QPR’s CEO, Lee Hoos, expresses confidence in manager Gareth Ainsworth’s ability to turn the team’s fortunes around as they aim to break a six-game winless streak in the Championship. Despite their current position in the relegation zone and a lack of home victories in the 2023-24 season, Hoos remains firmly supportive of Ainsworth.
In the backdrop, former QPR manager Michael Beale, who left last season for a stint with the Scottish giants, is reportedly open to returning to Loftus Road after his recent sacking. However, Hoos stands behind Ainsworth, emphasizing that one of the reasons they hired him was his capacity to adapt, innovate, and experiment with new approaches. Although a different strategy for the Blackburn match didn’t yield the desired outcome, Ainsworth is committed to revisiting and refining his methods, incorporating fresh training techniques over the past few weeks. This shift is expected to propel the team forward.
Hoos also highlights the team’s recent efforts to retain possession, noting that in the last five games, they haven’t consistently given up the ball, and the possession statistics have been relatively even. There’s a deliberate attempt to alter this pattern. Hoos expresses his frustration with managers who continually state the need for improvement but persist in repeating the same tactics while expecting different results.
Ainsworth sure he has backing of QPR board
Gareth Ainsworth is confident in his unwavering support from the QPR board, despite his team’s recent struggles. His side has suffered three consecutive losses and hasn’t secured a win in their last six matches, with doubts surrounding his position following a heavy 4-0 defeat by Blackburn prior to the international break. Nevertheless, Ainsworth will remain in charge for the upcoming crucial match against Huddersfield this Saturday.
When asked about his relationship with the Rangers hierarchy, Ainsworth affirmed his backing, stating, “Absolutely, yes. I’ve not heard anything contrary to that. I’m in a fortunate position, with a supportive board that has endorsed all my decisions. They are a great group of people.”
Rangers have only managed to win five out of 25 matches since Ainsworth took over as manager in February, and they narrowly avoided relegation last season. Currently, they find themselves third from the bottom in the Championship, with a string of poor performances leading to speculation about Ainsworth’s future.
However, Ainsworth remains undeterred by the negativity, asserting, “I don’t read any of it, look at anything, and it never gets to me. I’m a positive person and I’ll be finding ways to improve. I see it as a significant challenge rather than a grim situation. I genuinely believe we can exceed people’s expectations and predictions. The board shares in that optimism.”
Regarding the team’s upcoming game, Ainsworth will be missing Morgan Fox due to a knee injury, and Steve Cook may also be unavailable as he recovers from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the recent Blackburn match. Cook’s fitness will be assessed in the lead-up to the match.
In addition, defender Fox is still sidelined with his knee injury, for which he underwent minor surgery, and his return to the squad remains uncertain.
On a positive note, recent signing Reggie Cannon is a potential debutant for the team after featuring in Rangers’ development side this week.