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Holloway Out

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Vital QPR analyse the decision made by Rangers regarding the future of Ian Holloway as manager.



oday?s announcement from the club will have shocked and split most supporters but some may not be so surprised following the recent performances from the R?s.

After being totally out-fought at Loftus Road last Tuesday by Leicester and this weekend?s loss at Leeds the club decided to act following three straight defeats.

Speculation had linked Holloway with the job at Leicester over the weekend and with the situation disintergrating behind the scenes Ollie refused to count himself out of the running.

The move to oust Holloway will sadden many, including myself. He took the club from the depths of despair and has transformed us into a challenging Championship outfit.

Admittedly we are not playoff contenders but were also nicely above the relegation zone with only 12 weeks left of the season, somewhere Ollie himself had hoped us to be when he signed a new contract at the club.

It was a 3 year plan of progression. The first to stay in the Championship which we did excellently, the second a season of consolidation- which in my eyes is being achieved comfortably again and the third- pushing for playoff places and promotion.

Unfortunately we will never get to complete the plan as the club look highly unlikely to reinstall the former hero. Many supporters will agree with the decision, unimpressed by this seasons events. The idea of the club performing poorly, playing ugly football and a lack of ambition or direction is what most complained about.

But what I would like to argue is this: Norwich City who sit just above us have just spent £3.5million on a striker (Rob Earnshaw). Now if you argue that we are not spending that kind of money through lack of ambition and direction you are living in a dream world.

Supporters need to return to reality and realise Queens Park Rangers Football Club will not be spending like that for a long time. Whoever is in charge will ALWAYS have to wheel and deal in the transfer market and few can do the same job Ollie did.

This season?s outstanding performer Simon Royce was brought in for nothing, Mr Consistancy- Marcus Bignot- nothing, Ainsworth, Bircham, Lomas, Furlong, Rowlands, Nygaard, Langley, Doherty- they all cost peanuts.

Now forgive me if I?m wrong but aren?t half of them injured or unfit? That?s not the manager?s fault! Although some will no doubt argue he should not bring in injury prone players.

Ollie?s made the best of a very sour situation at the club and in Tuesday evening?s press conference he rightly spoke out about the problems he faced. It was the sign of a man who clearly thought he was being forced out, decisions being made without his acceptance, a man who really believed he?d given it his best shot.

He had done, he?s given it everything, nobody can doubt that but now I start worrying over who will replace him. Paladini has made no secret about bringing in Jim Smith as a director of football. Martin Allen will probably be one of the favourites, as will Mike Newell, Phil Parkinson and Dennis Wise will also crop up in conversation.

Summer 2005 now looks along way off, with Bill Power guiding the club off the field and Ollie firmly in charge we were all smiling, pleased with our club and proud to be Rangers, what?s come and gone since has been quite embarrassing and has to change. We need consistency.

The club have come along way forward in the five years under Ollie, I beg them now to make the right choice and continue the work of a Rangers legend, do not look back and keep aiming higher. All fans must now unite for what is going to be another rough ride in the Rangers rollercoaster, put your seatbelts on, hold tight and expect the unlikely!

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