www.qprdot.org/viewtopic.php?t=69867&sid=985d565246a6b0b82c2561d9acf2ffbdMany have and will experience a call that sadly requires you to drop everything and urgently come running. Sat in my office in Manila one minute, the next thing I know I am sat with my mum at Northwick Park Hospital the next.
Thankfully now through her operation with a few months of rehab in front of her, I decided that my place was here for the now and if all that wasn't a shock, then finding myself attending a game at HQ that I never expected to be at for the opener against SWFC was surpassed by the simple fact that despite assuming I would never be a season ticket holder at HQ ever again, I was perched on a seat with my name on it.
Having been back in the UK for a few weeks now, some thoughts:
1. Amazing Support – having decided to get a season ticket close to the start of the season, I nonetheless expected after the last two years, to be able to pick one up where ever I wanted. But two areas where I used to sit with friends and two other areas I had mates sat in, all turned out to be full with renewals. I spoke to QPRSolihull and then the box office as it seemed that the only seat available at HQ was with him!
That is an incredible show of support from the fans and something I hope the club appreciates because if many had of decided to pick and choose until the dust had settled who could have blamed them?
2. The season turning point – usually such things happen into the season but for me, I think the turning point took place in the first 45 minutes of the opener. After such an abject joke of a season last time out, the reception the team got when they walked out onto the hallowed turn (and isn’t it looking a peach?) was frankly, phenomenal, in all the surrounding circumstances. A matter itself arguably surpassed by the ‘olive branch’ held out to Cap’n Twitter!
We have of course, become somewhat accustomed to being walloped in the season opener of late, and going one-down as we did, could have heralded anarchy...but it did not. In fact there appeared to be an increase of support but the turning point for me was the fact that by half-time, we had gained the lead and held out for the win, our first since 2007 it seemed! If we had gone in at the halfway point behind then who knows what would have happened in the second half. Thankfully, we need only worry ourselves through speculating.
The atmosphere for both league games at HQ has been superb, not Oldhamesque of course, but they have reminded me of our first game in the third tier against Stoke a few years back...no nonsense, let’s take care of business.
3. The Close Season – Warnock had a brilliant first close season in charge. However, given the mess on and off the field, I actually think QPR have had our best close season ever! Nothing going into the latter part of last season would have suggested we would see ourselves in such a state as we do currently and from the boardroom to the dressing room, all at QPR deserve huge credit. We can only but hope that lessons have been well and truly learned and that we go forward stronger as a result of the knowledge the Malay fella as now acquired since taking over the reins at HQ.
4. The Redknapp-Schteve conundrum – It won’t be too long before managerial casualties start to fall and with the Rep. of Ireland job invariably coming up for grabs, much less the first victims of the Spanish Archer in the Prem, I think it inevitable that we may find interest in one or both.
To what extent Schteve’s input has assisted is of course, open to speculation, but what seems clear from his previous positions, is that he is seen as a bloody good coach. However, I reckon we may find out sooner rather than later as to what his influence has been, as I bet teams will be sniffing around him soon enough. I think we’ll do well to hang on to Schteve and whether HR sees himself remaining in management after this season (lot depends on what we do of course) then the fact is, the Board still need to keep an eye on this thorny issue.
5. Team morale – to get rid of the utter, utter dross we have seen has been an achievement, the extent of the financial aspect of which, we can only wonder. However, from when the servants switched off the TV at Honney Mansions after the Reading debacle, to think that we could amass 11 men to play with a bit of pride in such a short space of time, is a case of hats off to Harry, his team and the players.
Though slightly baffled by the pursuit of Parker and wondering why we were wasting time on Defoe, we certainly look to have the strongest squad in the Championship...well we certainly have got a hell of a midfield. But some weaknesses remain in the squad, and I am sure the loan window will come to our aid if not the opening of the January transfer window, but we do need more strikers, as we only have ‘two’ currently and some cover at centre half. But, if we do go five in the middle, we have an abundance of talent to choose from.
6. Taarabt – If we could rely on him, then he would have walked this league and his craft would likely see us romp more easily to the wins we have so far enjoyed. However, if as appears to be the case he’s not interested in pulling his weight, as opposed to putting it on, then as we need all the playing fraternity to push and pull together then HR is right to move him out.
Whilst the first few games have shown that we do lack a bit of guile (especially if visitors to HQ intend to park the bus and waste time from the coin toss) and assuming we get Philipps, Kranjcar and Carroll up and running, then I suspect the Moroccan’s absence won’t be so hard to accept in time.
7. This League – it’s a feature of the games thus far, that we don’t need to do too much to have the oppo return the ball to us if you know what I mean and there have been times that we seem to have retained some ability required in the Premiership to retain possession and not give the ball away cheaply. If we can keep keeping hold of the ball and passing our way through teams, then we’re up! It’s as simple as that at this level.
There will of course be challenges ahead and a test will come after we lose our first game or when Joey loses his head, but all we need to do is just keep the passing simple and play our way around and through teams as we have been doing. I also think we’re going to finally give a team a right shoeing soon despite the fact that scoring goals still looks like something that we’re finding hard to do easily.
8. Looking ahead - We look solid at the back and RG hasn’t caused any worries at all. NO looks a far better player with a reliable warhorse in RD beside him, but with CH seemingly our only cover at centre half, we’re vulnerable if one of our preferred central defenders is out.
With BAE and DS at full back are probably the best outside the Prem and so we’re also rock solid there. Midfield is an embarrassment of riches and I suspect HR will go with five across the middle and let JH and MP run amok. Frankly, it’s hard to know what he’s going to do. CA is settling in and looks ok at this level and AJ is causing all sorts of problems for the right reasons. BZ however, is finished and needs to be treated humanely.
If we had been offered what we have now after our relegation down the M4 a few months back, then anyone not grabbing the deal with both paws would want their head examined.
We look like the last two season have been forgotten and we look bloody hard to beat as well. We all know it won’t be a turkey shoot all the way to May, but right now and just like Warnock’s side in 2010/11, I bet every other club in the Football League would gladly swap places with us. The club has done a brilliant job thus far and put QPR right in the box seat going forward and in view of the continued unabated support, this is no more than the Hoopfosi deserve.
I commend this speech to the House.