Les Ferdinand reveals which ex-Premier League boss applied for the QPR job

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink beat big name competition to the QPR job

QUEENS PARK RANGERS director of football Les Ferdinand today revealed that new manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink fought off competition from twelve other candidates to land the Loftus Road job.

 

Hasselbaink was handed the role, on a rolling one year contract, after his astonishing success in just over a year at Burton Albion, where he took the Brewers to the League 2 title last year and to the top of League One when he left last week.

The 43-year-old chosen ahead of other high profile candidates like ex-Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, and ex-Huddersfield chief Chris Powell – and Hasselbaink will take charge of the team for first time this Saturday when they face Burnley at Loftus Road

Hasselbaink he was excited and privileged to be handed the job of managing Rangers – but insisted there was hard work to be done.

 

Ferdinand said: “We went through a thorough process. We interviewed a dozen people and narrowed it down to three, and in the end we were unanimous that Jimmy was the right man to take this club forward.”

Hasselbaink, who had a remarkable win percentage of 61.11% at Burton, and now succeeds Chris Ramsey at Rangers, said: I’m very excited and privileged to be given this opportunity.

“It just felt right for me. The right fit. It was hard to leave Burton, but when the opportunity comes to manage at a club like this, you have to take it.

 

“I’m going to bring honesty, stability and hopefully some excitement to this club.

“Before we even think of promotion, there is work to be done. This squad excites me, but we need to have a strategy there. We need to work together, trust each other. 

“I need to work with the players and interact with them, which I like to do, and get that honesty from them.  I know that fans want exciting football, and that’s what we have to try to bring.  As well as a successful team.  There is no pressure. We are just here to work. We can’t worry about the January transfer window. I just want the team to challenge and get as high as they can.”