Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

Hopefully Mick Harford won't look quite so miserable as he does in the photo above over the next few weeks. That photo was taken during his time in charge of Luton Town (more on that below) who laboured under far greater problems than those currently facing QPR. In fact, his main worry at Rangers, as some of the players have pointed out, is how to mount a play-off bid.

Harford is no stranger to QPR supporters as this is the second time he has stepped into the breach following a managerial departure at Loftus Road. He was previously appointed as caretaker manager following the sacking (not sure I'm allowed to use that word) of John Gregory in October 2007 and steadied the boat for five games (there's that number again) until the appointment of Luigi De Canio.

Will he last more than five games this time around? It was initially reported that he would remain in charge until the end of the season and on the day of Hart's departure, Sky Sports reported that Harford was hinting he could stay even longer than that.

"There's been no timescale said," he said.

"They've said "Mick, you take charge of first-team affairs and see where it takes you."

If anything, it would seem the club are almost considering his appointment on a game-by-game basis.

Speaking on the BBC's Late Kick-Off show, available below, on Monday night, Harford said he would "just carry on" doing his job (go to 2,14 for a report on the Blackpool game and brief interviews with Harford and ex-QPR and now Blackpool manager Ian Holloway).

That game certainly won't hurt his chances of remaining in the job and though the club will still consider other potential candidates (with Alan Curbishley linked as a possible summer replacement), he could stake a genuine claim to the job himself.

He also has the advantage of having previously worked at QPR and so has some form of relationship with Flavio Briatore. He goes so far as to describe it as a friendship in his Sky Sports interview and though it would be foolish to think that Briatore will allow that to cloud any ruthless decisions he may have to make, Harford will at least start off on a much surer foot than Hart.

He won't make the mistake of publicly warning the supporters to expect conservative, defence-minded football either as Hart did. In fact, he has already spoken of his desire to see QPR return to entertaining, attacking play which chimes with the desires of most Rangers supporters.

The length of his stay with the club could also largely be dictated by his own desire for the job. His own managerial experience is limited, often being used as a trouble-shooter. He has fulfilled the caretaker role at Nottingham Forest as well as QPR previously and his longest spell in the dug-out was at Luton Town, the club with whom he is most famously linked after enjoying two playing spells there (pictured below).


His managerial reign at Luton lasted from January 2008 to last October but coincided with a terrible period in the club's history, as administration and points deductions led to two successive relegations, with the club now playing in the Conference National.

In short, Harford has never had a real crack at a club, either hampered by time or by restricted budgets. This opportunity with QPR is one of the best he will have to bolster his own CV and if his employers can hold off from a snap decision, he could get the chance to impress them before too long. I'll have more on his playing and managerial history over the next few days.