Harry Redknapp says QPR’s wage bill was ludicrous when he joined – so he spent lots more money
MORE cracking wit and wisdom from QPR manager Harry Redknapp, who writes in his autobiography:
‘The squad I inherited in November last year was poorly balanced, undisciplined and short of confidence. The directors and owners were nice people but they were naive in football terms and I think certain people they had trusted – agents and advisers – had let them down quite badly. They had probably never been around players, or indeed football before, did not know the market and had spent unwisely on some very average foreign imports.
‘They had players on astronomical wages, being watched by crowds of 18,000 at Loftus Road. It wasn’t sustainable; it wasn’t right.”
So. What did Harry do? The Independent wrote:
Redknapp is … shattering his club’s wage structure in a desperate quest for Premier League survival by pressing ahead with a deal for £12.5m defender Chris Samba six months after his predecessor Mark Hughes decided that the centre-half’s pay demands were too big.
David Sullivan, West Ham United’s co-owner, opined:
“I fear for QPR. They have given wages that are total madness. I said to Tony Fernandes [the QPR owner], it’s a bold move in January when you sign three or four more players on huge wages. He said: ‘Well, it’s one last throw of the dice.'”
Stories are Redknapp wanted to sign Jermaine Defoe (current wages at Spurs : £65,000 a week), Manu Adebyaor (£170,000 a week) and Peter Crouch (£70,000). Who did he sign? Well, he signed Loic Remy for £80,000 a week. He bought Chris Samba from Anzhi Makhachkala for about £12.5m and £100,000 a week. Last season, he transferred five players in and two out.
Was it worth it? No. QPR were relegated.
Posted: 9th, October 2013 | In: Sports Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
