Soccer owner backs Hughes to polish QPR

Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes believes new manager Mark Hughes’s ambition for the club matches his own for the “rough diamond” English Premier League strugglers.

And the Malaysian businessman insisted Hughes, who led London rivals Fulham to eighth place in the Premier League in 2010/11 before controversially walking out of Craven Cottage last June, wanted to demonstrate he was still one of the ideal managers in the world.

“When you have someone who wants to show he is one of the ideal in the world, that (is something) money cannot buy,” Fernandes told Talksport Radio.

“And I think his record in the Premier League talks for itself,” he added of former Wales, Blackburn and Manchester City boss Hughes.

“What he saw is that QPR is a rough diamond.

“I think the fans should be proud that we could attract a top-class guy in Mark.”

Meanwhile Hughes, who made his name in football as a Manchester United striker, told a news conference on Wednesday: “It was clear in my mind that the ambition of the club matched that of my own career.”

Hughes, brought in after Fernandes sacked veteran English boss Neil Warnock on Sunday with Rangers 17th on the table and just a point above the relegation zone, added: “We need to be in the Premier League next year. We’re not thinking we are going down.

“Maybe that was one of the factors in pursuing me as manager. Perhaps the board felt they needed to make the change to stay in the Premier League.”

And he insisted there was no reason why QPR could not emulate the success he had had at Blackburn, with the Lancashire side facing the drop when he took charge at Ewood Park.

“I think we were second from bottom and we ended that season something like 15th and then, the next year, we were sixth which would be great to replicate.

Hughes has reportedly been given in the region of STG20 ($A30m) to STG30 million ($A45m) to spend in the January transfer window by Fernandes.

“It’s all well and good saying there is a certain amount but you have got to be able to spend it in the right way and with the right players,” stated Hughes.

“If there are weaknesses, then we need to address them.”

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