Bosses tread on hot coals

We are less than one third of the way into the season and already the dreaded ‘r’ word is being bandied about. 

I’m sure The R’s will not be too pleased to have their name being touted as favourites for the drop. However, having lost the weekend battle billed as ‘El Sackico’, Queen’s Park Rangers are now four points adrift at the bottom of the table having lost 3-1 at home to early-season relegation-rivals Southampton.

This places manager Mark Hughes as the man having to jump through hoops and in prime position to be the first coach to be sacked this season in the Premier League.

Unusually, for a sport that has such short patience with its managers, there has been much talk about the sack, yet no action.

Several club chairmen have had to take to twitter or the press to back their managers, although these have been clubs with loftier ambitions.

In the London derby last weekend the calls for a dismissal swung both ways. Initially, as Spurs dominated their north London rivals, it was the Gunners’s faithful who were calling for the end of Arsene Wenger’s tenure. However, one rash showing of studs in the 16th minute saw Spurs down to 10 men and Arsene’s Arsenal notching five goals amidst sudden optimism that saw the disillusioned fans on webchat proclaiming title credentials and the more realistic hoping for a Champions League place.

After the tide turned with Adebayor’s dismissal, Wenger can wave goodbye to discussions about his job security until the next dip in form or fortune.

Another to benefit from a good match is Liverpool boss, Brendan Rodgers. Despite notching their seventh successive unbeaten league match, the 3-0 controversy-filled victory over Wigan was only their second home win of the season.

Defeat would have again led some to call for the head of a man brought in to oversee a long-term overhaul of the club.

Clearly, Liverpool’s results have not matched their expectations, the style of football introduced by Rodgers, his past success in building a ‘football team’, bringing through youngsters and the many positives have allowed him continued time to build and develop.

Demonstrating the fickle nature of the football fanatic, three successive draws at a club like Liverpool, not to mention the worst start to a season in memory for many of them, can lead to the call for a new manager. 

However, a victory against even weak opposition, a move up the table to 11th and occupancy of a position only two points behind last season’s fourth best team, Tottenham, and eight behind surprise package, West Brom, who are currently the team in possession of the final Champion’s League spot, makes the outlook a lot brighter. 

Perhaps it is because it is only West Brom that led Liverpool stalwart, Jamie Carragher, to claim they can make it into that final Euro elite position.

I personally believe that it is possible, although they need to maintain some consistency before January and hopefully improve their striking options. Currently they are reliant on one man, Luis Suarez, a man who divides opinion as decisively as he splits defences. Staggeringly, 85 per cent of Liverpool’s goals have been a result of his strike or assist.

That over-reliance on one man is typically not conducive to regular wins.

While it’s not unusual to see a club at the bottom of the table become the favourite to become the first managerial casualty of the season, it is a surprise to see a club that undertook the massive capital outlay this season occupy the lowest rung of the league ladder.

QPR’s owner Tony Fernandes signed-off a massive spending spree in the summer transfer-window to overhaul the playing squad at Loftus Road. 

Many star names arrived to replenish a squad that is now the envy of many.

However, with only four points secured all season fans have forgotten that many of these arrived too late to be a part of pre-season and were thrust upon Hughes as the window closed tightly shut.

Fernandes has repeatedly backed his manager, at times even pro-actively, anticipating even the initial dissatisfaction amongst the fans. He has always said that he would listen to the fans, believing that they are the lifeblood of any club.

The home fixture against Premiership newcomers Southampton was seen as a home banker, particularly with the relative youth and inexperience of the opposition, contributing  to the division’s most porous defence.

The R’s failure to register the expected win resulted in the majority of fans calling for change. 

If Fernandes, who is admirably interactive with the fans, is to listen to them then we could see Harry Redknapp installed as the club’s saviour. His tone appeared to have changed, tweeting after the game:

"I feel gutted. I have put my heart and soul into this with my other shareholders and done all we can to give support to players and all management. I can only apologise to the QPR fans. We keep fighting.

"Let me tell you FANS come first. Everyone, including me, let the fans down. Many of us need a hard look at themselves. QPR has amazing fans. They deserve better."
At the time of writing this column Hughes was still in his job, although I’d not wager even a coffee that he will be by the time you are reading it! 

If that’s the case it’s a shame. 

Sparky would have relished a return to the home of so many of his fondest memories, Old Trafford. With Manchester United in benevolent mood against Norwich, expecting a backlash it would be unfair to either give Hughes a last chance, or throw a new manager in at the deep end.

While QPR remain the only team in the league to register a victory, the mood at the club one above them is surprisingly buoyant. 

Southampton may have conceded 30 goals yet they have played eight of the top 10 teams and played an attacking brand of football that has seen them notch 18 goals, one more than Liverpool.

Reading would be in the relegation zone with them if it were not for a remarkable second-half turnaround against Everton. And, Aston Villa’s young team will need to regroup after a 5-0 demolition at the hands of new Premiership leaders and current champions Manchester City.

However, as Norwich demonstrated, the strangest results can happen with teams at the top dropping points unexpectedly which means that teams at the bottom can put a string of results together and rise up the table. 

Norwich have built their own escalation on strong home form.

Teams like Stoke and Sunderland should have squads that are too good to go down – but how many times have we heard that? Just look at QPR!