Sacked: Warnock has paid the price for QPR's poor
form
Neil Warnock has been sacked as Queens Park
Rangers boss.
The 63-year-old was under mounting pressure to halt the
decline at Loftus Road as fears grow over being sucked into the
relegation dogfight.
Former Fulham and Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is
the early frontrunner to take over.
Owner Tony Fernandes said on his Twitter account on Sunday
night: 'Very very hard decision. I will continue to be open and as
transparent as I can. The board and myself had to put the club
first and the future.
'Trust me in my 47 years of life I have never had to make
such a tough decision.
'But I got to do what I think what's right. Its tough
being a leader. But decisions have to be made for the club which in
the short time I have grown to love ever so much.'
Assistant manager Mick Jones and Keith Curle have also
left the club.
Warnock said: 'Obviously I'm very disappointed, but having
achieved so much, I leave the club with a great sense of
pride.
'I have enjoyed my time here more than anywhere else and
the QPR fans have been brilliant with me - they deserve
success.
'My biggest regret is that the takeover didn't happen
earlier, because that would have given me the opportunity to bring
in the targets I'd pinpointed all last summer and probably given us
a better chance to succeed in the Premier League.
Difficult time: QPR have had a tough few weeks and have
slipped to fourth bottom of the Premier League
'The board at QPR are hugely ambitious and I wish
them every success for the future.
'I've been involved in the game a long time and I will be
spending the immediate future with my family and friends before
deciding my next career move.'
Chairman Fernandes added in the statement: 'This decision
has been made in the best interests of the club and I can assure
everyone that this is not a decision that was made
lightly.
'Sadly, our recent run of poor form has seen us slip
alarmingly down the table and the board felt it was the right time
to make a change.
'Neil has acted with honesty, professionalism and
integrity throughout his time at the club, and I would personally
like to thank him for his significant contribution to QPR over the
last 22 months.
'I genuinely wish him all the very best for the future and
he will always be welcome back at Loftus Road.'
Next in line? Mark Hughes is believed to be the front
runner for the job at QPR
Vice-Chairman Amit Bhatia added: 'It is with a
very heavy heart that we make this announcement. I played a key
role in bringing Neil to Loftus Road and consider him to be a close
personal friend and a great professional.
'I would like to place on the record my thanks to him for
transforming us from a Championship club to a Premier League
club.
'As a club we have gained enormously from Neil's wisdom,
experience and leadership. He has always performed his managerial
duties to the very highest of standards.
'I wish Neil every success going forward and he will
always be welcome at QPR. I now look forward to the future and the
rest of the season as we work towards stabilising our position in
the Premier League.'
Joey Barton reacted to the news on Twitter, saying:
'Gutted to hear about the manager losing his job. We have to stick
together as a club at times like these and believe in those
above.'
QPR sit just one point above the drop zone after taking
just 17 points from their opening 20 Barclays Premier League
matches. They have lost six and drawn two of their last eight
league matches.
Loan star: Federico Macheda is the only arrival so far
in January
Owner Tony Fernandes is keen to invest news
players during the transfer window and earlier this week denied
that Warnock was on his way out.
But the manager's position was increasingly unstable as
the club faced some critical decisions.
Fernandes was worried over the quality of the signings
made towards the end of the summer transfer window.
On Twitter last week, Fernandes wrote: 'Guys at qpr. There
is no freeze of cash. We are disappointed where we are in the
league. This is a journey not a sprint. Along the way we learn. But
we continue to develop and along the way hard decisions need to be
made. But we never stop moving. Never.
'It’s important to note that no one’s job is safe. Results
are key. If I don’t deliver I would be the first to step down as
chairman. We owe it to the fans. Good money is paid and results are
key.'
Decision time: Owner Tony Fernandes opted to sack
Warnock to try and help QPR climb up the table
After Saturday's FA Cup draw at League One side MK
Dons, he tweeted: 'Driving back to London. Lots to think
about.'
QPR have already signed Federico Macheda on loan from
Manchester United, and have lined up bids for Blackburn defender
Chris Samba, Fulham striker Andy Johnson, Manchester Cit
centre-back Nedum Onuoha and Spurs’ Jermain Defoe.
Former Fulham boss Hughes is the believed to be in the
frame to take over at Loftus Road.
Hughes has been out of work since he walked out on Fulham
in the summer and would be available to take over straight away and
QPR would not have to pay any compensation.
Hughes has plenty of Premier League experience with
Blackburn, Manchester City and Fulham, and has stated his desire in
the past to work for an ambitious
club.