Unsympathetic Ian Holloway: 'Steve McClaren nicked my job'

"He was talking to the chairman while I was in the job saying what he'd do. He hasn't been able to do that.

"What goes around comes around."

Holloway continued: "He had my babies and took my kids. It means the world to me.

"I felt I was in the best position to do that job. The owners made their choice and that's football at the end of the day."

On whether he could return, Holloway commented: "Would I go back? It depends who calls me. Les (Ferdinand, director of football) didn't want me to go."

McClaren oversaw 46 games in charge at Loftus Road, of which his side lost 21, including eight of the last 11. They have won only one league game since Boxing Day.

Tim Sherwood is among the names rumoured to be in contention to replace McClaren at QPR, while assistant manager John Eustace is set to take over first-team affairs on an interim basis until a permanent appointment is made.

Director of football Les Ferdinand said in a statement on the club website: "Steve has worked incredibly hard during his time with us but as we start to make plans for next year we feel this change is necessary now, rather than wait until the end of the season, or risk having to make such a decision early in the new campaign."

McClaren was restricted by the transfer embargo imposed on the club for January as a penalty for breaking Financial Fair Play rules during the 2013-14 season, which saw them promoted to the Premier League.

Chief executive Lee Hoos added: "Making a decision such as this is never easy, particularly when you are talking about someone as professional and dedicated as Steve.

"We are grateful to him for all his efforts during his time with us. It is well documented that we are in a period of transition as we work hard to make the club financially stable. With that comes challenges, not least the cutting of the
wage bill while aiming to remain competitive.

"As we look to the future, and taking recent results into account, we feel now is the right time to re-evaluate where we are."

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