vision. They may regret such a lack of imagination.

imo have your say.....but dont post me some other blokes message. a pure bolli x of a report 2 games in. we have been signing the kind of modern prem player that we could not have believed 2 years ago and.............we fc uking MOAN!!!! the ground we have covered in a record time and.........we ****ing MOAN!!!

[TBLOCKRANGER]

Harsh OP IMHO.
Prior to TF, vast majority of the fan base felt alienated from the board and consequently disenfranchised from the club, historically the board and fanbase at QPR has generally had poor relationship but increasing so prior to TF. Whatever anyone says the greatest and most important work he has done is brought the club and fanbase together, something I haven't witnessed for many many years.

One of many examples is the season ticket prices.

The idea of being critical of him for warren farm and new stadium is ludicrous. Arsenal took over 8 years from considering moving to moving to emirates and they had to move. For vast majority of fans at QPR we dont have to move as anyone who wants a season ticket or even a match day ticket can get one unlike gooners, however a move has advantages but is not a priority for us nor is the training facility. Chelsea are planning to move but haven't got far, I suppose Chelsea's owners lack ambition too. Nonsense.

We seem to be in for many players but many have chosen else where, it obviously has nothing to do with the Board but a number of other reasons. Attacking the board is like those children in Willy Wonka who complain and moan about everything for no good reason.

[alanfullerqpr]

Yet again we find Hitman scare mongering. Won't be surprised if he is the first to start the proper 'Hughes out' campaigns, just like he did with Warnock.

Tony will give Hughes lots of money to spend, as will be proved during this coming week.

agree i reckon 20mill this week on 4 players a GK 2 Defenders and a Striker

[Norths]

agree i reckon 20mill this week on 4 players a GK 2 Defenders and a Striker

I just dont see that happening.

[alanfullerqpr]

I just dont see that happening.

i think if we want a proper defender we wont get 1 for less than 7.5mill and a striker prop the same but a little more i may be wrong and hulse might get in the 25 lol

[Hitman34]

I didn't say you had called for Hughes out, I said you will probably be the first....

how ironic that the site you frequent has for several weeks turned into a hughes out movement.

ahhhhhhhh dont you just hate when the past comes back to bite you in the ####!



i still hold the view on the opening comment to this thread.

apart from lots of talk, what is all this ambition lark about then.?

[toptop]

Would just like to know what is this "AMBITION" that fernandez and hughes and everyone else at the club keeps spouting.

What i know is that this supposed "very important training centre" at warren farm which has been mentioned as "critical" to our "ambition" has been put on hold with no future date set to start work to building it. but they have relayed the pitches at harlington and everything is lovely jubbly.

Our super duper stadium thingy that is whats needed to drive up revenue and build a bigger fan base has not been heard about or plans made available to the supporters.

so we are left with squad investment.

needing to build a fan base one of the main areas is that you need to invest in a squad who is capable of playing good attractive football and winning matches.

according to tony fernandez he has spent net 1.5 mil so far this season. and all we can show for it is a couple on young players and a whole raft of expensive (wages) 30 somthings with nothing to prove.

you talk about ambition and stability tony f, give hughes proper funds to buy the players he needs.

ambition is signing the likes of shawcross, dawson,bertrand,johnson, nathan clyne, foster, zouma etc etc. not friggen 35yo nelson or andy johnson. or what is being mooted now ben bloody turner.
call me a ggreedy **** but ambition for me is inesting 3 quarters of revenue back into the squad, 20-30 mil, not 1.5 or 5 or 10 mil.
and as for mittaL, one of the richest men in the world and probably also one of the tightest.
wheres your ambition tony f and mittal.

Get a grip

Fernandes Mittal and Amit HAVE! invested and the ambition they have shown is apparent. You can quote figures and be a bar room accountant as long as you like. We all know your modus operandi from the Warnock posts and how bitter you became when you discovered you were his love child.
Go away and stir **** elsewhere!

[superhoop67]

TF will only put Sky money into the club, wages ,transfers etc ,Warren Farm and a new stadium is just PR talk

[Hitman34]

TF will only put Sky money into the club, wages ,transfers etc ,Warren Farm and a new stadium is just PR talk

very true.

all a load of hot air me thinks.