Amos determined to make his mark at QPR
Luke Amos is determined to show what he is capable of after joining QPR permanently following a season-long loan spell.
The former Tottenham midfielder has signed a three-year contract and is one of Rangers’ five summer recruits ahead of the new campaign.
Amos, who played 35 times last season after spending nine months out through injury told West London Sport: “Before my loan last year I hadn’t even played in the Championship, so I’ll be forever grateful that he [manager Mark Warburton] gave me an opportunity to come to the Championship to show what I can do.
“He has a philosophy that allows players to be free to express themselves.
“That’s something that excites me about this manager. He’s always trying to push me, he’s like ‘Don’t limit yourself to this. You can do this and you can do that’.
“It’s just time for me to showcase it more now because he’s put a lot of trust in me.”
Amos chipped in with two goals to help Rangers finish 13th in the table last season.
Before that, a “crazy” 2018 saw him go from playing on loan at Stevenage in January, to making his Premier League debut in August, to then rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament just weeks later.
The 23-year-old feels like a “normal player again” following several months of rehabilitation and, despite some criticism, sees positives in the previous campaign.
He said: “I do think last year wasn’t the best year I’ve ever had, but if I take I step back, I played 35 games after I had zero games the year before. I don’t know, it’s football. Everyone’s entitled to their opinions.
“The opinions that matter are, of course, those of my team-mates, my coaches, the gaffer, but of course I [also] want to impress the fans.
“That’s who you play for at the end of the day. I want them to be pleased with my performances.
“I have definitely got a lot more to offer them, definitely got a lot more to show, so, hopefully, I can do that.
“We’ve got some passionate fans, we’ve got good fans, so I want to keep them happy.
“Hopefully, if I’m doing well and the team is doing well, then they can get what they deserve.”
‘Simple and effective’
Amos was largely deployed as a holding midfielder alongside Dom Ball last season, but operated further up the pitch during Rangers’ short pre-season campaign.
He sees himself as a holding or box-to-box midfielder, who arrives late in the area, and although he is not a number 10 he says he can play there “if required”.
Amos added: “The best Luke Amos is someone who is getting a lot of the ball.
“Simple and effective passes, a lot of energy, running around the pitch winning the ball back. Maybe a few goals here and there. I got two last year which is nowhere near as many as I want or I should be getting.
“I’m nowhere near an Ebere Eze where I’m going to pick the ball up, run past a million players, nutmeg everyone and the keeper.
“I’m more simple, I never stop working hard. I think that’s the best of Luke Amos.”
Meanwhile, Rangers want to improve on finishing 13th in the table, which was their best showing since 2016. Amos believes they can do even better.
Asked if a top-half finish is realistic, he said: “I don’t see why we can’t push even further to the playoffs.”
