QPR Confirm Redknapp Choice

Queens Park Rangers have appointed Harry Redknapp as manager on a two-and-a-half year contract.

The 65-year-old will watch his new team from the stands when Rangers play Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday.

Redknapp told QPR's website: "This was too good an opportunity to turn down.

"I'm delighted to be back in the managerial hot-seat at QPR. I can't wait to get to work and get the results necessary to kick-start our season."

Redknapp, who has been out of management for five months after beingdismissed from his role at Tottenham in June, succeeds Mark Hughes, who was sacked on Friday with QPR bottom of the Premier League table, and without a win in their opening 12 games.

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes, believes Redknapp's appointment is a huge coup for the west London club.

"Harry was our number one target, the unanimous choice of the board and we're delighted we've been able to attract him to the club," said the Malaysian businessman.

"He has a proven track record in the Premier League and has all the characteristics we were looking for to get us out of the current situation we find ourselves in.

"His man-management skills are second to none and we have a manager with significant experience at the highest level of football, who can come in and immediately help deliver our objectives."

Redknapp's former assistant, Joe Jordan - one of the favourites for the Scotland national manager's job - will meet Redknapp on Saturday to discuss a potential appointment.

Rangers are four points adrift of 19th place - the same position Tottenham were in when Redknapp took charge at White Hart Lane in October 2008.

Under his guidance, Spurs narrowly missed out on earning a spot in the Europa League with an eighth-place finish, before securing Champions League qualification in the following campaign.

Redknapp was installed as favourite to take over as England coach following Fabio Capello's resignation in February 2012, but was overlooked by the Football Association in favour of Roy Hodgson.

Speculation that he would take the national team role coincided with a slump in Spurs' form and Redknapp was dismissed by Tottenham in the summer after reportedly failing to agree new terms on his contract.

Redknapp kept a struggling Portsmouth in the Premier League during his his first spell at Fratton Park and repeated the feat on his return in December 2005, winning the 2008 FA Cup in his final campaign before leaving for Tottenham.

In between his reigns at Portsmouth, he was a controversial appointment at Pompey's south coast rivals Southampton.

Redknapp was unable to avoid relegation at the Saints, overseeing the end of their 27-year stay in the top division before resigning with the club unable to mount a challenge at the top of the Championship.

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Hughes Hopes for United Visit

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A number of great players have found the move to managerial road paved with few yellow bricks, but the more harsher side of the game, where fans praise can be seldom found and their fury frequently vented at their dug out. At times with such venom that it makes those in football management grow tougher skins than the average person, and reliant on real self belief to get through those lower moments. On occasion with obstinacy, when the writing is on the wall, to quote one of the games most weary cliche's. As in the case of Queens Park rangers Mark Hughes at the moment, as there is little on the horizon to suggest the mood in the dressing room will improve. Or that results will reverse all of a sudden and become consecutive wins. 

A scenario which afflicts the ambiance at Loftus Road and the club as Hughes surely this week faces the end of his role at the club, after only eleventh months in charge. Unless, of course, there is some interplanetary collusion and that luck can be reversed in order to satisfy the baying fans. As well as their ambitious Chairman Tony Fernandes, who has moved from strongly backing his manager weeks ago, to some more recent lukewarm social media comments on Twitter. All of which hints at meetings this week to address a club in freefall with only four points from twelve games, and a home loss to rival relegation candidates Southampton at the weekend, which has nailed QPR to the bottom of the Premier League. 

Whether any manager can mount a survival challenge at this stage is the usual talk in the build-up to Christmas, as the Directors of struggling clubs get nervous and seek remedies to save their season. More importantly their finances by securing a battle hardened replacement to rally a much need fight back at QPR, as the nerves must be jangling given the fanfare which accompanied the arrival of Hughes to the club as replacement for sacked Neil Warnock. Who despite securing survival last season for the clubs wealthy investors - or benefactors a more accurate description – he was handed his marching orders for the new man. 

Although at the time of Hughes appointment last January the logic was not that clear to see either given the club was in that yo-yo category where survival is always the first priority, and the beautiful football second, and any long term plans in a distant third. So in choosing Hughes the statement of intent was not that obvious based on the former Manchester United strikers career in the dug out - with a year at Fulham ending acrimoniously, and the promise at Manchester City far from fulfilled, with the four years at Blackburn the only barometer that with time Hughes can weather any storm - and even bring success. But time was just what he never had in West London – and now even less so - given QPR are winless so far this season. 

Therefore a trip to his alma mater, Old Trafford, will be Hughes reward should he survive the disquiet within the club’s boardroom over the next seven days. 

A trip up the M6 that could not come at a worse time for the Welshman, most pundits seem to think. Although the recipe used at Norwich on Saturday proved that Manchester United are beatable, even in the Premier League, as long as the opposition game plan is right as manager Chris Hughton will attest. So it will be interesting to see if Hughes can give his team some of that “Sparky-ness” that made him so revered at United, and subsequently led to a move to Barcelona alongside Gary Lineker, followed by a loan period at Bayern Munich. Before he made his way back to United in 1988 and started to gather silverware under the new manager of the day, Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Indeed it was Hughes aggressive and competitive style that won him man plaudits in the English football, which was also mixed with a deft touch and vision that made him such a feature for The Reds over those winning years. Until the arrival of Andy Cole from Newcastle and the ever increasing struts from a Leeds United recruit, named Eric Cantona. 

Although often under scrutiny from the referees for his physicality on the pitch, off the field Mark Hughes is surprisingly soft spoken, and at times visibly shy in front of cameras. Which maybe a reason that sustained success at management level has been harder to find. Or indeed, blessed with such talent himself, there is a failure to understand that other mere mortals cannot perhaps do what he could in match situations. Or a lack of competitive zeal and hunger for success given the millionaire contracts in place these days. 

If so, he would not be alone as even Pele proved less successful at football management, as did Sir Bobby Charlton, Bobby Robson, Marcello Lippi, Osvaldo Ardiles, John Barnes, Johan Neeskens or Lotthar Matthaus. Or more recently, Diego Maradona. 

In fact that transition from the field to leading teams from the front, and then enjoying some success, is a much shorter list, and ironically populated with names that boast less glorious playing careers. The likes of Jose Mourinho being one of the more obvious, along with Sir Alex Ferguson, Guus Hiddink, Joachim Loew or Arsene Wenger. All of whom enjoyed no discript playing careers but when it came leading other footballers, and devising tactics, they found their niche, in fact Ferguson found a knighthood. 

The list of those who were outstanding both and off the football pitch is an even short list with Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Pep Guardiola, Vicente del Bosque or Kenny Dalglish amongst the more easily remembered. 

Mark Hughes has time on his side, and like Ferguson, may make the management breakthrough later in his career given the right opportunity. 

Unless it starts this weekend against Manchester United and QPR’s fortunes turnaround. 

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United Seal Controversial Win

For the second time in 24 hours, a side mired in relegation trouble were the victims of a shocking decision as Manchester United's march to the Premier League title continued at Old Trafford.

QPR's hopes of capitalising on Wigan's misfortune on Saturday were virtually ended after 13 minutes when skipper Shaun Derry was sent off for fouling Ashley Young inside the box.

Contact was minimal to start with; that Young was clearly offside when he received Wayne Rooney's through ball just made the call from referee Lee Mason even more farcical.

United should have run up a huge score, such was their overwhelming dominance thereafter.

Instead, they were forced to rely on a second half piledriver from Paul Scholes to wrap up a win that keeps them on course to clinch a 20th championship.

Yet the recriminations will last for some time.

Indeed, after this weekend's events, some bosses would argue what should be a thrilling fight to avoid relegation is in danger of being decided by who ends up with the most incompetent officials. That so much in prestige and finance is being risked seems frankly wrong.

The two abysmal decisions that condemned Wigan to defeat at Chelsea yesterday were matched by the appalling conclusion reached when Rooney slid his pass through to Young.

The linesman was in exactly the right position too, making his judgement even more mystifying.

Hughes strode the touchline in utter disbelief just as Roberto Martinez had done at Stamford Bridge 24 hours earlier.

Club officials protested vehemently on Twitter, with chief executive Phil Beard likening Young to British Olympic diving hopeful Tom Daley and owner Tony Fernandes declaring simply: "Awful. Spoilt another game''. Fernandes also wrote that the club intended to appeal Derry's red card.

Rooney did not care of course, ramming home the spot-kick for his 29th goal of the season.

Behind, down in numbers and without Joey Barton, who is one booking away from a two-match ban, and Bobby Zamora, left on the bench after a recent head cold, QPR found themselves in an impossible situation.

United effectively set up camp around the visitors' penalty area and the only wonder was they had not increased their advantage by half-time.

Rooney brought a couple of decent saves out of Paddy Kenny, first with a curling free-kick, then a chip that was bound for the top corner.

Antonio Valencia was furious that a far more plausible penalty appeal than the one that had been given was turned down after he had been bundled over by Taye Taiwo.

Patrice Evra lashed a shot wide and Danny Welbeck had an effort charged down by Anton Ferdinand as QPR mounted a brave rearguard action.

Selected ahead of Javier Hernandez, Welbeck was eager to do well but was denied a goal at the start of the second half by an offside decision that was far closer than the earlier one.

Welbeck then fired well over from an acute angle, much to the frustration of Sir Alex Ferguson.

As with their previous home game against Fulham, United were failing to make their pressure tell.

Rooney was the next to waste an opportunity, although it was a half-chance, and Kenny needed to make a save.

Rafael should have scored after being brilliantly picked out by Scholes but the young Brazilian panicked, driving his shot straight at Kenny, who had gone down early, the ball then rising up onto the crossbar and bouncing to safety.

Welbeck was set up by Rooney and despite having two goes, failed to beat Kenny, who repelled the initial shot, then gathered the follow-up as it was stabbed goalwards.

It needed an old head to take control and Scholes duly obliged, drilling home from 25 yards after Abel Taarabt had gifted possession to Rafael.

Michael Carrick's ferocious 35-yard shot came crashing back off a post as United tried to improve their goal difference, which Ferguson continues to insist might be significant.

The return of DJ Campbell after three months out with a hamstring injury, could be just as notable for QPR, although that is of small comfort for Hughes, who just like Martinez yesterday, stormed away shaking his head at the injustice of it all.