Ramsey issues QPR warning

Chris Ramsey has the “stomach for the fight” ahead of a big rebuilding job at QPR and warned fans not to expect a quick return to the Premier League.

Ramsey was appointed as head coach on a permanent basis this week, despite being unable to keep the London club in the top flight.

The 53-year-old, who signed a three-year deal, stressed the importance of stability for Rangers after such a turbulent period, which could yet take a turn for the worse with the threat of a possible Financial Fair Play (FFP) fine.

He said: “I realise there is a big job ahead and I’ve got the stomach for the fight, everyone needs to pull together now to make sure we end up consolidating and eventually getting back to where we need to be. 

“The single biggest challenge is to make sure that we have a long-term plan in place and the club gets on a steady footing before we start launching an attack to get back to the Premier League.” 

When asked if the club’s owners would expect promotion during his three-year contract, he said: “I would expect they would think that, what we have to do as a club is realise there is going to be a period of consolidation and during that time if we end up back in the Premier League, fantastic.

“If we don’t, then we still have to make sure that the club has a long-term plan to make sure that everything stays within the margins of putting the club on a stable footing.”

Rangers made an immediate return to the Premier League by winning the Championship play-off final a year ago, but Ramsey knows it will not be easy to repeat that feat.

He added: “The Championship is a very difficult division, you have a lot of teams that have been in the Premier League, big names down there.

“We are not looking with any fear at the Championship, but we have to respect it and make sure that whatever happens we don’t slide. Obviously our ultimate goal is to be back in the Premier League. 

“I would urge patience and urge fans to realise that we are going through a transitional period. It’s important that whatever happens we do have a club here in years to come that is on a very stable footing and either in the Premier League or pushing to get back into it.”

QPR face a trip Leicester City for their final game of the season on Sunday.