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Anyone Up For A 'Long Haul' Stand?

Discussion in 'Queens Park Rangers' started by QPR999, Oct 25, 2016.

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  1. QPR999

    QPR999 Well-Known Member
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    QPR fans in it for the long haul – but what does that mean?’

    It’s been a difficult start to the season for QPR. Results and performances have been disappointing at times and there has been a noticeably subdued atmosphere around Loftus Road.

    But Rangers fan Ted Kessler, like many others, has been here before – and believes patience is required.

    I’m in it for the long haul. I’m sure everyone reading this is too, but it’s worth examining what that entails.

    Often, I wish there was a ‘Long Haul’ stand at Loftus Road where fans who’d signed up to support QPR through thin, sometimes very thin, occasionally gossamer and, once in a glorious while, in abundance, could congregate.

    We’d do so knowing this:

    1) Football is miserable, disappointing, unpredictable and yet, at the same time, so very predictable.

    2) You can’t win them all.

    3) You can go through a whole season barely enjoying a game, and yet you’ll watch nearly every minute (see seasons ’78-’79; ’00-’01, ’14-’15 etc).

    4) Sometimes, these bad seasons can seep into the next season too. In fact they can go on for the best part of a decade (see 1996-2003; 2005-2010).

    5) QPR is not a big club. It’s a small club in a densely populated area, but the locals are transient and the club competes with many near neighbours.

    So when prices and expectations are low, but tails are up, the ground is full and rocking. Quite often, though, the club is in some kind of flux and therefore when Bristol City visit on a chilly Tuesday when the Champions League is on telly you get the 12k base. So be it. That’s QPR.

    6) It’s rarely as bad as the run you are on feels. But sometimes it’s worse.

    7) You will lose many, many games.

    8) That player you’ve just signed who everyone thinks will make the difference, probably won’t.

    9) Occasionally, though, a hero emerges and you’ll know him straight away (Stan Bowles, Kevin Gallen, Paul Parker, for example). But often the players who become indispensable, who destabilise the place when they leave, take ages to develop – and they’ll be written off long before they do.

    Les Ferdinand, Paul Furlong, Adel Taarabt – they took years to come good. It’s a miracle they were still with us when it all fell into place for them. And then we couldn’t live without them.

    10) So be patient. Always. Be thankful that there’s a plan now, and a squad that is full of promise but very much in the getting-to-know-you stage. How many of last Tuesday’s team played together before August?

    Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink may not see it through – history suggests his personality lacks the required QPR exuberance – but he’s doing a good job of putting the tracks in line, setting some standards.

    History shows the great QPR managers applied the finishing touches and pizzazz to another’s more painstaking work: Jago built Sexton’s; Howe built Francis’s; a whole production line built Warnock’s. I feel like JFH and Les Ferdinand are building someone else’s.

    I only see green shoots with this squad. So I’m going to give Ben Gladwin a chance. I’m going to give them all a chance, and another chance, and another (apart from Sandro – how many chances does he need?).

    Gladwin won valuable midfield headers against Bristol City again and again – something we haven’t had since Ale Faurlin’s promotion season. I like him.

    Give him a chance and he might grow into a modern Mick Leach or Martin Allen – unloved but essential cogs in their teams. Give them all a chance. You’re in it for the long haul, after all.

    http://www.westlondonsport.com/features-comment/football-wls-qpr-long-haul-stand
     
    #1
    QPR999, Oct 25, 2016
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  2. Rangers Til I Die

    Rangers Til I Die Well-Known Member

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    Interesting read. I think there are three 'long haul' stands with the lower school end occasionally joining in too!
     
    #2
    Rangers Til I Die, Oct 25, 2016
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  3. ELLERS

    ELLERS Well-Known Member

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    He is a cheery chap, I bet he is fun to have a beer with.
     
    #3
    ELLERS, Oct 25, 2016
  4. bc7

    bc7 Active Member

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    Not much I disagree with there
     
    #4
    bc7, Oct 25, 2016
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  5. Tramore Ranger

    Tramore Ranger Well-Known Member
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    Sums up the last 50 years or so to my recollection........
     
    #5
    Tramore Ranger, Oct 25, 2016
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  6. QPAAAAAGH

    QPAAAAAGH Well-Known Member

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    As I'm midway through my 52nd consecutive year of season tickets I feel qualified to comment on this. Undoubtedly it would be useful for any football fan in general and QPR fans in particular to understand there are likely to be more disappointments than successes and if winning is all there is for you in the game then you are probably better off playing computer games at beginner level. Keeping sight of the fact that there are two clubs in each and every match who desperately want to win may also help give some perspective. But if being in 'long haul stand' means never criticising your club, never questioning the motives and aptitude of players, managers and owners, then you can count me out. As anyone who regularly conrtributes on here surely knows the fascination with the game beyond the occasional buzz of success is the ability to debate it and those who would like to stifle such discussion on the grounds that it is in some way disloyal or upsetting to other fans should toddle off to find a more suitable pastime.
     
    #6
    QPAAAAAGH, Oct 25, 2016
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  7. sb_73

    sb_73 Well-Known Member

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    Outstanding.
     
    #7
    sb_73, Oct 25, 2016
  8. ELLERS

    ELLERS Well-Known Member

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    Top post sir! that's why I will never be a 'happy clapper' and accept losing 2-0 at home to Preston.
     
    #8
    ELLERS, Oct 25, 2016
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  9. Stroller

    Stroller Well-Known Member

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    The article merely asks us to have a bit of patience with a newly constituted squad and to give the likes of Gladwin a chance. That's not too much to ask is it?

    Asking people not to boo players who are trying their best is not the same as stifling discussion or critical appraisal.
     
    #9
    Stroller, Oct 25, 2016
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  10. sb_73

    sb_73 Well-Known Member

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    It does imply a level of grin and bear it, mustn't grumble, thank you sir may I have another passive acceptance though.
     
    #10
    sb_73, Oct 25, 2016

  11. seagullhoop

    seagullhoop Well-Known Member

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    I'm not sure it does, though it is open to interpretation of course.

    Maybe it's more of a glass half full perspective?

    I'm not convinced that "give them all a chance..." automatically means any criticism is forbidden, but it does suggest that (for example) in Gladwin's case, his six or seven (I think) starts isn't really enough evidence to write off a young player and/or abuse him from the sidelines because he's not what you might want him to be.

    Take Luongo's increasingly impressive performances (now 40 something games in) - he has taken a fair amount of stick on here, some of it justified, but some of it the result of wildly unrealistic expectations of a player signed from League 1. However it is becoming increasingly evident that he is beginning to grow into the role (again only imo) and now appears to have a significant role to play in the club's future.

    I do think generally there is a need to temper expectations, otherwise we'd all be better off supporting Chelsea or Barcelona.
     
    #11
    seagullhoop, Oct 25, 2016
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  12. sb_73

    sb_73 Well-Known Member

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    To be honest I only read a couple of lines of it, went more by the reactions.
     
    #12
    sb_73, Oct 25, 2016
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  13. kiwiqpr

    kiwiqpr Barnsie Mod

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    and i always thought you were a thinker rather than a reactionary stan
     
    #13
    kiwiqpr, Oct 25, 2016
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  14. rangercol

    rangercol Well-Known Member

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    That's the illusion.
     
    #14
    rangercol, Oct 25, 2016
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  15. YorkshireHoopster

    YorkshireHoopster Well-Known Member

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    How many seasons patience is sufficient before we are entitled to make a judgment based on the evidence of what we've seen. He was an imediate disappointment was sent out on loan to get a bit more experience and the cycle repeated all to no avail. I don't boo players and never will but am entitled to say I've seen no improvement in Gladwin and don't see that he will improve if he gets another 20 odd games in the next two seasons.

    seasons
     
    #15
    YorkshireHoopster, Oct 25, 2016
  16. Bwood_Ranger

    Bwood_Ranger 2023 Funniest Poster

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    I've always found the act of booing quite bizarre. I've found myself on the odd occasion sticking two fingers up at the team and shouting at the to **** off as two or three applaud the fans after a particularly bad away performance but what do grown men really boo like it's a pantomime?
     
    #16
    Bwood_Ranger, Oct 25, 2016
  17. sb_73

    sb_73 Well-Known Member

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    **** it, found out after all these years........
     
    #17
    sb_73, Oct 25, 2016
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  18. Windom Earle

    Windom Earle Well-Known Member

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    I have only disliked Barton
    I feel it's brilliant that after a good ponder we all have to face facts that again we are in transition but this to me feels a much more sound approach. I said four years ago or more that many would not be able to understand what could happen to our club and it did
    If we had of carried on then I am certain that we would of paid 20m for a player ... We are not ready as a club to step up yet so much needs to be done in the background
    Look at the promises FFS
    IMAZ knew and guessed right for me
    This won't be our year it's that easy IMO but we have something happening I sense it
     
    #18
    Windom Earle, Oct 25, 2016
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  19. Didley Squat

    Didley Squat Well-Known Member

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    Having supported the club for 45 of my 55 years, I consider myself as a 'long haul' supporter.
    As mentioned, we have suffered more bad times than enjoyed good times, nothing new there.
    The fact that some fans direct verbals at various players over the years may be because some
    of the players don't display the efforts / respect, that we the fans would expect.

    Not many of us would moan if the team really 'put in' but lost to a better side. Problem is, after the
    side-show of the last couple of years with players laughing having just been relegated etc. we have
    a right to let them know what we think and whether their performances are not up to scratch.

    Nowadays, we have a young side, how long are we supposed to wait to get some solid performances?
    Was the manager appointed because he was the best option for the clubs' building plan?
    Or was he appointed because he too was young, having achieved nothing much, so he would welcome
    working under a DoF. Would a proven manager work under a DoF ............... I don't think so.

    So currently, we have a manager who may not be the best option for us fans but he will work under a DoF.
    I think that shows us were we are at present.................. yes, I'm a long haul supporter and as a supporter,
    our motto should be ............ "Were always in the poop, it's only the depth that varies!"
     
    #19
    Didley Squat, Oct 26, 2016
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  20. seagullhoop

    seagullhoop Well-Known Member

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    Hmmmm.... but it's not the same squad of players so it seems a bit unfair to use past squads as a justification for present modes of criticism. Also I'm not clear what 'up to scratch' is when you are comparing league 1 and ex-premier league players. We're on the same points total as lat season with significantly less experienced and arguably 'poorer' players (on paper at least)

    It seems that the frustrations of the past few years are being used to beat the current crop with a stick and have persuaded some fans that more abusive criticism is acceptable - certainly booing and personal abuse appears to be on the rise.

    Not directing that second bit at you Aussie, just an observation on how being a fan seems to have changed in recent years for a lot of people.
     
    #20
    seagullhoop, Oct 26, 2016
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