Football
ESPN staff 9y

Real Madrid coach Paul Clement rules himself out of QPR job

Real Madrid coach Paul Clement has ruled himself out of the running to become the new manager of Queens Park Rangers.

QPR are looking for Harry Redknapp's replacement following his resignation on Tuesday, and Clement had been linked with the job after successful spells as Carlo Ancelotti's right-hand man at Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and now at the Bernabeu.

Les Ferdinand has been promoted to director of football and will assume responsibility for the first team in the interim, with former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood the favourite to get it full-time.

But Clement has told the Guardian he remains committed to his job with the Spanish giants as they look to win the La Liga title for the first time since 2012, as well as defend their Champions League crown.

"I'm very flattered to be linked with Queens Park Rangers, a club I supported as a young boy and for whom my dad played," Clement said. "It would be a real honour to manage that club at some point in the future. But, at this time, I've got no intention of leaving Real Madrid in mid-season."

Steve McClaren has also rejected the suggestion that he could leave Premier League-chasing Derby County for Loftus Road. He said: "I answered that a few weeks ago [when linked with Newcastle], and it is the same answer now. Nothing changes.

"We laugh it off and move on quick. So let's focus and concentrate on the job in hand which is trying to get Derby County into the Premier League."

Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, used his column in The Sun to insists that nothing more that survival will be acceptable over the final months of the season.

QPR are deep in the relegation mire, 19th and a point adrift of Burnley in the final place above the drop zone. But they have lost all 11 away games so far this season and face a difficult run of home games which include fixtures against Southampton, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea.

Ferdinand said: "We know we haven't been good enough this season and every individual realises that he hasn't performed to his capabilities.

"We have to raise the level and knuckle down. Les has set us a points target which he believes will be enough and that's what we have to aim for.

"None of us expected Harry Redknapp to quit as manager but he's gone now and we have to focus on the future."

Ferdinand, who has made only eight Premier League appearances since signing on a Bosman free transfer from Manchester United last summer, hopes a new boss will provide fresh impetus.

"One of the reasons clubs get a boost when the manager changes is that players like myself, who have been out of the side, sense the chance to get back in," he added.

"We all start from scratch with the new man. It's a level playing field and I want to be doing my bit to help, having spent a lot of this season on the bench which has been frustrating.

"When Tony Pulis took over at Palace they got an immediate lift and stayed up. Palace picked up again when Alan Pardew arrived after Neil Warnock was sacked.

"The same can happen for us. All managers are different, some are disciplinarians, others are big on putting an arm round players' shoulders.

"And for some tactics are the main priority. So a change in approach will freshen things up."

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