• Premier League

Redknapp job safe even if QPR go down

ESPN staff
April 4, 2013
Tony Fernandes hopes to keep Harry Redknapp at the club © Getty Images
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Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes says he has no intention of dismissing Harry Redknapp regardless of whether the club is relegated.

Redknapp took charge of QPR in late November with the club sitting at the foot of the Premier League but, despite strengthening in the January window, they are now seven points adrift of 17th-placed Wigan with seven games to play.

Fernandes, who has sacked both Neil Warnock and Mark Hughes in the last 15 months, insists he would want Redknapp to stay in charge even if QPR begin the new campaign in the Championship.

He told London Call-In: "I want stability more than anything. I wanted it with Neil Warnock and Mark Hughes, so it's third time lucky with Harry. I think he is the man.

"We understand each other well and he knows how committed the shareholders are. He has a great coaching staff and philosophy - he's a fantastic man and I would love to keep him as long as he wants to stay."

QPR will look to offload players to reduce the wage bill should they fail to avoid the drop, but Fernandes has said there will be departures in the summer even if they remain in the top flight.

"We will have to sit down with Harry and discuss who we want to keep and who would go," he said. "Obviously there will be players that will go regardless of if we stay up or go down. We want players who can give a lot to the club for a long time.

"I do see players going, but we do have the nucleus of a good squad now which we have had to rebuild. Every single player who has left QPR has not stayed in the Premier League and I think that shows how much rebuilding we had to do."

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