Warburton’s comments suggest QPR exit could be close

Reports Mark Warburton faced being sacked by QPR following the derby defeat against Fulham proved to be wide of the mark.

Reports emerged on Saturday night that Warburton was about to lose his job as manager after a third defeat in a row and fifth in six matches.

But Warburton has stayed at the helm and will be hoping Rangers’ get their play-off bid back on track at Sheffield United tonight.


However, comments made by Warburton ahead of the game at Bramall Lane suggest he could well be coming to the end of his time as R’s boss.

West London Sport have revealed that Warburton is in fact approaching the end of his contract despite being given a new deal last year.

Many assumed that he had signed a long-term contract, but it transpires that it was simply an improved rather than extended deal.

And it appears he could well be replaced if QPR miss out on the play-offs.

“We’re in a results industry and speculation will come out. You can’t control that, unfortunately,” Warburton told West London Sport.

“The simple fact is that I’ve got a contract here until the end of the season. My job is to get the best out of the team.

“I don’t want to come across as a cliche-laden football manager, but everything is committed towards getting the best out of this team over the next seven, hopefully 10 games, to take us to where we want to get to.

“That’s the focus. Then we’ll see what happens in the summer.

“The truth is that I’ve got a contract here to the end of the season and I’m hoping very much I’ve got 10 games left as QPR manager to get us to where we want to get to.

“If we have a really good season and achieve what we want to achieve then hopefully there’s an opportunity to extend that.

“Our focus is the next seven league games and hopefully the three ensuing games to get us to where we want to get to.”

Rangers’ slump comes after they had been challenging at the top end of the table for most of the season.

Injuries have hit them hard – veteran keeper Kieren Westwood was recently signed because Seny Dieng, David Marshall, Jordan Archer and Joe Walsh are all sidelined.

The loss of attacker Chris Willock for the rest of the season because of a hamstring injury has also been a heavy blow.