‘That team will never be picked again’ – Holloway
QPR manager Ian Holloway pledged to make changes after his team bowed out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 defeat at home to Blackburn.
Holloway gave a number of fringe players a chance to impress and hinted that they face the axe after failing to do so.
“That team, who haven’t played before, will never be picked again. Simple as that,” said Holloway, who has never won an FA Cup game as Rangers boss.
“I wanted that team to fight and do it for each other. Unfortunately they couldn’t do it. Simple things we don’t do well enough as a group.
“There will be changes. You’ve got to get your foot in and we didn’t do it well enough.
“Jamie Mackie did – he tackled everybody. But where’s the rest? Come on.
“I’ve made some changes but I wanted to win and I thought that was a strong enough team.
“Are they ready? And if not, who am I going to change and where am I going to go?”
Joel Lynch’s early own goal and Liam Feeney’s simple finish put Blackburn in control before Jake Bidwell pulled a goal back with a penalty just after the hour mark.
But the R’s rarely threatened an equaliser and have now lost seven of their 10 matches since Holloway returned for a second spell as manager.
And their third-round exit continues their awful record in the tournament – Rangers have not won an FA Cup tie at the first time of asking in 20 years.
“We just kept playing backwards and sideways because we didn’t have the right blend,” Holloway admitted.
“I didn’t like the performance. It was a whimper. That team didn’t show me anything like enough.
“I gave some of them chance to impress me. Unfortunately, I don’t feel I am.”
09/01/2017 @ 12:55 pm
Unfortunately the players aren’t good enough, there is no money left, the stadium and the training ground is a dream.
Let us remember….
Djibril Cissé £4,000,000
Shaun Wright-Phillips £6,500,000
Luke Young £2,500,000
Christopher Samba £12,500,000
Stephane Mbia £5,000,000
Esteban Granero £3,500,000
Park Ji-Sung £2,500,000
Samba Diakité £4,000,000
Sandro £6,000,000
Alex McCarthy £6,000,000 (sold for £3,500,000)
Leroy Fer £8,000,000 (sold for £4,750,000)
Jordon Mutch £6,000,000 (sold for £5,750,000)
Steven Caulker £8,500,000
Amazingly, Charlie Austin £4,000,000 (sold for £4,000,000)
Sorry to say we are a small London club that is no longer able to punch above its weight. The dream is over…
09/01/2017 @ 11:05 am
Just found out that it looks like all our first choice strikers were injured for the Blackburn game so Holloway was limited by that. Still think the club needs to change its attitude towards Cup games and that Holloway shouldn’t heap all the blame on “fringe” players.
08/01/2017 @ 4:11 pm
I’m also an Ollie fan, strangely enough: the job he did regenerating the club the last time he was manager should never be underestimated; I sincerely hope he is able to do the same this time. I’m just terribly frustrated by the downgrading of the cup games in recent years (not just under Ollie). I’ve got a ticket for the FA Youth Cup tie on Tuesday night. I hope I enjoy that game considerably more than I did the Blackburn game. Come on you Mini – Rs!
08/01/2017 @ 12:34 pm
Ollie was on record critising the Brighton supports for singing ” Your getting the sack in the morning”.
Stating they lack respect and dignity.
So Ollie what about your mouthful about your own players after the Blackburn game.
That’s shows poor judgement.
I am an Ollie fan but has he changed over the last few years losing that ability to motivate and encourage.
Strangely I have felt down in the past losing a few games but Ollie’s confident bright approach soon settled the nerves.
Ollie needs to find these skills again and use them wisely or I can see QPR dropping a division.
I am worried about this idiot Hoo our CEO he has no ambition for the club just balance the books. The skill is also to have a strong football team compete and entertain at the moment QPR are really struggling.
08/01/2017 @ 10:48 am
At the end of the day,Ollie picks the team, he makes it sound as if someone else did, surely,given the state of our team he Must realise the benefits of a good cup run, the feel good factor within the whole club, the confidence players get from winning and of course and by no means least the financial rewards a good cup run brings.Wakey Wakey smelly coffee.
08/01/2017 @ 10:22 am
I feel very sorry for Colin. I only live a few miles away so it’s not such a trek for me. Also, I should really know better as I have been to quite a few cup games since the turn of the century and the experience is always the same. To be fair yesterday’s performance was nowhere near the worst I have seen in this time. The real problem is that the club, in common with many others in the top two divisions, does not value cup competitions anymore. The League is everything, presumably because of the financial rewards available in the Premier League. This obsession with the PL has gone too far. Taking the cup competitions seriously would have far more positives than negatives for the club.
08/01/2017 @ 9:36 am
Peter is correct.
Throwing a team together and expecting them to beat Blackburn says more about Ollie than his players.
The manager should support his squad and comments should be made in private.
08/01/2017 @ 8:30 am
I traveled 200miles to see my 1st FA cup it was awful I am a season ticket holder could not sit in my seat as that side was shut no atmosphere at this game oilliy needs to get players who want to play for QPR
07/01/2017 @ 9:04 pm
Peter, I disagree with you. All players, fringe or not, should be willing to die for the shirt (figuratively). This lot aren’t. If Olly manages to keep us up, at least half the squad must go in the summer.
This is probably the worst QPR squad since the dark days of administration and League 1.
And the players can take Les Ferdinand with them when they go. Since he arrived as Director of Football, the club have gone backwards at a rate of knots!
07/01/2017 @ 8:51 pm
Vauxhall Motors.
07/01/2017 @ 8:45 pm
just an observation – when the Blackburn bench needed to get a point across Owen Coyle got on with it by himself – on the R’s bench Ollie and Bircham and Fleming all seemed to have input sometimes all at the same time.Looked confusing to me – but at the end of the day we weren’t good and looked as though we didn’t care. Cant say I’m looking forward to the Reading game – pleas prove me wrong Rangers and get the Super back into the Hoops.
07/01/2017 @ 7:31 pm
Isn’t this what he used to say when we lost in the FA Cup last time he was manager? If you want to win a match you’ve got to put out your best team. Holloway doesn’t put out his best team which shows he doesn’t value the competition. It’s disingenuous to blame the “fringe” players he puts into a game he doesn’t really care about himself. He should be ashamed of his FA Cup record as QPR manager.