Tony mingles with fans and raises glass to Hughes

LONDON: QPR chairman Tan Sri Tony Fernandes mingled with fans in the unlikely setting of a pub around the corner from Loftus Road on Saturday and explained his decision to axe manager Neil Warnock.

Having said at the start of January that the decision to ditch Warnock was “very, very hard”, he set about fulfilling his promise to be “as transparent as I can”.

Warnock claimed that Twitter had “poisoned” the Airasia chief with an estimated personal wealth of £400mil against him.

It was through that very medium that the chairman told his 170,000 followers that he would be in the Queen Adelaide pub before Saturday’s home game with Everton.

When asked about the decision to replace Warnock, Fernandes, who had entered the pub to a huge round of applause from QPR fans inside, said: “I think we have to look to the long run.

“Mark (Hughes) is a really good guy, and Neil was a fantastic guy, but really, for where we want to go – building the academy, building a scouting structure – Mark has that experience. He can help us get there.”

Questioned further by fans who crowded to shake hands and have photos taken, Fernandes outlined his vision, pint in hand.

“We all want to move forward, be bigger and better, but it’s going to have to be a stage at a time. We’re doing all we can to make this club better and more stable.

“And what better way to prepare for a game than with a beer and a chat!” — Agencies

We all want to move forward, be bigger and better, but it’s going to have to be a stage at a time. We’re doing all we can to make this club better and more stable.

—TAN SRI TONY FERNANDES