Barton buoyed by Hughes appointment

QPR midfielder Joey Barton believes that new manager Mark Hughes can move the club forward in the long term.

The Welshman was recently appointed at Loftus Road following the dismissal of Neil Warnock, with club owner Tony Fernandes citing the west London outfit’s desire to attract more established players as a key factor behind the decision.

First-team captain Barton, who switched to Loftus Road from Newcastle United last year, has since given his full backing to the former Manchester City boss, and believes that Hughes is the right man to bring success to QPR.

“I am really buoyed by what I have seen in the first couple of days and I hope we can harness that, all buy into it and move this football club to where we feel it should be,” Barton told QPR’s official website.

“He is a really good man, quite straightforward and expects certain things of his players.”

“If you deliver them then you tend to do well under him.”

“From what I’m hearing, he and his staff are really organised, they have good intensity in training and, as a manager, I think he is really fair.”

The 29-year-old added that he was disappointed to see Warnock leave, but insists that the ex-Sheffield United manager’s exploits last season in helping QPR to Premier League promotion will land him in good stead to land a top job in the future.

“It is always sad to lose a manager but that is the kind of industry we are in,” Barton said.

“I am sure Neil Warnock will not be long in finding new employment.”

“He has got such a good record, and I am sure there will be a number of clubs looking to harness that and do what QPR did and get into the promised land.”