MetroAnt
01 Apr 2008, 10:29 AM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=552757&in_page_id=1779
Great article. Really allays many of the common fears. No changing the colors, badge or name, no immediate plans to move from Loftus Road.
Atouk
01 Apr 2008, 10:34 AM
Yep. Good stuff.
And you beat me to posting it (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=14260173#post14260173) by one minute. :D
Highlights:
• No plans to move from Loftus Road "for now".
• The club will not "lose control" over spending because "we are nothing like Chelsea".
• QPR will remain "quintessentially English" and no names or badges will change.
• Lakshmi will stay "as a fan rather than an owner" otherwise "he will not get involved unless it is necessary".
• Missing out on promotion next season "would not be a failure".
...
"One of the most attractive things about this club is the stadium, so we have no desire to move from here at all," he said.
"If the day came where a move was warranted - and I guess that would be when the results were great, we get promoted and we need a 35,000-seat stadium - then, yes, maybe we'd explore it. But we don't need it today.
"Shareholders should not determine what a club looks like. QPR have a great history and a great tradition and for us to maintain that is of prime importance.
"Consequently, there are no plans to change the logo, club colours or stadium name.
"There is a need to ensure things are kept fundamentally English. If you look through the roster, there are mostly English players here and we like it that way."
...
"We are nothing like Chelsea and we will not lose control over spending," said Bhatia. "The expenses involved with QPR are far smaller. The £20m deal will go a long way to making us profitable, as would promotion.
"My father-in-law's involvement on an emotional level is already known. He is involved firstly as a fan. If and when something warrants his involvement with the media, he will get involved but, for now, he believes the best way to be involved is as a fan and not an owner."
...
"We started off by setting a three-year target for promotion," Bhatia added. "If we didn't get promoted in three years, I don't think it would be a failure. We would be disappointed, of course, but I am sure we are going to get there.
"I don't think any of us has got into this to be second best. We have a specific plan and we will do anything it requires to get the club where we want them to be."