QPR youngster Kakay thanks Holloway

Academy graduate Ozzy Kakay has thanked QPR boss Ian Holloway for giving him his first taste of Championship action – despite it coming in the most trying of circumstances.

The 19-year-old defender came on for the final 10 minutes of Rangers’ game at Brighton on Tuesday, 12 years after first joining the club.

Kakay admitted his league debut could not have been tougher – with his side 3-0 down and reduced to 10 men against the new Championship front-runners – but was still grateful to Holloway.

“The manager is great around the training ground and as a younger player, you really get the feeling he is looking after you,” Kakay told QPR’s website.

“It is great for me, because it shows he has faith in me which gives my confidence a real boost.

“The manager told me it was important for us to keep our shape because we were down to ten men, so he told me to do that and to relax and enjoy it.

“Brighton had a lot of the ball and were dictating the game a bit.

“The pace was a lot different to the other games I have played n, you could really notice that, so it was a good experience for me.

“I have been in and around the first team this season, and it was brilliant for that moment to come for me.”

Kakay spent the second half of last season on loan at Livingston and made 12 appearances for the Scottish Championship side, before making his senior QPR debut in the EFL Cup against Rochdale this term.