Steve McLaren’s arrival at Queens Park Rangers could offer Harry Redknapp a way out of Loftus Road.
Redknapp was drafted in to take charge of QPR last season, with the ultimate aim of keeping them in the Premier League.
As hard as he tried, that’s not something he was able to do but so far he has resisted the chance to jump ship.
Redknapp’s calibre as a coach in the current game means he’s one of the few professional managers who could easily jump from one job to the next, not having to endure a long spell out of management.
McLaren’s arrival in a coaching capacity creates the seemingly perfect situation for Redknapp in the respect that he can now walk whenever he wants to, saving himself by drafting in a natural successor.
McLaren has admitted that it’s his ambition to get back into management because he has a point to prove following the criticism he received during and after his time as England manager.
“Whilst it still remains my ambition to manage again this gives me an ideal opportunity to stay involved and work on the field with one of the top managers in this country and a very ambitious club. Rest assured, I’ll be doing all I can for Harry,” said McLaren.
Redknapp insisted at the back end of last season that he wasn’t going to abandon QPR and so far he has stayed true to that promise and will likely be the club’s manager heading into next season.
McLaren’s initial deal to coach at QPR is thought to be around the three month mark in terms of length.
If QPR get off to a very poor start in the Championship once the season gets under way, it provides a natural timeline for Redknapp to step down and for McLaren to take over.
On the surface of things Redknapp would be the favoured manager at QPR but he’s the sort of professional who is highly sought after and he could easily start getting offers to go back into the Premier League, which will be hard to turn down.
“Everyone in the game knows what a top coach he is and he’ll add something different to the group, regardless of how long he is with us for. This is a very important season for us,” said Redknapp.
Redknapp has a very positive and forward looking plan for QPR, which is designed to get them back into the top flight and give them the best possible chance of staying there.
Whether he’s the man to do that remains to be seen but should he resign or be forced out, QPR are in very safe hands.
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