Lynch says QPR boss McClaren deserves more respect

QPR defender Joel Lynch has praised Steve McClaren for turning their season around and says the former England manager deserves more respect.

Rangers were beaten in their first four league games under the Rangers boss but have lost just three of their subsequent 13.

And Lynch says McClaren’s work on the training ground has been a major reason for the turnaround.

Lynch, who also played under McClaren at Nottingham Forest, said: “He’s always going to get stick. The way we started, it will always go against the manager.

“We’ve just carried on what we’ve been doing since the start of pre-season. He added in a lot more defensive drills and team shape.

“We really worked at it and at times it was shattering, the training sessions. But it’s really paid off.

“I think we’re more solid and that’s given us a platform to not concede as many goals and we know we can score goals with the players we’ve got.

“I’ve had the manager before, at Nottingham Forest, and obviously it didn’t go too well for him there.

“Managers do get a lot of stick and obviously being an ex-England manager a lot of people are looking at him.

“The manager is always who people look at when the team are not doing that well, but I think since the West Brom game we have been a lot better.

“I think because of who he is he does get a lot of stick. But he’s a brilliant coach and a good manager.

“Everything that he’s taught us and been coaching us is working on the pitch, so credit to him.

“We haven’t had many days off and it’s been really hard. But it’s paying off and when you go home with three points you don’t mind being tired.”

Confident dressing room

Rangers’ recent run, which continued with Saturday’s derby win over Brentford, has left them just two points from the play-off places.

It has been a remarkable turnaround since a 7-1 hammering at West Brom in August was immediately followed by a 3-0 defeat at home to Bristol City.

“We can’t get carried away but it’s good that people are starting to talk about QPR in a more positive way,” Lynch said.

“We didn’t start the season very well at all and it was embarrassing at times, so to change it around has been good for us.

“It’s come from a lot of hard work and it’s continuing. We’ve got to keep approaching games the way we are.

“It’s a confident dressing room now. We’re picking up results and we’re winning well.

“We’re controlling games better, defending better, and the dressing room’s is great to be in at the minute and we want that to continue.”