Although it sticks in my throat, we are in the Championship and QPR are in the Premiership. So how did they do it, despite having a relatively poor quality squad? They:
1/ Stuck with an on field and off field strategy despite blips in mid season and end of season
2/ Only played ageing players who were committed to the club so that technical deficiencies, or those caused by ageing, were more than offset by their commitment (Dunne/Hill)
3/ Stuck with a solid back 4 and the GK, and stuck with the same players who played to that defensive strategy
4/ Had a strong midfield personality/captain (Barton) who "sorted" things when they needed sorting
5/ Had enough younger players to add speed/zest when things needed freshening up
6/ Recruited a 20 goal striker (Austin)
7/ Maintained a robust team spirit throughout
8/ Had no prima donnas, everyone put in a shift week in, week out
9/ Had a small management team, reducing strategy confusion and enhancing accountability
So, have we these for next year? In my view only a couple, but sticking with Magarth is the only way of putting these in place. And, if anyone thinks this is all pessimistic/negative, I believe that Magarth can deliver this and we will return quickly (perhaps passing QPR on the way...as I don't see their foundation as being sustainable) to the Premiership.
They are very, very lucky to be back in the Premiership at the first time of asking. On any other God given day, they'd have been beaten by Derby, but that's football unfortunately. Always seems that every other team, including QPR, get the luck, and we don't.
For me, QPR didn't have a good campaign. They started off well, but dwindled towards the end, and in the end, were lucky to get in the play-offs, based on form.
Harry being Harry, relied yet again on big wage / aging players, and it nearly back fired on him. A 90th minute goal from Zamora stood between him getting the sack, and QPR spending another year in the Championship with a transfer embargo.
Majority of fans wanted him out, didn't like his tactics, didn't like his formations, and didn't like his team selections, but I put most of that down to their fans thinking they were going to walk the Championship.
Still, they're promoted now, in 170 million quids worth of debt, bound to get fined 50 million for breaking the fair play rules, reports are that Ecclestone is looking to sell Formula 1, and old twitchy will be chomping at the bit to spend more dosh.
Let them have their season, I think it will be very shorted lived.
Quote from: Admin on May 26, 2014, 08:56:23 PM
They are very, very lucky to be back in the Premiership at the first time of asking. On any other God given day, they'd have been beaten by Derby, but that's football unfortunately. Always seems that every other team, including QPR, get the luck, and we don't.
For me, QPR didn't have a good campaign. They started off well, but dwindled towards the end, and in the end, were lucky to get in the play-offs, based on form.
Harry being Harry, relied yet again on big wage / aging players, and it nearly back fired on him. A 90th minute goal from Zamora stood between him getting the sack, and QPR spending another year in the Championship with a transfer embargo.
Majority of fans wanted him out, didn't like his tactics, didn't like his formations, and didn't like his team selections, but I put most of that down to their fans thinking they were going to walk the Championship.
Still, they're promoted now, in 170 million quids worth of debt, bound to get fined 50 million for breaking the fair play rules, reports are that Ecclestone is looking to sell Formula 1, and old twitchy will be chomping at the bit to spend more dosh.
Let them have their season, I think it will be very shorted lived.
Twice in one day.......well I never :)
Agree totally with what Admin said. They'll end up going the Portsmouth route with any luck.
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The same Magathwho played a young unproven center back at right back in one of the most important games in our history.
Still, they're promoted now, in 170 million quids worth of debt, bound to get fined 50 million for breaking the fair play rules, reports are that Ecclestone is looking to sell Formula 1, and old twitchy will be chomping at the bit to spend more dosh.
Let them have their season, I think it will be very shorted lived.
Ecclestone ??? He left QPR ages ago.
[/quote]
I think point 4 is the one that we need,
Had a strong midfield personality/captain (Barton) who "sorted" things when they needed sorting
Think this was one of the problems last year we didn't have a leader on the pitch to kick some butt and lift things when need.
QPR were extremely lucky to have beaten Derby who were vastly superior to them in team work and organisation. How many players do QPR have who will be up to PL quality? They virtually need a new team. We must not emulate them but build a team that largely consists of player who will hold their own in the PL.
Quote from: St Eve on May 26, 2014, 09:23:34 PM
The same Magathwho played a young unproven center back at right back in one of the most important games in our history.
If rumours are true, this was to teach Reither a lesson that he was not bigger than the team. I think it's good that a Manager sends out that kind of message to keep ALL players on their toes.
But I agree, he really should have played Heitinga out on the right, with Burn in the centre.
Quote from: Scrumpy on May 27, 2014, 11:16:09 AM
Quote from: St Eve on May 26, 2014, 09:23:34 PM
The same Magathwho played a young unproven center back at right back in one of the most important games in our history.
If rumours are true, this was to teach Reither a lesson that he was not bigger than the team. I think it's good that a Manager sends out that kind of message to keep ALL players on their toes.
But I agree, he really should have played Heitinga out on the right, with Burn in the center.
I also believe this was a very last minute decision, so any game plans worked on will have needed to be changed relating to across the back line.
Moving JH to RB and bringing DB in to centre back means 2 changes.
Playing DB at RB and keeping JH & BH at center back means only one change.
It might be the reason he didn't do the obvious thing.
The lesson is you can buy your way into the PL.
When you look at other promoted teams, you can do things like promote youth and invest in young players (Southampton comes to mind) which I very much hope that is the course we follow as it is a healthier, sustainable, and proper way to do it.
Quote from: The Rock on May 27, 2014, 12:01:08 PM
The lesson is you can buy your way into the PL.
When you look at other promoted teams, you can do things like promote youth and invest in young players (Southampton comes to mind) which I very much hope that is the course we follow as it is a healthier, sustainable, and proper way to do it.
Plus, the potential to make a lot of money when/if we sell them.
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Better to learn lessons from burnley and leicester than from qpr.
Quote from: Slaphead in Qatar on May 27, 2014, 12:20:44 PM
Better to learn lessons from burnley and leicester than from qpr.
Well said. There is something not right that the teams who win the playoffs seem to overshadow the ones who got promotion the proper way.
Quote from: Slaphead in Qatar on May 27, 2014, 12:20:44 PM
Better to learn lessons from burnley and leicester than from qpr.
Burnley didn't spend a penny in transfers fees. In fact, they also lost their top scorer Charlie Austin in the summer.
The QPR model, of players in your reserves on £80k a week, is obscene
There are no lessons to be learned from QPR. While I am all for sticking up for the club that had a great but lucky play off final. Over the season they were pretty poor considering the money spent. Their manager was always very defensive about the money saying that he had to release so many top class players in the Summer. But the facts are there for all to see.
No we don't need to learn any lessons except from ourselves. Trying not to make the same mistakes on and off the field as we have done for years would be a good start.
each situation is different.
magath has to figure out how to get the best out of who we have and who we still have to get. He has a the whole pre season to figure out what approach he wants to take.
But he must, IMO, aim for a settled team and try to build a team spirit.... much like Roy really.
I do think magath is likely to do well but my only worry was what he did at stoke and the constant chopping and changing. I am not optimistic we will bounce straight back but i am inclind to think we will do well next season, providing we make a couple of good signings and also blood the youth.
He still signed the likes of Jenas, Kranjaer, Benayoun and I'm sure they didn't go there for half a curly wurly and a packet of love hearts.
Quote from: Lighthouse on May 27, 2014, 01:26:39 PM
There are no lessons to be learned from QPR. While I am all for sticking up for the club that had a great but lucky play off final. Over the season they were pretty poor considering the money spent. Their manager was always very defensive about the money saying that he had to release so many top class players in the Summer. But the facts are there for all to see.
No we don't need to learn any lessons except from ourselves. Trying not to make the same mistakes on and off the field as we have done for years would be a good start.
Good post. And let's not forget that at £78 million a year, QPR's wage bill was some £20 million higher than Atletico Madrid's. And even then as Lighthouse says, they were lucky.
And just one little dig, although much is said about Barton's leadership, he is below average premiership player.