Guest columnist Chris King couldn’t be more delighted by what he’s seen from the first two outings for the new look QPR side, but a note of caution remains.

Integrating five new faces into a starting 11 is never easy, and many managers would baulk at the prospect of disrupting a settled side in favour of any fresh arrivals, no matter how illustrious they may be. QPR’s debutants last Monday night were certainly this, with Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton, Armand Traore, Anton Ferdinand and Luke Young all pushed into first-team action in front of an expectant, buoyant Loftus Road crowd.

In the end, the game was a bit of an anti-climax, perhaps inevitably given all the hype that surrounded it. This didn’t mean that Rangers were unimpressive, however, far from it. Nor was it a boring 0-0 draw; it may perhaps be slightly ironic to say this given the still-gargantuan ticket prices at Loftus Road, but few would have felt short-changed by the lack of goals.

Barton was effervescent in his new role as captain, floating around the pitch with impunity and dictating the play in midfield like the seasoned Premier League star he is. The difference made by Young’s experience at right-back, meanwhile, was so noticeable that – no offence to Bradley Orr – it looked as though QPR had swapped a naïve teenager for a seasoned, battle-hardened veteran.

Ferdinand could well, despite the cynicism that surrounded his arrival in some quarters, be the stabilising antidote to the R’s defensive shakiness, so evident against Bolton and Wigan. Yet the real star of the show was Wright-Phillips; his electric pace lit up the supporters, and the quality he delivered from the right-wing was, if anything, too much for Jay Bothroyd, who was guilty of some profligacy in front of goal on the night.

And this wasn’t a one off either – Rangers carried on the promise of the Newcastle performance into Saturday’s game at Wolves where the slick passing and dominance of possession brought about a fine 3-0 win.

As a club, QPR’s name was made in the sixties and seventies by its flamboyant entertainers, particularly the two greatest players to ever pull on the blue and white hoops – Stan Bowles and Rodney Marsh. Wright-Phillips’ energy, ability to find space and willingness to take people on could just transform the way people feel about Rangers; had his delicious chip not been cleared off the line by Steven Taylor last week perhaps we would still be discussing one of the great goals in the ‘television era’ of the club’s long history. He was unlucky at Molineux too, striking the post with a firm shot from 20 yards in the second half.

For me, however, the greatest thrill of all has been the way the new signings have rubbed off on the ‘old guard’ - last season’s heroes who dragged us up from the foot of the Championship to be able to play on this grand stage. Shaun Derry was imperious in midfield against Newcastle and Wolves, belying his years and demonstrating the sort of energy and tenacity players half his age would struggle to match. Alejandro Faurlin was able to dictate the play alongside Barton, and hold the ball in midfield; for the first time he looked comfortable in the ‘best league in the world’.

As for the mercurial entertainer, Adel Taarabt, he was back to his scintillating best against Newcastle – not all the Moroccan’s tricks came off, and he was at times as frustrating as normal, but the link-up play between Taarabt and Wright-Phillips left the assembled supporters in the stadium hungry for more, and presumably salivating at the prospect of both being let loose on the Premier League. The ease with which Taarabt was able to find Wright-Phillips in space, having never played together before, was such a positive sign, and something that could certainly be exploited as a counter-attacking tactic away from W12.

The last piece I wrote for Loft For Words attracted some criticsm; my views were termed ‘idealist’ as well as ‘romantic’ and I was slammed for apparently trying to burst the bubble of positivity that is now surrounding the club. Just to refute some of these claims, I am as happy as any other fan that we now have a genuine chance of progressing in the Premier League, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic to support a ‘proper club’ again. I’ve seen enough of the hard times at Loftus Road to know a good thing when it comes along, and it seems the new regime fits this description.

I just wanted to make a point that most people had ignored, that the new signings were extremely expensive and that the character of the club has probably changed irreparably now. If anyone believes that Wright-Phillips and Barton aren’t being paid huge amounts of money by the ‘Fernandes/Bhatia coalition’ this is an extremely naïve position to take, in my view.

I’m not here to try and spoil the party, but with the financial system we now have in place Queens Park Rangers cannot afford to be relegated. Now this is great, in some ways, because it forces the players we’ve spent such huge sums on (at least in terms of wages) to keep us in the division. However, I will not be railroaded into ignoring the facts; in the Championship we spent the most on agents, at £1.8 million, according to a recent report; this suggests something about the way we conduct ourselves in the transfer market.

Of the promoted sides, we would certainly have the biggest wage bill. There is a school of thought which dictates that ‘undisclosed’ fees are technically no fees at all; this is a fallacy. We have spent big to beat the drop, and this fact must be acknowledged. I desperately hope we do stay up, and perhaps my alleged romanticism comes from my disdain for the Premier League and its focus on finance, not football.

In short, I hope we survive and I love and support the club as much as anyone else, but I will not ignore the facts. I didn’t grow up supporting a club which other clubs might describe as the ‘Manchester City of the bottom five’, and I doubt many other QPR fans did either. Bhatia and Fernandes have rejuvenated the club, but they must not lose sight of the essential characteristics which made us what we are today.

Tweet @chriskking

Photo: Action Images

Bear_Grills added 23:25 - Sep 19 In a way the money we are paying is irrelevant - we couldn't afford them if they were on a quarter of what we're paying them. We are relying on a rich man to fund our success for his own ends - let's enjoy the ride!
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gueRRilla added 23:45 - Sep 19 I hope that's not an homage to Bear GRYLLS! Nice article Chris. I wonder though what possible way there is to survive in this league without prolific spending. Hopefully in a few seasons we can look back at it as having been a shrewd investment in a successful future!
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Spaghetti_Hoops added 00:01 - Sep 20 Your talent seems to lie in reaching pessimistic conclusions rather than journalism. Employing these players would only be a threat to the club's future finances if they stuck to the club like leaches following relegation (Jimmy Bullard rather than Scott Parker), there weren't release or other clauses to deal with the financial consequences of relegation, and there weren't parachute payments which are designed specifically to cover the issue. Leaving aside the top half dozen clubs, the Premier League clubs pay huge salaries because they receive £40-£60M in TV and prize money. So will we. We all know of clubs who have got into difficulties through thoroughly bad management over prolonged periods but why keep worrying away at that when there is another side to the financial equation and a massive opportunity for the club to break the financial shackles of the past. Try dealing with both sides of the equation. Try finding out the facts. Try doing something useful.

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GetMeRangers added 00:12 - Sep 20 When everyone talks about being in the premierhsip being worth £90m, what are they referring to. Presumably we get revenues other than ticket sales... sponsership, sky. How much does that amount to and does it not go some way to covering our wage bill? If we stay up, exactly how bad will the books look?
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NorthfieldsR added 00:49 - Sep 20 I'm not sure how you arrive at this note of caution/pessimism. It is clear that NW had both hands tied behind his back all summer..one hand by not being able to pay much at all in transfer fees (less than the other two promoted) and the other by only being able to offer derisory wages in Prem.terms...hence the tortuous signing of DJ C perhaps. All incredibly depressing after last year's heroics. So the new regime is an unqualified breath of fresh air to my mind, particularly as we'd all smelt the condescending fat rat for a couple of years. Yeah, it's obvious that relegation would badly hurt. Would it derail 'the financial system' as you put it? I don't think so...we're talking about a Vice Chair who allegedly had £30m spent on his wedding day and an extremely shrewd businessman who sees a long term and an open goal Asian market. Paying JB and SWP over the top but without transfer fees is not going to knacker us and let's be grateful for the new board's enthusiasm and wallets. By not being sceptical and getting behind the team the doomsday scenario will be avoided especially as we have one of the great managers in charge. It's been an awful long time since the fans and board at QPR are 'as one'..enjoy!

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QPRski added 06:25 - Sep 20 Chris - interesting article. I agree with the comments of NorthfieldsR. TF & LM I am sure have a strategy and the first step I am sure is Premeiership srvivial with high marketing visibility in Asia. Are we abe lto assess the value of the later? I fully agree that that the team has geled suprisingly quickly which is great as it was a major concern only two weeks ago! But let's remember that the situation is similar to last season when NW introduced many new players who played very well until the championship sides discovered how to play us and then things got more difficult. Let's see what happens this year as the season progresses. But let's be positive and let's enjoy it.

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adhoc_qpr added 10:47 - Sep 20 While you gloss over the positives, you end the article on a very downbeat note - but this is most the most enjoyable few weeks of being an r's fan for ages! I thought we might get a few scrappy away wins (ala Everton) but never thought we'd get outstanding, emphatic performances like the Wolves game away from home. We are not going to financially meltdown in the next few months either FFS - how many football clubs are run as sustainable businesses either? We're not alone in that. Come the end of the season a hell of a lot of dross is off the wage bill and IF we do go down i'm sure Barton, SWP, Adel and Traore would find willing takers - so i doubt we'll be left with a Bullard situation. Also while it's good to be wary of owners promises, TF has repeatedly said they are in it for the long haul and he has earned a bit of trust by his actions to date.

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BrianMcCarthy added 11:41 - Sep 20 Chris, Exceleent article. Have to agree with both your optimisim on the pitch, and caution off it. "All changed, changed utterly. A terrible beauty is born."
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ScubaHoop added 14:27 - Sep 20 Whilst everyone has to accept that paying serious wages, paying millions for players &/or paying off agents is a risk, what is the alternative? Our squad produced miracles last year and will forever be loved for it but there was no way the same group of players would keep us in the Premier league. Without being trite, you have to speculate to accumulate; I have waited all of my adult life to get back into the top division and I am not interested in being this years Blackpool and suffer glorious defeat, I want us to stay up and the only way of doing that is to put our hands in our pockets. Thank God the signings we've made seemed to have gelled both with themselves and the older squad which is testament to NW management. If anything I hope we spend a little more (or find ways of bringing in new players for free) come Jan, the first 11 will keep us up but the first 11 are not going to remain injury or suspension free, if Barton had broken his leg in that 'tackle' from Henry last weekend where would we be then?

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Spiritof67 added 18:16 - Sep 20 Chris your articles certainly make interesting reading and start the debate going over the merits of spending big to stay up against the limited income from our home games and the potential financial pitfalls of relegation. Being slightly "longer in the tooth" and rememembering my Dad taking me to see my first home game. At that time, QPR were in the "old 3rd Division, playing regularly against the likes of Colchester Utd, Shrewsbury Town, Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town, etc. The stadium had two open terraces (School End/South Africa Road) a small stand covering the top of the terracing at the Loftus Road End and a "tin shack of a stand" at the Ellerslie Road side where the players emerged. The crowds averaged around 5,000. Then in 1965, along comes Jim Gregory as the the new chairman. He starts investing in the team and within two years we are 3rd division Champions, the same season as winning the League Cup at Wembley, followed by another another promotion the next season to the "dizzy heights" of the old 1st Division Ok we were out of our depth that season, as we only purchased one player to strengthen the existing team. But over the next few years Jim Gregory then spent to improve the stadium. of which we currently witness now. And later further investment in the team provided the nucleas of the team that just failed to win the league in 1976. Football is now in a completly different environment from even 20 years ago. As ScubaHoop states, "you do have to speculate to accumulate." Thank goodness we now have an owner who wants to keep us in the Premiership. Who knows, if the takeover had taken place at the end of May, NW would have been able to strengthen the team earlier and would not have to have been put in a position where he had to extend the contracts of players such as Shittu and Ramage, who did not even make the 25 man squad. We certainly need the current crop of new players when we play the likes of United, City, Liverpool, etc. So let's enjoy the ride.

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RBLOCKPAT added 21:54 - Sep 20 Chris, what made us what we are today were Marsh the Morgan twins, Mark Lazarus, Mike Keen Leach Springett Hazel Hunt, Langley Barry Bridges Alec Stock and a chairman who bought them, built two stands, Jim Gregory who did in the sixties what Tony Fernandes is doing now, its all relative Rodney Marsh was a gamble in those days and without him we would not be where we are today, without his transfer we would not have had Stanley Bowles and ultimately the team that did so well in 75/76. Why on earth do you come from such a negative angle. I believe that the team we have now with Jamie Mackie coming back and possibly a couple of signings in January we can push for seventh place because I cannot see any reason why we cannot beat at least once, all of the teams in the league maybe apart from the top three, are you telling me that Sunderland Stoke Bolton Fulham Norwich Swansea Blackburn Wolves Villa Everton WBA Newcastle are better than us, yes we will draw some and lose a few but I fancy us to turn alot of them over at least once and may get the odd win over Tottenham Arsenal and Liverpool so you see Chris I am a positive and excited Rs fan who has been going to Loftus Road for nearly 52 years and know that this moment in time is going to be one to cherish, so embrace it Chris, Bhatia and Fernandes arent stupid they will have planned well forward in time and will also have budgets, they havent been successful in their businesses without speculating, so let them do their jobs and just enjoy the experience!

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toemasher added 22:16 - Sep 20 I don't think you could spoil the party with this fact laden article but I do know that it is only us that makes this club what it is. Regardless of who owns what buys what sells what. I cannot visit loftus road until decemberdue to working abroad and I miss it. I don't want Qpr to be Barcelona or Manchester city and certainly not Norwich but I do want exciting reports of the dramatic stylish west London club I support.

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RangerKIK added 22:23 - Sep 20 I believe it was me that said your view on football was 'romantic'. However the truth is I share your view on how vulgar football has become. It would be great if players were bought up through the youth system or we had a College system like American sports (with the top drafts going to the worst teams) and having a cap on how much you can spend on wages. But we don't. That boat has long since sailed and reading spiritof67's interesting piece above it seems it has been that way for a long time. Success in Football (UK) is all about how much money you have and who you spend it on. THEN coaching, tactics, fitness and man management come into play. You compared us to Norwich in you last piece relating that they would feel more proud having spent less. But they have spent a fortune. So that's a never ending piece of string. How much is it ok to spend before it feels like you haven't bought success 10 million, 5 million, 1 million? Our owners are very smart business men.The Asian market is a big target for them to bring in extra income. But I still think they will be bank rolling the team some what. As long as we don't borrow any money from the banks good luck to them. Heck you have have got to spend your money on something. I know if I had won the 160 euromillions I would have bought QPR! The fact that these days it wouldn't buy Messi's little finger is irrelevant. Think how much fun it would be!! I am loving this ride, long may it continue. Bloody Hell the pain of being a QPR supporter for the last x amount of years I think we've earn't it!!!!!!!! It's nice to be the have's for once. I know you are loving are current situation as much as all of us Chris. And I am also fighting the 'there must be a catch this is QPR after all' niggle in the back of mind. However do what I do 1 - Enjoy the fact we have owners that are happy to put their money into the mighty Blue and Whites and 2 - Turn a blind eye to the vulgarity of the sport or at least hold on to the hope that the players finally understand the privilaged position they are in and start to give their money away to save small countries! I know it's now me being idealist now but it's good to dream...............

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RangerKIK added 22:39 - Sep 20 It's all about survival this season and because of what we have spent, and the players we have spent it on, I believe we now have a very good chance.
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Fan123 added 12:17 - Sep 21 New signings extremely expensive? There is time factor involved also potential bid from other. Warnock know what he's doing. Finance wise, I'm sure QPR new regime have better risk management system in place. £1.8 million? Wolves 2-0 last fixture would be then. There is a chain reaction, if you spend more is because you have to and wisely, anyone with great essential character will get better in long run and this goes to everyone, even outside sport industry.

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Rs4life added 12:18 - Sep 21 Wages may be high, but then again, so were the wages we payed to the likes Vine, Pellecori and Alberti. At least this time where getting a good mix of talent and experience that we can really get behind. For the club to grow, produce better youth and such, we need to establish a strong base with which to build success, and thats what Fernandes is trying to build. We can only be called the "man city of the bottom five" if we have a whole a whole new team next year, with SWP and Barton on the bench and the like.

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bobby added 17:22 - Sep 21 We are wisely paying out on wages rather than big lumps of capital on transfer fees. And it is pretty obvious we have bought well and barring catastrophe will survive the first year. Even in a worst case scenario the likes of SWP Barton and Ferdinand could be sold in the event of relegation probably for a profit. And those types of footballers are financially secure and sufficiently ego driven to want to be playing at the highest level. I think we have been very shrewd and done good business. We also have the cushion of Mittal underwriting our ambitions in order to develop their global enterprises.

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