QPR: Chris Ramsey named manager until end of season

Chris Ramsey joined QPR at the end of October 2014 as the club's academy manager

QPR caretaker boss Chris Ramsey has been given the manager's job until the end of the season.

Ramsey, 52, had been in temporary charge at Loftus Road with director of football Les Ferdinand after Harry Redknapp quit to have knee surgery.

QPR confirmed the appointment on Friday night with Ramsey working alongside first-team coach Kevin Bond and goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock .

Ferdinand will 'oversee the trio' and also be involved in training.

Ferdinand said: "He will have a huge part to play in the long-term future of this club at all levels, and we are confident that Chris, supported by the backroom staff, will be able to deliver our goal of Premier League survival."

Ramsey was brought to QPR by Ferdinand in October 2014 and appointed the club's academy manager after a decade as head of player development at Tottenham Hotspur's academy.

The former England under-20 manager worked closely with former Spurs boss Redknapp and will continue to be involved in the running of QPR's Academy.

On Tuesday QPR chairman Tony Fernandes said he had got his "dream manager".

It is not clear if he was referring to Ramsey or a potential permanent successor to Redknapp for next season.

In a statement on QPR's website, Fernandes said: "A lot has been written and said about the position, including by myself, but the decision has been taken to defer the permanent appointment until the end of the season.

"We spoke to many individuals who were interested in the role, one of whom I was quoted on as being a dream, but none of them were right to take the club forward at this time for a variety of reasons, whereas we firmly believe Chris is."

Former Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood was contacted about the job, while Derby manager Steve McClaren and Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement were also in the frame - although Fernandes dismissed media reports as wide of the mark.

Ex-Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup, currently in charge of Qatari side Lekhwiya, ruled himself out of taking over at QPR in the short term.

Former QPR striker Kevin Gallen says the appointment of Ramsey represents an embarrassing turnaround for Fernandes after his "dream manager" message on Twitter.

"I think the comment he made on Tuesday has made him look a little foolish," Gallen told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It's obvious his dream manager wasn't Chris Ramsey and, now he is the manager until the end of the season, he has had to backtrack."

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes sent this message to his Twitter followers on Tuesday

QPR lost 1-0 to Southampton in Ramsey's first game as interim boss, but they ended an 11-game losing run away from home on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Redknapp resigned on 3 February, saying he needed "immediate surgery" on his knee and it would be "better for someone else to take over" because he could not "give 100%" to the job.

The 67-year-old led QPR to promotion to the Premier League last season via the Championship play-offs.