QPR’s Redknapp planning for relegation

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READING, United Kingdom: Queen’s Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp admits he is already planning for life in the Championship even if his side beat fellow-strugglers Reading in today’s relegation showdown at the Madejski Stadium.

Redknapp’s team sit a place above bottom side Royals on goal difference, with both sides 10 points from safety and knowing a win this weekend would see their opponents go down.

Redknapp, 64, has grown more downbeat about QPR’s survival chances in recent weeks and, with just four games to go, he is realistic when he considers the prospect of the west London club sliding out of the Premier League.

“You’re never switching off, you’re thinking about next year and how you’ll get a team that will get us back out of that league,” Redknapp said.

“You’re looking around to find players who will get us back into the Premier League, where we want to be. We’ve got the summer so there’s no excuses really. We’ve got to get the right players and get it right.

“We’ll only let people go we want to let go. The ones we want to keep, we’ll keep them. People have got contracts.”

While Redknapp is resigned to relegation, he has warned his players they are fighting for their own futures at the club over the next few weeks.

“It’s a difficult situation but we’ve got to keep playing. We’re not downing tools. It’s important,” he said.

“I’m looking at people as well, with next year in mind, and they’ve all got a lot of play for.

“It’s difficult now, but we want to pick up as many points as we can. The last few games have knocked us out a bit and it’s been disappointing. Now it’s gone. But we’ve got to keep going.

“People think you’re going to go back down and come straight back up, but look at that division. It’s full of quality and tradition – big, big clubs. It will be very difficult to come back up – that’s the aim – but you’re not going to do it by just dreaming. It will be a big challenge but it’s a good club with good people, but it will be tough. You’re not going to just walk through the league.” — AFP

Redknapp’s task against Reading will be made even more difficult without the services of injured on-loan Tottenham winger Andros Townsend. — AFP