HUGHES ATIMULIWA QPR, REDKNAPP ACHUKUA UGALI

Mark Hughes has been sacked as manager of QPR - and Harry Redknapp has been appointed as his replacement.

Hughes's assistant manager Mark Bowen will take Rangers, winless and rock-bottom of the Barclays Premier League, to Old Trafford tomorrow with former Tottenham boss Redknapp in the stands.

Redknapp will take formal charge of the team on Sunday.

Watching brief: Club shareholder Muhammad Amiruddin (left) and QPR chief executive Phil Beard (second left) watch QPR's Stephane Mbia train after boss Mark Hughes was sacked this morning

Fury: Fans turned on Hughes following the defeat to Southampton at home, his final game before being sacked today

WITH HARRY THERE'S HOPE

QPR are the only team out of 92 league clubs yet to win a match this season. But Harry has performed miracles before. When he took over from Juande Ramos at Tottenham the team had only two points and his only brief was to stop them slipping them into the Championship. He managed to finish in eighth place that very season, and took Tottenham to the Champions League two years later.

Hughes's position has been hanging in the balance all week after defeat to Southampton at Loftus Road, a match dubbed 'El Sackico'.

The former Manchester United striker had been preparing his team for the clash at Manchester United with the expectation that he would be on the touchline.

However, owner Tony Fernandes finally snapped this morning, showing Hughes, who had replaced, Neil Warnock the door after 10 months.

Crisis talks were held at the club's Harlington training base on Monday evening.

But the decision was taken by the board to end Hughes' tenure as boss with the board aware that any increase in the five-point gap between QPR and Reading in 17th would make it harder to find a new boss to take charge.

On the ground: Beard watches training as shareholder Muhammad Amiruddin (right) shares a joke with a QPR staff memeber today

On the brink: Mark Hughes took QPR training this week before being axed this morning

FERNANDES TWEETS OF SUPPORT

OCTOBER 21 (QPR 1-1 Everton)
'Stop wasting your time and energy on negative tweets. QPR needs time and stability. We have great squad great manager great ceo. Takes time and a bit of luck.'

OCTOBER 29 (two days after Arsenal 1-0 QPR)
'I honestly believe we have one of the best managers in the premier league. And we are in for the long term. Whatever happens. We love QPR. Ill be there at reading so rangers fans ill be available to meet and chat. Trust me on this one. Keep the faith. Stability is the key.'

'Completely right. Mark has my backing and the shareholders. We need a little luck and no injuries. What’s written in the press is all rubbish. RT @wayneoeyers: @tonyfernandes we must stick with Hughes. We haven’t been playing poorly. The club needs stability, manager change would be suicide!'

NOVEMBER 4 (QPR 1-1 Reading)
'We are doing our best. Keep the faith. Need to get behind the team now. Positive energy is what we need. RT @martingreen_qpr: Message to the entire QPR team, staff, manager and **** head @tonyfernandes. Please don’t **** up another one of my weekends.'

'A game of 2 halves. Players getting used to premier league and different type of teams. Keep calm we will come good. Plenty of time. Many opps to win the game. I’m calm. Won’t please everyone. But as I keep saying stability is key.'

NOVEMBER 10 (Stoke 1-0 QPR)
'We got to cut out errors. One error cost us and we got to take our chances. Team played as planned. Must win next win. No panic. Table is compressed. Defense was awful now fairly solid. Midfield strong. Got to score now.'

'Keep the faith. Panic is not what the doc ordered.'

NOVEMBER 16 
'Won’t be happening. For the one millionth time. Hahaha. Stability. RT @timnmcollins: @Jeffro_QPR @tonyfernandes @lieyaM_M Maybe you can practice the “You’re fired” line on Mark Hughes? #QPR'

NOVEMBER 17 (QPR 1-3 Southampton)
'I feel gutted. I have put my heart and soul into this with my other shareholders. And done all we can to give support to players and all management. I can only apologise to the QPR fans. we keep fighting.'

'Let me tell you Fans come first. Everyone including me let the fans down. Many of us need a hard look at themselves. QPR has amazing fans. They deserve better.'

A club statement this morning said the Rangers board were now looking to appoint a replacement as soon as possible, however Sportsmail is able to confirm that Redknapp is the new manager.

The club's statement read: 'Queens Park Rangers Football Club has today (Friday) terminated the contract of manager Mark Hughes with immediate effect. 

'This decision has been taken after careful consideration by the Board of Directors, following numerous meetings over the last few days.

'The Board of Directors wish to thank Mark for his commitment, hard work and dedication in his ten months in charge. 

'Mark has shown integrity and professionalism throughout his time here, but ultimately the circumstances we find ourselves in have left the Board of Directors with very little choice but to make a change. 

'The Board will now be working actively to put a new managerial structure in place as soon as possible.

'Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki will take charge of the R's trip to Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday afternoon. 'The club will be making a further announcement in due course.'

Former QPR winger Richard Langley told BBC Radio 5live: 'The frustration has been brewing and the main thing is they've got such a talented squad at the moment and the results haven't been coming so you can understand the frustrations at the club. They haven't been playing as a team.'

Hughes has been walking a tightrope since QPR lost at Arsenal on October 27. Fernandes was set to sack him then but had a change of heart and has tried to support him.

They have not won all season but have an easier run of fixtures coming - and Redknapp will be licking his lips at that prospect. 

The former Southampton and Portsmouth manager, who was snubbed by England after Fabio Capello left his post, will eagerly look forward to a new year clash with Tottenham, his most recent club.

QPR's chief executive Philip Beard was seen talking to the players during today's training session following Hughes' departure.

Former Manchester City boss Hughes oversaw 34 matches as manager at Loftus Road, winning just eight of those fixtures.

He managed to keep the club in the Premier League last season despite a 3-2 defeat at City on the closing day of the campaign, picking up memorable victories over Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham along the way.

Marquee signings such as Park Ji-sung, Junior Hoilett, Julio Cesar, Jose Bosingwa and Esteban Granero were brought in before the transfer window closed but Hughes could not bring the best out of his expensive talent.

DATES FOR HARRY'S DIARY...

Harry Redknapp will face his old club Tottenham for the first time as QPR manager on Monday, January 14 at 8pm. 

Happy New Year, Harry.  

BEFORE THAT...

Man Utd (away) tomorrow

Sunderland (away) Tuesday

Aston Villa (home) Sat, Dec 1

Wigan (away) Sat, Dec 8

Fulham (home) Sat, Dec 15

Newcastle (away) Sat, Dec 22

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2237190/Mark-Hughes-sacked-QPR-Harry-Redknapp-manager-match-Manchester-United.html#ixzz2D3vtajMp
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Friday, November 23, 2012