Stephan: QPR must improve in three key areas for next season
Julien Stephan says QPR need to improve in three key areas if they are to have any chance of emulating the type of success the likes of Millwall have enjoyed this season.
Rangers were part of the play-off picture for much of the campaign, but heavy defeats against Coventry and Southampton underlined a major gulf between Stephan’s side and the Championship’s heavyweights.
Millwall are also chasing promotion, and they too were on a different level to the R’s in a totally one-sided first half at The Den, where the hosts won 2-0.
Stephan admitted it showed Rangers’ current “limits” and was another reminder of what will need to change for Rangers to be among the division’s promotion candidates.
And the Frenchman believes an improved injury record, greater experience, and new signings are a must if QPR are to be more than mid-table material
“If we do a lot of improvement, why not? But we need to improve,” he said.
“First, to keep our best players on the pitch for a longer time.
“Second, probably to have more maturity in some situations, because we have a very young team.
“And third, yes, bring some different profiles in some specific areas. We can see that it’s really important to have some specific profiles if we want to compete, not only (for) three months, four months or five months, but 10 months.
“So, in the future, why not? But now, we are not ready. This is the reality. But it’s a normal process.
“I think we have improved a lot of things and we are in a good way, but we have seen what we need to do to improve to reduce the gap.”
The fit-again Kwame Poku started Saturday’s game, Nicolas Madsen and Ilias Chair returned to action as substitutes, and there was also another outing for Rumarn Burrell following his recent return from a torn hamstring.
“We know that we have to manage a special situation – some players coming back from long injuries and we need to manage their playing time,” said Stephan.
“Managing that and trying to stay competitive; this is the challenge for us.”
