With Queens Park Rangers’ season effectively over with a home defeat against Sheffield United, many supporters will be wondering what could have been after a campaign of hope for promotion quickly turned to capitulation — resulting in Mark Warburton leaving the club upon the expiry of his contract.
Warburton, who has been at the club since Steve McClaren’s departure in 2019, started the season brightly, with the club as high as fourth following a good winning run. But the turn of the year showed cause for concern and eventually QPR’s inconsistency caught up with them, as demonstrated by yet another collapse against play-off candidates Sheffield United in their 3-1 win.
It’s put a dampener on Warburton’s tenure as boss. He laid solid foundations after years of financial incompetence after their relegation in 2015 and while QPR still look some way off genuine promotion contenders in the Championship betting with Betfair he should still be remembered highly by R’s fans.
Replacing him will certainly be no easy feat and whoever takes over in the dugout at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium will have a tough job on their hands. Read on, as we take a look at three ideal managers to replace Warburton next season.
James Rowberry
Since tasting relegation seven years ago now, QPR have strayed away from signing personnel based on big names, both in terms of players and managers, so while a move for Newport County boss James Rowberry might appear underwhelming on the surface, Warburton was hardly the finished article when he arrived from a struggling Nottingham Forest and Rowberry looks a more sensible appointment.
Rowberry has steadied the ship for the League Two outfit and despite a slight dip in form at the end of the season, he fits the bill in terms of experience and profile — tactically similar to his potential successor and having previously worked with former R’s boss Neil Warnock. While some may argue the move lacks ambition, there aren’t many top managers readily available unless QPR’s hierarchy want to pay far over the odds in terms of wages, but judging from their previous spending habits that doesn’t look like happening anytime soon.
Russell Martin
As frustrating as the season might have been for QPR fans, you can only imagine what a disappointment the last 12 months have been for Swansea City. On the cusp of Premier League football for the first time in four years, they were beaten by Brentford at Wembley in the Championship play-off final, and have since gone on to stumble down the table in the Championship score predictions, heading into the final day 15th in the league.
For all of their shortcomings this campaign, their manager Russell Martin has been one of the shining lights, and at just 36 years old, could provide the longevity QPR need to establish themselves as a team consistently able to reach the play-offs. Russell’s best attributes are his man management and player development, and if he can get the best out of the likes of Ilias Chair and Chris Willock, significant upgrades to what he has at his disposal in South Wales, Russell could be just the man to navigate the R’s out of the second tier.
Tim Sherwood
It’s been seven years since we last saw Tim Sherwood in any technical area, and while his brief stint with Aston Villa ended in relegation, he did a good job of reviving morale at Tottenham Hotspur and reached an FA Cup final at Villa, albeit one that ended in defeat.
Sherwood would surely be a short-term appointment though, with his track record at clubs lasting no longer than a year, but since taking over as sporting director at QPR, we could see the 54-year-old return to the dugout at Loftus Road until a more permanent solution appears.
