Monday 11 May 2015 13:59, UK
QPR defender Clint Hill expects serious questions to be asked at the club this summer - but is not blaming "bad eggs" for their relegation.
The London club's exit from the Premier League was confirmed on Sunday as they were beaten 6-0 by Manchester City.
Prior to the game, midfielder Joey Barton had claimed that not all members of the squad were giving everything for the cause, referring to them as "bad eggs".
Hill did not disagree with that sentiment - and nor did manager Chris Ramsey when asked after the game - but he insisted it was not an excuse.
"No matter who is not pulling in the right direction, it should not affect you as an individual," Hill said. "In every dressing room you are not going to get the right type of people.
“There are certain people who might not put the effort in here and there or might not be right on the training ground, but that should not affect you as a professional.
"Did we have the quality? Probably not. But the lads that have gone out there every week have tried everything and played their hearts out."
Rangers still have two games to play this season against Newcastle and Leicester but, beyond that, the short-term future is uncertain.
Rio Ferdinand, Joey Barton, Richard Dunne, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bobby Zamora and Hill himself are all out of contract in the summer and and the position of the manager also needs to be clarified, with Ramsey having been appointed only until the end of the season.
And the issue of Financial Fair Play still looms. The club could face the possibility of a large fine - reportedly £60m - if they are deemed to have breached Football League FFP regulations when last in the Championship in 2013-14.
Hill said: "At the end of the season people at the club need to sit down and get it right in terms of a fresh impetus and a direction that is right for the club.
"Everyone connected with the club needs to ask questions of themselves and learn from this. Of course the club can bounce back, but it is going to be hard."
QPR's fate was sealed on a dismal afternoon at the Etihad Stadium. They trailed after just four minutes as Sergio Aguero scored the first goal of his hat-trick. Further goals came from Aleksandar Kolarov, James Milner and David Silva as QPR went down without a whimper.
Hill, 36, said: "All the mistakes and errors we have made throughout the season played out in 90 minutes yesterday.
"We just were not good enough and that has been the case throughout the campaign. There are loads of questions that need answering. Ultimately we did not have the quality to stay up.
"It is a difficult one to take and we have to apologise to our fans."
Hill does not apportion any blame to Ramsey, who took over with the team already in the relegation zone when Harry Redknapp left in February.
The 53-year-old has overseen just two wins in 13 games but Hill hopes he stays on.
Asked if Ramsey would be a good appointment, Hill said: "I think so. Obviously he is a good coach who likes his youngsters. It is about getting fresh players in and getting the right culture into the dressing room.
"He has come into a difficult situation - with the position we were in and so many of the players not being his.
"I feel sorry for him because he has given everything on the training ground. He has tried to raise us and give us a steady platform. In most games we have competed but we have faded towards the end of the season."
