QPR sack manager Hughes
Reuters - Friday 23 November 2012, 11:12
Queens Park Rangers sacked manager Mark Hughes on Friday with the team
bottom of the Premier League table without a win in 12 matches this
season.
Harry Redknapp is the huge favourite with bookmakers to take over.
The West London club said in a statement on their website that Hughes had left the club with immediate effect after drawing four
and losing eight times so far.
"This
decision has been taken after careful consideration by the Board of
Directors, following numerous meetings over the last few days," the
statement said.
"Mark has
shown integrity and professionalism throughout his time here, but
ultimately the circumstances we find ourselves in have left the Board of
Directors with very little choice but to make a change."
Speculation
has mounted in recent weeks that Hughes would be shown the exit door
after a woeful start to the season that sees QPR as the only club
without a win in all four professional divisions in England.
They narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season.
Club
owner Tony Fernandez had publicly backed Hughes, although there was a
change in tone after Saturday's home defeat to fellow strugglers
Southampton which left them four points adrift at the bottom of the
table.
"I feel gutted," Fernandes wrote on Twitter.
"I
have put my heart and soul into this with my other shareholders. And
done all we can to give support to players and all management. I can
only apologise to the QPR fans. We keep fighting.
"Let me tell you fans come first. Everyone including me let the fans down. Many of us need a hard look at themselves."
Many
fans had become increasingly opposed to Welshman Hughes remaining in
charge, with banners in favour of former Tottenham Hotspur manager
Redknapp displayed by supporters at the club's Loftus Road ground on
Saturday.
Hughes joined the
club in January and after ensuring the club's top-flight status,
embarked on a squad overhaul in the close season which saw South Korean
captain Park Ji-sung sign from Manchester United, midfielder Esteban
Granero join from Real Madrid and winger Junior Hoilett move from
Blackburn, among others.
However, many of the new arrivals have failed to settle, while injuries have also affected the team.
Mark
Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki will take charge of the trip to Manchester
United in the Premier League on Saturday, the club said.
"The
Board will now be working actively to put a new managerial structure in
place as soon as possible."