Rangers boss explains trio’s omission

Harry Redknapp said his team selection for the victory against Southampton was based purely on tactics.

On a day when players were reported to have described QPR’s recent trip to Dubai as ‘like a stag do’,  Jamie Mackie, Adel Taarabt and Andros Townsend were all dropped to the bench.

But manager Redknapp insisted none of his players were involved in the report and said his choices were made purely in an attempt to trouble the home side.

“Adel hasn’t been at his best so I left him out today,” said Redknapp.

“Townsend has been excellent. I just decided to play differently and I decided to give Junior Hoilett a run.

“I just felt I also needed a target today so I brought Jay Bothroyd in for Mackie, and Bobby Zamora wasn’t fit.”

Rangers’ 2-1 win on the south coast – only their third league success of the season – means they still have a fighting chance of staying up.

“We’ve come here and we’ve worked our socks off, and that’s all we can do,” Redknapp added.

“Listen, we’re still in there, that’s the key. We’ve given ourselves a chance again.

“I was delighted for the supporters – they’ve had a hard season. They’ve turned up in their numbers. That performance was for them.”

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