Kevin Gallen believes there would be "no chance" of QPR challenging for promotion next season with an inexperienced side.
Manager Mark Warburton will leave the club at the end of this campaign - partly because of his reluctance to use the club’s academy players.
But former Rangers forward Gallen, himself a product of Rangers' youth system, believes the new manager will not be able to rely the club’s youngsters if they also want to challenge for promotion from the Championship.
“It can be done, but not next season at QPR. No chance,” Gallen said on the West London Sport QPR podcast.
“Unless they sign some really good players I can’t see it. I really can’t. Unless they sell a Rob Dickie and use that money wisely to improve the squad.
“I just can’t see how academy players at QPR are going to step into the first team and play and try and get promotion. I hope I’m wrong. I really hope I’m wrong. But I just can’t see it.
“Who is an academy player that can step into QPR’s first team battle-ready and battle-hardened for a 46-game Championship season? It’s a tough league.”
See also: Behind-the-scenes tensions meant Warburton was finished at QPR once results went against him