Glyn Kirk/Getty ImagesQPR team owner Tony Fernandes reiterated his committment to the club.

After the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa the mood around Loftus Road seems pretty miserable. The bookies have QPR at 1/6 to be relegated, which is pretty damning.

- Townsend won't give up on QPR survival

The fans seem pretty much resigned to the fact that relegation is now a foregone conclusion as we sit seven points off safety with just eight games to play. A win would have meant being one point off safety with eight games to play. Fine lines.

Meanwhile, the chairman has chosen this low moment to reiterate his long-term commitment to the cause with a stirring clarion call.

Tony Fernandes is 'miserable in Malaysia' after the Villa defeat, but is determined to defy his critics - both inside and outside of the club.

"We inherited a club that lacked so many things, and we are rebuilding every aspect. That's a huge challenge," Fernandes said this week. "In any business there will be hiccups. But this is not a one-year or two-year project. This is a lifelong commitment. The shareholders have that commitment. The journey ahead is so exciting.

"We need a new training ground, a new stadium, a more successful academy. That's so exciting. How can anyone feel down for too long?"

One wag on Twitter called his stirring speech: "Comical Ali meets General Melchett. But nowhere near as funny."

That's typical of the response to anything positive coming out of Loftus Road at the moment. Too many people have decided that QPR is a catastrophe and are rubber-necking hoping to see increasingly gruesome sights.

It's not going to happen. Granted I do believe he is sailing pretty close to reality when he suggests "we have scored seven goals in our last three fixtures, so anything can happen".

But I do believe in his pay-off: "Forget Aston Villa. Focus on the future. The path in front of us is exciting."

In the next round of fixtures the three teams closest to the drop but in the safety zone - Sunderland, Southampton and Villa - play Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool respectively. So, in theory, a win at Fulham will put us back to four points from safety with seven games to play.

But most importantly, QPR has a group of people in charge that are focusing on the future; that are putting plans in place to turn the club from a badly-run joke into a successful going concern.

That should be applauded in the modern era: you can mock Fernandes' style, but I have seen little to doubt his commitment to the club, or his aptitude in business.

Sneering at such sentiments as above is petty and small minded.

I'm going to stick to believing in the current regime because I have seen little to suggest that it is all lies. You could not say the same about the previous incumbents.

But as far as staying in the Premier League is concerned: well, I'm not so sure.

Follow Sean Smith on Twitter @seanshorn

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