Ferdinand resigns as QPR director of football
Les Ferdinand has resigned as QPR director of football.
The former R’s and England striker, 56, returned to Loftus Road in October 2014 when he was placed in charge of football operations.
Regarded as one of QPR’s greatest-ever players, Ferdinand has been revered by fans since his playing days – but has faced growing criticism from them during the past few years.
That criticism intensified during a miserable season in which Michael Beale walked out after 21 games as head coach, his successor Neil Critchley was axed after just 12 at the helm, and the club were almost relegated to League One after a dire run of results.
Ferdinand impressed the QPR hierarchy as Rangers wrestled with restrictions caused by Financial Fair Play rules and sought to balance the books after years of overspending.
But there were tensions, particularly over some managerial appointments and some of the club’s transfer dealings.
And, following discussions with current head coach Gareth Ainsworth about transfer targets for the coming season, Ferdinand decided to stand down.
17/06/2023 @ 12:28 pm
Loved sir les as a player and what he stands for in football . I wish him well and will miss him at our club .
Buy cheap and sell with a profit. In my mind I can not see us getting anywhere near premier status if this way is to carry on . Just my thought
17/06/2023 @ 8:30 am
It’s funny how all the hate that was – and still is – there for Les didn’t have a flipside when we were top of the league last autumn. For me, many fans still don’t seem to understand the financial maelstrom which Les guided us through and which would’ve sunk other clubs. It’s easy with hindsight to say that he should’ve known Beale had no sense of loyalty, and the players need to take their fair share of the blame, but blaming all the serious shortcomings of an ultimately terrible season on Les is foolish. Careful what you wish for.
17/06/2023 @ 7:58 am
Correction
20/21 £15.7m
17/06/2023 @ 7:53 am
I got to thonking, lets look at the transfer outgoings over the years:-
23/24 – £692K Dickie (to date)
Free – Masterson
22/23- £769K De Wijs
7 free – marshall,Barbet,Odubajo,Austin,Ball,Bonne,Thomas.
21/22 £0
3 free- Carroll Lumley,Smyth
20/21 £157m Eze,Osai Samuel,Manning
3 free Leistner,Hall, Cameron
19/20 £7.2m Freeman, Furlong, Luongo
7free Lynch, Baptiste, Wheeler, Wszolek, Bidwell, Ingram, Cousins
18/19 £3.4m Smithies
5free Robinson, Perch,Washington,Emanuel Thomas, Mackie
We must make sales to survive, where is the conveyor belt of talent needed to replace the sales/retirees, walking injured etc. We were told we expect to get to the next level but this seems to be a level lower. All these problems are the responsibility of the DofF surely. Some of the freebies must have some sort of value other than zero.
16/06/2023 @ 3:05 pm
£ 28.5M – so why are we struggling to scrape together a half decent squad? could it have anything to do with all the free offloads or all the rubbish that came in?
16/06/2023 @ 2:50 pm
Does he need a lift anywhere? Spurs maybe….
16/06/2023 @ 1:38 pm
Buy and sell at a loss – Like Eze – in for nothing out for £20million and more to follow if he moves again and Luke Freeman – in for £1million out for £6 million, then there’d be Massimo Luongo – in for £1.5m out for £5million. You’re right, the guy’s an idiot – no clue! Who will be most upset at Les going – the board – they’ve no-one to hide behind now.
16/06/2023 @ 12:08 pm
As long as the direction is ‘up’ – who cares. I put Sir Les (what DID he do?) in the same bracket as MH,HR & NC. not forgetting Connor Washington. We seemed to buy and sell at a loss or even freebies recently. It was always a case of too little too late. We are at rock bottom now, so we will find it very difficult to get any worse. Onwards and upwards is my expectation.
16/06/2023 @ 11:18 am
Looks like a case of be careful what you wish for.
The majority of fans wanted Les out, but the power struggle and direction Ainsworth, who it appears Les was not in favour of appointing, wants to go in may not necessarily be an improvement at all.
16/06/2023 @ 9:12 am
At last – common sense prevails, what took so long?