Holloway enjoys triumphant return to QPR
“Phew. Thank God for that. We got the three points,” said Ian Holloway after an eventful victory on his return to the Loftus Road dugout.
“What a day, I really need to go and lie down now. I feel like I’ve been on one of those rides at Disneyland and it’s wonderful,” he smiled.
“Does anyone know this club better than me? Probably not. Has it changed much? Maybe.”
Holloway likes talking so much that he asks himself questions. It is more than 10 years since he last managed QPR and he found them in 17th place in the Championship when he took charge this week.
So yes, it has changed – quite a lot. If Holloway is to turn around the fortunes of the club he played for more than 150 times then there will be plenty of questions to answer.
But his second tenure almost got off to the perfect start when Norwich conceded a penalty and had Martin Olsson sent off within the first minute.
The Swedish defender appeared to handle the ball as Nedum Onuoha was preparing to poke it over the line following a long throw-in from Jack Robinson.
This was it. Holloway had been introduced on the pitch before kickoff, bowing down to all sides of the ground to show his love for the home support. The perfect start.
Midfielder Tjaronn Chery had obviously not read the script because he lashed the spot kick wide of the right post as everyone inside Loftus Road tried to work out what on earth was going on. Under Holloway, things are rarely dull.
“I mean what an introduction. It was bizarre,” said Holloway. “It’s ever so bizarre really, my feelings, to get that welcome. I had to compose myself in the tunnel. I didn’t want to come out there with a tear in my eye, because that’s how I’ve felt.”
Just as Norwich appeared to be adjusting to their one-man deficit, QPR scored. Chery’s corner was knocked down by Sebastian Polter and Northern Ireland international striker Conor Washington swept home.
After conceding early against Brighton last month, Norwich capitulated. Here, they appeared to be doing the same as Alex Neil stood statuesque in front of the visitors’ dugout.
With 27 minutes gone Chery perfectly weighted a pass for Polter to poke through the legs of John Ruddy and QPR were two up.
The Canaries’ season is fading fast and with it, the supporters’ backing for their manager. Neil had made six changes to his line-up but the collective malaise that has blighted the team in recent weeks was still present and this result saw them drop to sixth.
“Neil, sort it out” chanted the Norwich supporters, of whom there were more than 3,000. The Scot may be running out of time to do that after four consecutive defeats.
“All I can say is that I’m working as hard as I possibly can to turn things around,” said Neil.
“The one thing this shows is that the lads are doing everything they can and they’re fighting to turn it round.”
An excellent stop from Ruddy kept Grant Hall’s header out before Jacob Murphy struck the crossbar for Norwich with a curling shot at the other end as the Canaries rallied.
Then Norwich did find a way back as Steven Naismith headed in Murphy’s cross to set up a frantic final 10 minutes, but QPR clung on to make it ‘Ollie’s’ day.