From the Offie
www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/holloway-previews-germany-trip/Holloway previews Germany tripAs Ian Holloway prepares his squad for this weekend’s trip to Germany, he was firstly keen to set the record straight regarding suggestions the club’s FFP dispute had been concluded last week.
Following our pre-season victory at Peterborough last Saturday, Holloway said: “Unfortunately what’s happened before has resulted in what I’m left with. The bomb has gone off, the fans might not know that, but it’s gone off and I’m still holding it.”
While some claimed this was in reference to the conclusion of our FFP hearing, Holloway explained: “I said the bomb has already gone off, in reference to the money that has been spent in the last few years by the club.
“The club have spent an astronomical amount of money but we didn’t have great success in return for that incredible outlay. THAT was the bomb.
“I knew that before I came here. This isn’t new, this isn’t about now. That bomb went off a couple of years ago!
“I am here to tidy things up, and help my owners get value for money from everyone we’ve got, and whoever we might get.
“What we want to do is make this club sustainable. So I need the fans, more than anybody, to be patient, to trust me and to see what we are all trying to do here.
“The owners are trying their best, but we have to do things the right way, making sensible, clever buys.
“We signed Josh Scowen on a free transfer and he could have gone to at least two other clubs who are so-called ‘bigger clubs’ than us - but he wanted to come to QPR. They’re the players I want here.
“Last season we let in too many goals and didn’t score enough. I believe our squad wants some players to come in and help them. We all want the same thing here.
“We have got a scouting network in place now and what we are talking about is character, character, character, character.
“Where we go from here is we make sure that everyone provides an honest day’s work every time they come to train. If any club deserves to get value for money after what’s happened in recent years, then it’s QPR.”
As Holloway takes his squad to Germany for their fixtures on Saturday and Sunday, he added: “I am taking my whole squad over there for what I, again, consider to be another training session, just like last week’s game at Peterborough was a training session for both teams.
“I am thoroughly looking forward to it. I was pleased with how we did against Peterborough, how the group understood what I wanted, and I liked the way our younger lads applied themselves in a QPR shirt.
“We have got a young squad, which is pleasing but what’s important is that we get them all to blend. Our time in Germany is another opportunity for us to do that, and to work on certain things, looking ahead to the first game of the season against Reading.”
Grant Hall misses out as he continues to receive treatment on tendonitis, while
Idrissa Sylla is unable to travel as his previous work permit expired within three months of our travel date. While he does have a new work permit in place, the recent expiry of his replaced permit prevents travel.