Thursday 20 November 2014 16:35, UK
Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has applauded Saturday's opposite number Alan Pardew for turning around Newcastle's fortunes this season.
The Magpies, whose fine recent run includes wins over Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City, have climbed to eighth in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone.
"Alan was coming under all kinds of grief there but he's done a great job at Newcastle," Redknapp said ahead of the Premier League trip to St James' Park.
Newcastle is a great club, one of the great clubs in English football!
"They've picked up. Newcastle is a great club, one of the great clubs in English football - the 50,000 fans every week with their black and white shirts on.
"I think he's doing a really good job and full credit to the chairman who has never looked like buckling under pressure.
"I'm pleased for Alan but hopefully we can go up there and get a good result this weekend."
QPR have enjoyed a slight resurgence themselves in the last four games as narrow defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea came between a 2-0 win over Aston Villa and a 2-2 draw against Manchester City.
The commitment of the Rangers players was questioned during a miserable start to the campaign but Redknapp is confident the fighting spirit has returned to his playing squad and that the R's have enough quality to stave off relegation.
"It was a case of new players coming in from abroad and settling into the country," Redknapp said. "It was a bad pre-season. We didn't have the players here to do pre-season together.
"It's taken time but I'm happy with the players we have at the moment and I think we've got a good chance. I think we'll stay up this year and I'm pleased with how we're playing now."
QPR were fined £20,000 by the Football Association this week for failing to control their players during the 2-2 draw against City.
Redknapp described the punishment as "harsh" but said the club would not be making an appeal.
