Ramsey out to become QPR's dream manager by avoiding drop
By Sam Holden
LONDON (Reuters) - Queens Park Rangers manager Chris Ramsey is under no illusions that he is the club's "dream" candidate to lead the team but said he could become just that if he keeps the Premier League strugglers in the top flight.
The 52-year-old was promoted from coach to caretaker manager following Harry Redknapp's surprise resignation at the beginning of February.
Club chairman Tony Fernandes began the search for a high-profile appointment and said he had found his "dream manager" to take over at the club on a permanent basis.
A deal with the mystery candidate fell through, though, and Ramsey was given the job until the end of the season.
He oversaw QPR's first league away win this season with a 2-0 victory at Sunderland last week and Fernandes has since admitted he would "be nuts" if he did not give the manager a long-term contract if his side avoid relegation.
QPR are one place above the relegation zone on goal difference, level on points with 18th-placed Aston Villa, with 13 games remaining.
"I really do have a long way to go to be a dream manager," Ramsey told a news conference ahead of their league trip to Hull City, one place and one point above them in 16th, on Saturday.
"We (he and Fernandes) have had a few discussions over the last week. He hasn't said that (Ramsey will keep the job if QPR stay in the top flight) directly, he has insinuated it.
"We all want to stay up and if I do that, he will have a difficult decision then to bring someone else in or to keep me. I want to try to give him that difficult decision.
"I’m in a situation where I could be in a very prestigious job for a long time if things work out," Ramsey added.
"I’m just focused on the next games to get the wins to keep us up. We can talk about that after. If we can win games, you have a chance. I still think there is a project to do here. We have a new training ground coming and trying to make the academy stronger."
(editing by Justin Palmer)
