Tony Fernandes vows to stand by QPR even if club are relegated

Chairman Tony Fernandes has vowed to stay at QPR even if the club are relegated from the Barclays Premier League.

Fernandes said yesterday that he would relinquish his ownership of the west London club should he fail to fix the problems that have seen Rangers plummet to the foot of the table.

The Malaysian businessman's claim came just after fans attacked him for his leadership of the club in the wake of their FA Cup defeat to MK Dons - the latest in a series of embarrassing losses Harry Redknapp's beleaguered team.

Although QPR fans are happy with the level of investment Fernandes has put in to the club since he bought it in 2011, many are disappointed that he has chosen to invest it on sub-standard and over-paid players.

Despite the attacks on Twitter, Fernandes said he had received a wealth of support since his original tweet and he today said he would stay at the club regardless of what happens in the future.

Fernandes tweeted: "Fantastic response from QPR fans. Good chat with Harry. I'm a fighter so if fans want me to stay I stay whatever happens. End of subject. Thank you all."

The news will come as a relief to many supporters as Fernandes' exit could have serious consequences for the club's long-term financial future.

Several of the squad's highest-paid players do not have relegation wage-drop clauses in their contracts so any demotion from the financially-rewarding top-flight would hit Rangers hard.

Fernandes received a huge vote of confidence from Redknapp today.

"It would be a big blow for this club if he ever left. I'm not just saying that because he's the chairman," Redknapp told a press conference.

"He's trying harder than anyone to put right what's gone wrong.

"His heart is in the right place and he loves the club. They (the fans) are fortunate to have a chairman like him."

Redknapp feels his chairman could be paying the price for opening himself up to supporters via social networks.

"The only advice I'd give Tony is get off Twitter," Redknapp said.

"It's like anything, if you don't want to know what people think about you don't buy a newspaper, if you don't want to know what people think about you on Twitter, don't be on Twitter."

The ease with which Saturday's visitors from npower League One tore apart Redknapp's reserves has left him feeling he needs to take "drastic measures" to stop his team from dropping out of the top flight.

Having been manager of Tottenham for three-and-a-half years, Redknapp is used to last-ditch forays into the transfer market, but even by his standards the next three days promise to be some of the most frenetic in the Rs manager's 30-year career in management.

Loic Remy and Tal Ben-Haim are the only new players to have arrived at Loftus Road so far, much to Redknapp's dismay.

Part of the reason why he has been so unsuccessful so far in the market has been due to the outbreak of "gang warfare" between football agents trying to get as much money as possible before the window shuts, Redknapp revealed today.

"This transfer window, I have never seen anything like it. Every agent seems to be trying to screw each other," the QPR boss told a press conference this morning ahead of tomorrow's game against Manchester City.

"It's like gang warfare out there - it's scary.

"If you're trying to get a player another agent will try to scupper that deal if he's not involved in it to try to get you to have one of his.

"It's unreal, unbelievable. They're all fighting for big money - that's the problem."

Redknapp cast doubt on the transfer of Peter Odemwingie from West Brom following his Twitter rant at the Midlands club and their fans over the weekend.

"I don't know whether it will happen," Redknapp said after West Brom confirmed they had turned down a second bid from QPR for the striker.

"The whole situation has become a bit too public really hasn't it?"

Redknapp ruled out a move for West Brom defender Jonas Olsson and also said signing Fulham centre-back Brede Hangeland was "impossible".

Redknapp, who lost out on the signing of Yann M'Vila to Rubin Kazan last week, has been linked with Porto defender Rolando, and remains hopeful of capturing South Korea's Yun Suk-young despite the troubles over securing a work permit for the left-back.

"Tomorrow we have a meeting to go to an appeal. I'm hopeful," the Rs boss said.

PA