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Premier League: QPR's Joey Barton seeks stability after Harry Redknapp departure

Joey Barton of QPR and James Ward-Prowse of Southampton
Image: Joey Barton (l): Believes QPR need stability for their survival battle.

QPR midfielder Joey Barton admitted there is a sense of uncertainty at the club in the wake of manager Harry Redknapp’s resignation.

The R’s lost 1-0 at home to Southampton on Saturday, with caretaker boss Chris Ramsey taking charge of his first game.

Defeat means QPR remain in the relegation mix but Barton is confident they can still retain their top-flight status.

“We’re absolutely devastated but we’ve got to pick ourselves up and go again,” Barton said of Redknapp’s departure.

“When a coach leaves and there is a change of personnel, everything is up in the air a little bit. People come in with their own way of doing things and that can freshen the place up a little bit and I think that showed in our performance.

You certainly need stability at any club especially when you’re scrapping away at the bottom of the table.
Joey Barton

“It was unexpected from my perspective. We’d seen him (Redknapp) in the morning and there was no inkling at all that the manager was going to step down. Like everybody else, I was surprised but you don’t really get time to dwell on it.

“Your mindset is on the game and doing the maximum you can do to give the team the best chance of getting a result.

“The sooner things settle down and the sooner people are in place – whatever that may be on a regular basis – the more it will help the football club. You certainly need stability at any club especially when you’re scrapping away at the bottom of the table.

“There’s a long way to go and there’s almost no pressure on us – everyone sort of thinks we are going to go down so I’m quietly confident. There’s a long, long way to go and it would be very foolish to isolate anybody and that includes Leicester who are below us in the table.

“If we roll our sleeves up at Sunderland on Tuesday night and get something there and all of a sudden the perspective changes a little bit and then hopefully we have some definite news on who is going to take this club forward and we can start to move in the right direction.”

Tim Sherwood has been heavily backed to become the new QPR boss on a permanent basis and Karl Henry is convinced he would do a good job.

“I’ve heard good things about him, I’ve heard he’s a good coach. I know from his days as a player the type of player he was,” he said.

“I know he expects players to give 100 per cent, to give everything. I know he likes English players.

“We’re all just focused on staying up and whoever comes in I’m sure will change a few things and will want to put their own stamp on things and ultimately, hopefully, keep us in the league.”

Henry is also glad to see Adel Taarabt back at Loftus Road after he returned from his loan spell with AC Milan.

“Contrary to popular belief, Adel is a good lad and a good person to have around the place and in terms of players I don’t think I have played with a better player,” he added.

“His ability is just frightening at times.  If he can get himself in the form he’s shown in previous years for QPR – almost winning games by himself – if he can bring that to the table then it’s fantastic and who wouldn’t want him around the place?”

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