The criticism of Chris Ramsey is getting stupid now

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Date: 27th October 2015 at 12:03pm
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Fighting in the away end, home fans encouraging a ref to send off one of their own players and Junior Hoilett scoring; Loftus Road is certainly a strange place to be right now. I cannot recall a QPR crowd as hostile to their own bench as the current one.

A comfortable 3-0 win at home to MK Dons, featuring a lovely solo goal by Jay-Emmanuel Thomas saw QPR consolidate their current position of 10th, five points from the play-offs. Yet for the vast majority of the crowd, Chris Ramsey should already be out of the door.

A man that was originally brought in to overhaul the club’s youth system, Ramsey was given the chance to take charge of first team matters after Harry Redknapp’s knees gave way and the imminent announcement of Tim Sherwood never materialised. Basically, he was never meant to get the job.

16 May 2015 - Barclays Premier League - QPR v Newcastle United - Chris Ramsey, Manager of Queens Park Rangers - Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

QPR manager, Chris Ramsey.

At the time of his announcement, the club were heralding a new dawn of rebuilding with Tony Fernandes calling Ramsey the ‘dream candidate’ to bring in fresh, young and hungry players through the club’s youth academy. Fast forward eight months and the direction from the boardroom has turned entirely on its head; Fernandes recently stated on Instagram that ‘going up is everything for me’.

Fernandes’ determination to get automatic promotion has led him to call on the services of Neil Warnock, the first manager he fired to help Ramsey. Warnock’s role as ‘advisor’ is still unclear, but in doing so Fernandes has not just taken the rug from under Ramsey’s feet, he’s taken away the entire house the rug was in. Warnock’s announcement certainly also brings in to question Les Ferdinand’s position as Director of Football.

Based on results, Ramsey has had an OK start to the season. The team’s current stats read as won five, drawn four, lost four. It’s hardly title-winning credentials but nor is it relegation form either. Yet he is getting pelters from the terraces for every misstep he takes. Based on the bile and negativity that is emanating from the home support, you’d think we were rock-bottom. But we’re not. We are doing alright. We don’t have an entitlement to be top. Teams like Hull, Brighton, Middlesbrough and Derby are there because they deserve to be. As well as having more points than us right now, what else do they all have? Modern stadiums. These are clubs that have moved with the times. Other than a lick of paint and a big TV from Argos, Loftus Road Stadium has hardly changed since I first started going and that was 30 years ago.

Our priorities should be about investing in a training ground, raising our presence locally and building a new stadium. That’s the sort of platform that sets you up for a sustained attempt at getting into the Premier League and staying there. Yet, we do the opposite. Our preparations again for a supposed promotion push make me cringe. Many fans talk up our squad, but I beg to differ. Our best centre-half, Clint Hill, is 37. Our best right-back, Nedum Onuoha, is primarily a centre-half. Our first choice left-back is a loannee. Sandro cannot play more than two games a week, hardly ideal for the Championship, and Junior Hoilett, a man that occasionally appears on the left wing, before cutting in, was available for free two months ago; no one took us up on the offer.

Tony Fernandes has spent the best part of £200 million on players and the club have nothing to show for it. I fear the money wasted over the past few years has ruined QPR. It has distorted the expectations of its fans, turning us into a hard to please mob. Four years after taking over, Fernadnes now owns a club riddled with debt and back in the Championship. I don’t know how he does it, but time and time again he seems to be absolved of any blame. You can’t build anything on foundations made of sand, but that’s what Ramsey is facing. Perhaps we as fans should give the man in the dugout a break and support the team. After all, we are the only constant to the club’s past, present and future.

 
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8 responses to “The criticism of Chris Ramsey is getting stupid now”

  1. Chris says:
    27th October 2015 at 12:34 pm

    Totally agree. It’s worth noting that it is a small section of QPR fans providing the hostility and there are many fans that go each week and get behind the team. Unfortunately it only takes a small section to ruin it for others.

    In terms of support, it shouldn’t matter who the manager is. If you don’t like Ramsey, fine. But the thing we had over other teams was that we as fans made Loftus Road a fortress. I remeber seeing Chelsea players lose the plot, because they had never experienced anything like it.

    QPR’s support is as much a part of the team’s identity as any other aspect and if we lose that, then we take a step towards becoming any other team. We need to stick together and not just sing when we’re winning.

  2. JAMES says:
    27th October 2015 at 2:50 pm

    ‘The criticism of Chris Ramsey is getting stupid now’
    I agree, so dumb it’s embarrassing.

    To the Supporters: If you can do a better Job why don’t you send your CV and ask for CR’s job?

    ‘Basically [Ramsey], he was never meant to get the job.’
    Circumstances always dictate the outcome, Jose Mourinho was never meant to lead Chelsea to the bottom half of the Premiership.

    ‘I fear the money wasted over the past few years has ruined QPR’
    More Likely Fernades, Mittal & Bhatia will be ruined, but no, still dedicated to the club like a real supporter.
    Lets not forget the Italian Job of Briat & Ernie! 2 Great owners who everyone loved.

    ‘Our priorities should be about investing in a training ground,’ I think this plan has been passed by Ealing Council.

    A lot more can be said of course but just for the record;

    I like Chris Ramsey!

  3. Simon says:
    27th October 2015 at 4:59 pm

    A really good article and I agree with everything that’s said. I hate it when we go in at half time 0-0 to hear boos. Give the guy a chance! He’s not the reason we’ve let so many goals in so far this season.

    • johnny says:
      28th October 2015 at 9:38 am

      Please tell me you boys are joking.
      Ramsey is not the right man for the job he only got it because of Les.
      Ive been paying money to watch Rangers for 40 years and now I pay for my son every week.
      If the supporters think the manager is no good we have the right to voice our opinions.
      Or do we just wait another 18 months then you guys all agree he was no good and then we start again. I love Rangers but I dont like the way we are going. Its a mess.
      But I love my team but we all have our opinion and its strong to get Ramsey OUT !

  4. richard says:
    27th October 2015 at 5:21 pm

    I totally disagree….

    It is not a minority – it is the majority

    CR doesn’t play any youngsters
    CR is an awful tactician – all passes to the attackers come from the defence – bypassing the midfield
    Onouha pass completion rate must be under 25%
    Our defencive record is embarrassing (to quote a Sheff Wed fan “Our best attackers were your defenders”)
    Generally poor football
    Nearly all our points are from teams in bottom half – 12 from the bottom 5 – when we play the half decent teams like the Derbys, Middlesboro etc. we will get shown up big-time.

    As for calls for Henry to be sent off – it was a laugh – nobody got a sense of humour

  5. Gary says:
    27th October 2015 at 8:59 pm

    what the hell does the stadium have to do with players strolling about the park; not putting the effort in; not looking fit; not closing down the opposition; never, ever winning the second ball???

  6. Raghu Bala says:
    28th October 2015 at 12:23 am

    The real question is one of time frame. If QPR wants to rebuild slowly then CR may be the man. So far the biggest issues have been 1) Team selection 2) Conceding goals 3) Signings. QPR does not have a proper right back. Most goals have been scored from this weakness others have exploited. CR’s fault — hard to say it is not. Team Selection – sore point has been Karl Henry really. CR’s fault – well – Henry has given the ball away many times that lead to goals. So hard not to blame CR for selecting him. Also subs in games – either very late, never or wrong subs. So, overall, fans have a point in cribbing about CR. Now, the past two games with two clean sheets, hopefully it is all coming together. But remember – MK Dons is a very weak side – I tip them for relegation. To CR’s credit – two games stand out – Hull and Huddersfield away. Team played a compact game, very tight and did well. On the opposite end – Fulham away was an unmitigated disaster. So, there is a lack of consistency to say the least. If we can put in consistent performances, with total football (players like Fer NEVER track back, players like JET ALWAYS track back…dont ask me why) then we have a shot and CR deserves a chance. It all comes down to performance, results and timeframes. With CR, most likely we need 2-3 seasons to rebuild to mount a challenge. With someone else, MAYBE (no gaurantees) probably we can mount a challenge this season or next. All depends on how soon the management desires promotion.

  7. Matt says:
    28th October 2015 at 3:24 pm

    The only thing ‘stupid’ is this article. Ramsey can not manage! Fact! He’s tactically inept and has proven time and time again he’s clueless. Our club should not be his education into management and to learn the ropes. The reason we are 10th is that we have a decent squad, but a decent manager would be able to achieve so much more. However what I do agree with is TF’s share of responsibility. Ramsey should never have been apointed..