Make no mistake, Saturday’s game with Southampton is massive for both sides and a potential launch pad for us in the Premier League.
Our chairman, Tony Fernandes, has called it a must-win game — and I can’t argue with that. As I said after the game at Stoke last week, we can’t keep simply playing well without being ruthless.
Only that ruthlessness will get us away from the foot of the table and only a consistent run of results is going to keep us out of trouble.
Centre of attention: The Queens Park Rangers boss speaks to members of the assembled media ahead of his side’s crunch clash with Southampton
Crunch clash: Hughes is under no illusions as to what his side must achieve against Southampton
Martin Samuel on Mark Hughes
‘Hughes was once tipped to follow Sir Alex into the United hotseat but now he’s in a fight he can’t afford to lose’READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE
It would be easy to make excuses and point out the injuries to the likes of Andy Johnson, Fabio, Park Ji-sung, Jose Bosingwa, Armand Traore and Samba Diakite over the course of the season so far.
They’re not excuses but they have been a factor in where we find ourselves. The squad has been improved over the summer but we still can’t replace those guys like-for-like at the moment.
Through all that, we’ve shown we can play good football and that’s come out in games against Chelsea, Everton, Spurs and even at Stoke last weekend. Again, I come back to the need to be more ruthless when we’ve been on top.
Despite everything, if anybody thinks there’s a sense of panic among the players and the staff, they’d be wrong. There is a great potential at this club and we have to start realising that potential as soon as possible.
No joy: QPR have lost seven and drawn four of their league fixtures despite the number of new additions this summer
The players are angry. Angry they’ve not got the results they think their football deserves. Angry they’ve let down the fans, who’ve been superb. Angry the club is in this position.
If there wasn’t that anger there, I’d be worried. As a manager, you want the players to have that fire, not to be moping around feeling sorry for themselves. If that was the mood around the training ground, then I would be worried and we’d be in trouble.
As I said, I’m not panicking. Of course I’m upset, only a fool wouldn’t be upset when you get to November and you are in the relegation zone and there’s nothing in the victory column, no three points to our name.
But I’ve been here before when I first took charge at Blackburn. We pulled out of that poor situation and emerged a stronger group and a stronger club. That taught me time, talent and hard work always pay off. I know we have all of those qualities at Rangers. Last season when I arrived at Loftus Road it was tough. We were charged by Tony and the board with saving QPR from relegation and that’s what we did.
Yes, it was tight but the home wins against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Stoke towards the end of the season were the key to our escape. That’s the kind of form at Loftus Road we have to re-discover. Gritty, tough, hard- working and disciplined, those are the qualities which will see us right.
I read Martin Samuel’s column in these pages on Wednesday. I respect Martin’s views but if I had taken to heart half the things that have been said or written about me by him and others over the years, I would have walked away from football before I’d even started.
He talked about my track record and reputation being tarnished beyond repair by QPR’s current position. Firstly, it’s not about me at this stage, it’s about the players, my staff, the fans and the board. It’s about QPR. If I worried about my own reputation or about my ego being damaged, I wouldn’t have survived in football as a player or a manager for as long as I have.
Secondly, I truly believe every club I’ve ever managed I’ve left in a stronger position than when I arrived.
At Blackburn, we saw the club clear of relegation, finished sixth in my second season, 10th the next year and seventh in my final season. We also reached an FA Cup semi-final and regularly beat the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.
When I arrived at Manchester City, the club wasn’t in anything like a sound financial state and in my first month we were tasked with selling to raise cash.
Ruthless: Hughes is angry his team have dominated games but failed to win them
Martin Samuel’s column last Wednesday
But we oversaw a huge change in structure and culture once Sheik Mansour arrived and leaving them with the likes of Vincent Kompany and so many others remains something I take real pride in.
I was only at Fulham a year but we identified talent such as Mousa Dembele who they sold for a club record in the summer at a huge profit as well as finishing eighth and being profitable.
None of this buys QPR three points, I know that. But what it does do is underline the work I and my staff put in at different clubs and why there is still so much self-belief at QPR.
With the help of Tony and the shareholders — who’ve been nothing short of magnificent in their support — I feel QPR are a stronger, better club than it was when we arrived.
There’s been a huge overhaul of the scouting structure and we’re identifying top-class talent from across Europe, bringing in players of real pedigree and character.
The academy has made huge strides in the nine months we’ve been here and I honestly believe QPR will never be in a position where they nurture somebody like Raheem Sterling but lose him to Liverpool for just £500,000.
As one of the board said to me the other day, we’re not building something at QPR for six weeks or six months, the work we’re doing here will see the club survive and thrive for the next six years and beyond.
Obviously what counts more than anything, though, is getting that elusive first win against Southampton today. That’s what matters, that’s what will lift the whole club and the supporters.
The belief is there. The character is there. The determination is there. We know we’re better than the league table tells us.
We just have to start proving it.
Must-win: Hughes is under massive pressure to secure to secure the first three points of the season against the Saints
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