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EXCLUSIVE: HUGHES APPOINTED
Posted on: Tue 10 Jan 2012
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is delighted to confirm the appointment of Mark Hughes as the Club's new Manager.
The 48 year-old has signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Loftus Road and will take charge of First Team training this afternoon.
Speaking exclusively to
www.qpr.co.uk, Hughes said: "It's a great feeling to be back in football and to be the Manager of QPR.
"I'm fully aware of the challenge in the short and long term and I am genuinely excited about the ambition of the owners.
"Nobody can doubt the history of this great Football Club and the passion of its fantastically loyal supporters.
"Now the immediate priority is to consolidate our place in the Barclays Premier League, but beyond that, the future is very bright and fills me with great enthusiasm."
QPR Chairman, Tony Fernandes, said: "Mark has a proven track record in the Premier League, bringing a wealth of experience at both Club and international level.
"He has a great passion to achieve as a Manager and has already been hugely successful in his career.
"His ambitions match those of the Board and we are delighted to have him at the helm."
QPR Vice Chairman, Amit Bhatia, added: "Mark has a great managerial pedigree and has proven over the years to be a very astute Manager.
"I am looking forward to working with him to bring success to the Club."
QPR CEO, Philip Beard, said: "Having spoken at length with Mark, I know he is brimming with enthusiasm and anticipation about the challenge of taking QPR forward and I believe he is the perfect choice to deliver the success we all desire."
Vastly-experienced, Hughes has built a reputation as one of Britain's most admired Managers, with success at both Club and international level.
He has a proven track record in the transfer market, recruiting the likes of Vincent Kompany, Nigel de Jong, Moussa Dembele and Christopher Samba to the Premier League.
In his five years in charge of Wales, Hughes turned around the fortunes of the national side, before being appointed Blackburn Rovers boss in September 2004.
He guided Rovers to seventh place in the 2007/08 Premier League campaign, before moving to Manchester City at the start of the following season.
City, with the riches of the Abu Dhabi United investment group, would go on to finish tenth in Hughes' first season in charge, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.
His spell in Manchester ended in December 2009, however, when he was controversially replaced by Roberto Mancini despite City sitting pretty in sixth place in the top-flight.
Fulham was his next port of call, where he exceeded all expectations with an eighth place finish and Europa League qualification through the Fair Play League.
Hughes - who has only finished outside the top half of the top-flight once in his managerial career - will be joined at the Club by Assistant Manager Mark Bowen, First Team Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki and Goalkeeping Coach Kevin Hitchcock.
The Club will be making no further comment.
*Mark Hughes will be officially unveiled as the Club's new Manager at a Press Conference on Wednesday.
www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2571588,00.html
QPR
Jan 10, 2012 at 8:22am
HUGHES' BACKROOM TEAM: PROFILED
Posted on: Tue 10 Jan 2012
New R's boss Mark Hughes has brought a tried and tested backroom team with him to Loftus Road.
Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Hitchcock have all followed the Welshman to W12, having worked under Hughes at Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and Fulham.
Here's some more information on the trio …
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Mark Bowen - Assistant Manager
Mark Bowen originally worked with Mark Hughes for the Wales national team.
He started his coaching career with the Wales Under-21 team and soon moved up to the position of Assistant Manager before leaving to join Steve Bruce at Crystal Palace in June 2001.
He moved with Bruce to Birmingham City in December 2001, helping guide the Blues to promotion to the Premier League before joining Hughes at Blackburn.
In June 2008 he followed Hughes to Manchester City, before the duo teamed up once again at Fulham in 2010.
As a player Bowen was known primarily as an attacking left-back but was versatile enough to play in a number of positions, including sweeper, right-back, forward and in midfield.
He enjoyed spells at Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Japanese outfit Shimizu S-Pulse, Charlton Athletic, Wigan Athletic and Reading - but he was best known for his nine years at Carrow Road with Norwich City.
Most notably, Bowen scored the winning goal in the Canaries' historic UEFA Cup win over Bayern Munich.
Eddie Niedzwiecki - First Team Coach
Eddie Niedzwiecki served as Arsenal's Reserve Team Coach from 2000 to 2004.
Working under Arsene Wenger, Niedzwiecki helped many players progress from Youth Team to First Team level. He also enjoyed coaching spells at Chelsea and Reading.
Having worked with Mark Hughes on a part-time basis with the Wales national team, Niedzwiecki left Arsenal to join up with Hughes at Blackburn Rovers in 2004.
He made the switch to Manchester City along with Hughes in 2008, as well as to Fulham two years later.
As a player Niedzwiecki represented Wrexham and Chelsea and also earned international recognition with Wales.
Kevin Hitchcock - Goalkeeping Coach
A highly-respected goalkeeping coach, Kevin Hitchcock joined Fulham in July 2010.
During his professional career he enjoyed spells at Barking, Nottingham Forest, Mansfield Town, Chelsea, Northampton Town.
Hitchcock made the transition into coaching when he joined up with Gianluca Vialli at Watford as Goalkeeping Coach in 2001, before later teaming up with Mark Hughes at Blackburn Rovers.
Following Hughes' appointment as Manager of Manchester City in 2008, Hitchcock also moved to Eastlands.
In March 2010 he was appointed goalkeeping coach at West Ham, leaving the Club in June.
Hitchcock went on to join Fulham, along with Hughes, later that year.
www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2571447,00.html
