After a fifteen year absence Queens Park Rangers will make a long awaited return to English football’s top flight in the forthcoming Premiership season.
Nearly two decades on from that Trevor Sinclair overhead kick and the goals of Les Ferdinand QPR fans will be hoping the glory days have returned to Loftus Road.
Now under billionaire ownership the QPR board have certainly made their aspirations clear and aim to become a regular fixture in the Barclays Premier League. Though have they got what it takes to survive in one of the toughest leagues in the world?
Neil Warnock’s side were crowned worthy champions in last year’s Championship, having been the dominate force in the league from start to finish, winning an impressive 24 of their 46 matches, as well as having the best defensive record in the division.
The campaign, Warnock’s first full season in charge, began with a 4-0 hammering of Barnsley at Loftus Road and the team continued this fine form winning eight of their opening ten matches, conceding just one goal in the process.
Their start this time will be an all together tougher task, opening with a home match against Bolton followed by trips to Everton and Wigan. Warnock’s men will know that if they are to stand any chance of guaranteeing their top flight status points will need to be taken off the likes of Wigan and Wolves, who they face five games in.
Home form will be vital to the team’s plans, with early games against the likes of Blackburn, Newcastle and Aston Villa at Loftus Road the R’s will be aiming to secure important points early on in the campaign.
With a style based on flowing attacking football QPR were one of the most entertaining teams in the last year’s Championship, players like Adel Taarabt and Wayne Routledge have been integral to the team’s success.
Taarabt in particular was the stand out player in the R’s promotion push, not only captaining the side but also finishing top goal scorer with nineteen league goals, as well as 16 assists. A concern will be that his future is now in doubt, with a reported £13.5m bid from PSG Warnock has admitted that he could leave the club.
As well as Taarabt’s possible departure Warnock has so far struggled to recruit players, having so far only signed striker Jay Bothroyd and former West Ham midfielder Kieran Dyer raising questions as to whether or not they have a strong enough squad to survive.
Reports have also recently suggested that the board made just £1.25m available for new signings which has made the managers task a far greater one. Having been linked with Wales defender Danny Gabbidon and Blackpool striker DJ Campbell it seems that Warnock still wants to bring in a number of players before the season kicks off.
Having secured promotion in style last season it was certainly a year to remember and credit must go to Warnock and his players. Though they will be well aware of just how great the task ahead of them is, QPR are not short of ambition and the focus will now turn to establishing themselves as part of the English footballs finest.
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As a fan of QPR for some years now, I don’t think they will survive. They have lost out on some fairly cheap signings. They could of had Kyle Walker, then they could have had Kyle Naughton on loan. Routledge they have lost out on. They really need to spend some money to keep them up, the pay off will be worth it if they stay up. Another year in the Prem is worth millions. They will get all that money back from the money they spend on transfers from tv rights, tickets (which they put up), advertising, etc.