Mark Hughes has been sacked by QPR and will almost certainly be replaced with Harry Redknapp. Shock. Horror. Despite this season’s relative infancy, this chain of events is probably the most inevitable and unsurprising footballing news of the season.
Personally, I haven’t rated Hughes as a manager since he left Blackburn. He started his managerial career with a bang, so nearly taking Wales to Euro 2004 and excelling with the Rovers. But then he flopped at Man City, didn’t really do anything of note with Fulham and consequently disrespected and abandoned them for a more “ambitious” club. And then came his QPR debacle.
During Hughes’ tenure QPR have been dire. Last year they piddled around the bottom 6 and only scraped Premier League survival because other results went their way. This year, aside from spirited performances against Chelsea and Tottenham, they have been the league’s worst team. I spoke earlier of their ragtag squad and how so far have been completely vindicated (go me!).
Coming a mere two days after one of the most controversial and undeserved dismissals in Premier League history, it is almost a welcome relief to see such a unequivocally correct decision. No-one can argue with Tony Fernandes here, nor can they with who they’ve lined up to replace him.
Redknapp is the natural successor to a squad of big personalities in need of a sorting out. It’s almost identical to circumstances when he took over Tottenham. I bet QPR fans are as ecstatic about the likely appointment of Redknapp as they are of Hughes being kicked out.
In fact, I’d say the only people unhappy are all those who put bets on Hughes being the first manager to be sacked this year. They so nearly won…
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