It is fair to say that from a QPR fan’s perspective, Steve McClaren was truly an uninspiring appointment.
McClaren succeeded Ian Holloway in the Loftus Road dugout last year, and it quickly became apparent that his hiring was probably not one of Tony Fernandes’ best decisions.
Early into this season, the west London club were hammered 7-1 at the hands of West Brom, which led to supporters firing shots left, right and centre at McClaren and co.
@tonyfernandes this is what happens when you don’t do any business in the transfer window with is poor squad from last season and others improve around us, well done great job and Now left @Amit_Bhatia99 to deal with all the complaints.
— Joey (@Joey_Norwood) August 18, 2018
McClaren probably working out the earliest he can get sacked for the maximum payout
— Robin Churchill (@RobinChurchill2) August 18, 2018
I wouldn’t turn up Tuesday. Worst QPR side I’ve ever seen. Wrong manager wrong squad. You can tell Mass etc don’t even want to be there anymore. Your move @Amit_Bhatia99
— Elliott Lovejoy (@ElliottLovejoy) August 18, 2018
@QPR full refund for the travelling fans please, an embarrassment for us all, so much for players playing for the badge they couldn’t play for toffee sort it out!!!
— Allen weldon (@allen_weldon) August 18, 2018
It would appear the only people surprised by McClaren being a terrible manager are the people who employed him….. I would have thought the reaction to him coming on social media would have indicated this was a bad appointment
— Dave Miles (@DaveMilo) August 18, 2018
The owners have to go there’s something seriously wrong with this club
— paul 76 (@pauldavidEblett) August 18, 2018
https://twitter.com/Mark_Burgess666/status/1030846281881722880
https://twitter.com/jasonpearce96/status/1030845420958896128
That’s what you get when you hire Steve McLaren @tonyfernandes
— Joe Wilkins (@BigWilks6) August 18, 2018
55 years a QPR fan, I just can’t take this crap any longer, concede 6 goals in 45minutes! Pro footballers? Or local Sunday side?
— Gary (@PapaSkelts) August 18, 2018
There was a period that followed where it had looked like McClaren had turned things around.
But in the end, it was not something the former England boss could maintain after watching QPR drop close to the relegation zone before being sacked last month.
Ultimately, that 7-1 defeat at the Hawthorns where the likes of Matt Phillips and Jay Rodriguez ran riot, epitomised McClaren’s short reign at Loftus Road. Under the ex-Newcastle United manager, QPR simply became too easy to beat.
Should McClaren shoulder all of the blame, though, for the Rs’ very disappointing season? Probably not.
The players underperformed, while the whole ordeal surrounding Financial Fair Play crippled the Championship outfit in last summer’s transfer window.
But in this sport, the buck stops with the manager who, alongside Fernandes and the rest of the Loftus Road hierarchy, is guilty for the miserable campaign QPR supporters have had to endure.
Now with Mark Warburton running the show, those very same supporters will be praying they never see another day like 18th August 2018 ever again.
QPR fans, what was going through your minds during that 7-1 loss? Let us know by commenting below!
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