Queens Park Rangers vs Aston Villa preview - McLeish calls for patience
Posted Sunday, September 25, 2011 by PA
Alex McLeish insists he is the right man to lead Aston Villa and called for trust in himself and his players ahead of Sunday's trip to QPR.
McLeish left the pitch to boos ringing in his ears after Villa were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Bolton in midweek and fans have been critical on message boards.
It was McLeish's first defeat since angering a section of Villa fans via his move across the city from Birmingham in the summer.
But the Scot has faith in his ability and that of his squad even though he concedes Villa are currently going through a transitional period.
McLeish said: "We need a bit of patience because I believe we will do well, and that I will do well in this job.
"I have great faith in the players. We have some young players here who are going to get better and, if we can get our injured players back then we will be stronger.
"I have belief in my own ability but we're not kidding ourselves. We are going through a little transitional period because we have lost a lot of players.
"Randy Lerner (club owner), who the Villa fans trust implicitly, sees it as a time when we have to get Financial Fair Play sorted out over the next couple of seasons."
McLeish added: "Is it a case of trust me and my players? I think so. Listen, it (the booing) was right at the end of the game.
"I felt the fans were pretty much with the team for the whole game. They were patient.
"At the end of the day they vented a little bit of disappointment because we have gone out of the Carling Cup at home which is understandable."
Record signing Darren Bent has been ruled out against QPR with a groin problem.
Fellow forward Emile Heskey (hamstring) is still sidelined but deadline-day signing Jermaine Jenas is given a 50/50 chance of recovering from a thigh problem. Charles N'Zogbia will return to the side after being rested against Bolton on Tuesday.
Ahead of the Loftus Road clash, McLeish revealed he is a big fan of QPR midfielder Joey Barton, who has been in the headlines after his Tweets about Wolves midfielder Karl Henry and manager Mick McCarthy last weekend.
He said: "Joey has never been in finer form. He's obviously been a bit of a character as well over these past few months with his Twitter and whatever it is he's been doing.
"It's good entertainment, but hopefully he's not entertaining at the weekend and we can keep him quiet.
"I've thought about (signing) Joey a few times, I've just never really had the right moment to get him, but there's no doubt I'm an admirer."
The R`s have no fresh injury concerns heading into the match.
Striker DJ Campbell will be hoping for his second start of the season having finally shaken off the "worrying" virus which hampered his start to life at Rangers.
The 29-year-old has only started once since his summer move from Blackpool, playing 90 minutes in the 4-0 home defeat against Bolton on the opening weekend of the Barclays Premier League campaign.
Campbell was struggling against the Trotters due to the virus, which has restricted him to just two substitute appearances since, but netted his first goal for his new club in last weekend's 3-0 win at Wolves.
The Hammersmith-born forward spent a spell with Villa's youth team as a teenager before rising from non-league football to establish himself as a Premier League striker, with Second City rivals Birmingham first taking him into the top flight in 2006.
Five years on and the #1.2million QPR signing was thrilled to join his "boyhood club" over the summer and believes exciting times lie ahead for Neil Warnock's side.
"When I left here I went to Villa but this is the club I've supported all my life," he said.
"I was brought up five minutes around the corner and I actually came here and watched the team play back in the day.
"It is just good for it be switched around and for the fans to come and watch me.
"Coming here was always a dream for me. It is my boyhood club.
"Once I spoke to the gaffer and he told me what was going to go on here and what his plans were, it was perfect for me.
"With (chairman) Tony (Fernandes) coming in and bringing in the players he has brought in, it can only benefit me as a player and everybody else.
"I am delighted to be here and looking forward to playing football here and scoring goals here.
"I believe playing with these guys I should score a lot of goals and hopefully I will."
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