Mark Hughes insists he can persuade players to join QPR despite the club’s precarious league position.
Rangers are desperate to make big-money signings but must convince the likes of Chelsea defender Alex they are on the up.
Recent results have left them in the bottom three and not helped their cause, but new manager Hughes believes he can still add quality to his squad this month.
“It would possibly be easier if we were comfortably in mid-table and looking upwards rather than downwards,” he said.
“But I think once the club has the opportunity to sit down in front of representatives of players, and if I get to talk to the players myself, they’ll quickly understand what we’re trying to do.
“The league position obviously tempers their enthusiasm because there’s the worry that they might come into a situation that they don’t want.
“But I made the decision [to go to QPR], I was comfortable with it, and when players hear the same story I heard they’ll be comfortable with it as well.”
Hughes, who dismissed reports Loftus Road-bound defender Nedum Onuoha will be paid around £80,000-per-week, says he is also determined to assess every member of his massive squad.
He has put a temporary block on loan transfers, turning down a number of approaches for his fringe players, and has even recalled youngster Max Ehmer from a loan spell at Yeovil.
“We’ll look at it closer to the window closing, but for a couple of weeks we’ll give everyone a fair crack,” he revealed.
“I’m trying to be fair to everybody and that’s why I’m not letting people out on loan. There’s been a group of players here that haven’t been anywhere near the squad, have been training on their own, and have been forgotten to a certain extent.
“So I’m trying to involve as many as I can to give them an opportunity and at least show them that they are able to contribute.
“It’s not easy though, because logistically there are too many bodies here to involve everybody. We’re trying to be as fair as we can be and I’ve had a discussion with the players on the edge of things.
“If we can involve them we will. I’ll give them the opportunity to be involved [in training] with the 25-man group and if they do really well then we’ll move them up. That’s all I can offer them really.”
Follow West London Sport on Twitter
Find us on Twitter
This post was last modified on 20/01/2012
