Harry Redknapp Replaces Mark Hughes As QPR Manager

Redknapp Named QPR Manager

Harry Redknapp has been announced as the new Queens Park Rangers manager following the sacking of Mark Hughes.

The former Spurs boss has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal and will attend today's match against Manchester United at Old Trafford, when Hughes' former assistant Mark Bowen takes charge of the winless Rs.

Redknapp told the club website: “This was too good an opportunity to turn down.

“There’s no doubt there’s a lot of ability in the squad, but for one reason or another things haven’t gone as well as everyone expected since the start of the season.

“I can’t wait to get to work and get the results necessary to kick-start our season.”

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes added: "Harry was our number one target, the unanimous choice of the board.

"He has all the characteristics we were looking for to get us out of the current situation we find ourselves in."

Redknapp, 65, began talks with the Premier League's bottom club on Friday hours after Hughes had lost his job at Loftus Road.

Hughes was fired with QPR, languishing at the foot of the table, without a Premier League win all season, having promised in May "We will never be in this situation again while I am manager" after the club staved off relegation.

QPR are the sixth English league club Redknapp has managed in 29 years.

Redknapp looks set to replace Hughes

Redknapp began his coaching career at Bournemouth in 1983, overseeing their shock defeat of FA Cup holders Manchester United in the third-round the following year.

He replaced Billy Bonds at West Ham United in 1994, where he spent seven years consolidating the Hammers' status as a Premier League club until he left to become director of football at Portsmouth in 2001, where he was soon promoted to manager.

Redknapp oversaw Pompey's promotion to the Premier League as champions of Division One in 2003 but resigned in November 2004, soon taking charge at the club's local nemesis Southampton. Some Portsmouth fans even bore T-shirts which referred to Redknapp as "Scummer" and "Judas" and called for him to "Rot In Hell".

But Redknapp returned to Fratton Park in December 2005 after Southampton had been relegated, successfully turning around Portsmouth's fortunes as they avoided relegation.

The club won the FA Cup - Redknapp's sole honour as a manager - in 2008 after a 1-0 victory against Cardiff City in the final for their first major trophy since 1950. Juande Ramos' autumn sacking by Tottenham prompted them to appoint Redknapp, who guided the club to fourth in his first full season as Spurs finally clinched Champions League football.

Spurs defeated holders Internazionale and AC Milan en route to the quarter-finals in 2011 but their league form suffered as a consequence. In Redknapp's final campaign they finished fourth again but Chelsea's Champions League win denied them a berth in this season's competition.

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