Gareth Ainsworth says he’s scared for 23/24 season and cheekily calls out ‘small teams’

QPR manager Gareth Ainsworth reveals to talkSPORT that he’s scared for 23/24 season and also cheekily calls out ‘small teams’.

The West London outfit has just finished a forgettable Championship season, finishing 20th in the table with 50 points from 46 games played.

They were top of the table come the 15th and 16th game, but seemingly bottled it and ended up in a relegation battle.

Three permanent managers were employed by the R’s during the season. But Gareth Ainsworth managed to guide QPR to safety. There are however still huge doubts whether he is the right person to rebuild the R’s.

Amit Bhatia, QPR’s chairman, had a message to fans. He posted: “End of a rollercoaster season-the highest of hopes to the toughest of times.We’ve been through a lot together since ‘07 but nothing quite like this. It’s now time for reflection & to find solutions.Thank u for ur unwavering support,we will come back stronger. Until next season 💙”

“We are really looking forward to the new season!” 🙌

“It will be tough, have you seen that Championship? I’m scared.” 😅

Gareth Ainsworth explains his preparations for the new campaign with #QPR 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pZiO5V6m1Q

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 4, 2023

“You’re always thinking, you’re always looking, the transfer market, the agents are super active this time of year,” Ainsworth told talkSPORT.

“I’m getting 10, 12, 15 phone calls a day, and they’ve all got three players each.

“We’ve got a recruitment group nailing them all on, I think there’ll be some outgoings at QPR, without a shadow of a doubt.

“I think over the past few seasons, they’ve kept all the players to try and have a bit of success, and it’s not gone the way that they thought, so I think there’s going to have to be a few outs.

“We’re really looking forward to the season.

“It’s going to be a tough, have you seen that Championship?

“Where’s the small teams now? Where have they gone?

“No disrespect, Rotherham are still in there, I think that could be a smaller team than everyone else.

“Where’s your Wigan’s, where’s your Blackpool’s, where’s your Wycombe’s? There are none anymore.

“Sheffield Wednesday have come up, Ipswich have come up, Leicester have come down, Leeds have come down, Southampton have come down, I’m scared.”

“Hardest I’ve ever done was to tell Wycombe I had to move on!” 😧

“I wanted this challenge to progress higher in the championship.” 👏

Gareth Ainsworth shares that it was a tough decision to leave Wycombe Wanderers for #QPR ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/QxL6Abx2ig

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 4, 2023

He also spoke more on why he left Wycombe for QPR. Ainsworth said: “Hardest thing I’ve ever done was told those boys that I had to move.

“There was a video on socials. I think my farewell speech and those choking up moments are absolutely genuine.

“Anyone knows me would say I couldn’t I couldn’t fake any of that.

“That was the toughest thing. And I built this thing over ten years that it would run itself.

“These boys were there for me, and leaving that football club was the hardest thing to do.

“I wanted this challenge. I wanted this challenge to get into the Championship with a team that I think can, no disrespect to Wycombe, progress higher than Wycombe probably ever could, because the fan bases, the history of the clubs.

“I’m not saying that Wycombe will never finish above QPR. Hopefully, as a QPR manager, I want to keep doing well here.

“But I think that the playing days at QPR, you know, the 150/160 games I played for the club and the relationship with the fans just feel it just felt like the right time.

“And also for Matt Bloomfield, who was my captain, to take over from me and take that mantle on.

“And he having a chance as a football manager.”

Here’s how fans reacted as Gareth Ainsworth says he’s scared for the 23/24 season and cheekily calls out ‘small teams’…

@benswfc15: Forgetting QPR in the list of small clubs.

@andybroomeBWFC: The audacity in this is incredible. QPR are one of the smallest clubs left in that division. Blackpool btw, 10x the club QPR could ever dream of being, & even they’re not *big*. I’d much rather be a Rotherham fan, too

@swfccom: He’s never just called his Ex club small 😭 but disrespectful even if it is true

@tom_lewo: He’ll he gone in late January, we’ll get yet another manager who won’t be able to turn it around with the ‘direct football’ signings and we’ll go down.

@seanq2007: That comment about Rotherham could come back to bite him.

@WAFCRob: Ourselves, Rotherham and Blackpool beat you last season Gareth 👍

@randomranger: QPR should never be fearful of the Championship. Embarrassing.

@JonGregg10: After that interview sack him now! If you thought he was going to make our club a success just listen to that!

@luissone_: I’m sure the players whose agents are phoning up will be glad to hear how scared you are of the upcoming season. So many reasons for the fans to be optimistic 🥰

@TheCorridorPod: Seems like a great bloke but hasn’t said a single thing since he’s come in that suggests to me he’s the man to take us forwards. Or even stop us going backwards. Hope I’m wrong, big summer ahead 😬 #QPR

@AthersBFC: Same Blackpool that did the double over QPR, beating you 6-1 at Bloomfield Rd, Gareth. Fucking helmet

@QPR__Sam: And since when did club size = success? Luton, Brentford and Brentford are playing in the Prem whilst Leicester, Sunderland and Wednesday are in the championship. And as one of the smaller clubs, how does this look on us? Foolish

@ccfctm: “I’m scared” 😭😭 Most unserious manager in the league

@t0mmy_miller: Sacked by Christmas! #RUFC

@JTurnz: This QPR relegation is gonna be satisfying to watch.

@nt1212__: Needs to keep his mouth shut. They’d be in League One if it wasn’t for Michael Beale actually being a decent manager. They were absolutely dire, including a 6-1 loss to ‘small Blackpool’ who were losing every week

@Z1ANF10: Why do Rotherham fans cry when they get called a small club. You are a small club. Get over it

@pj_pard: Didn’t we lose 6-1 to Blackpool?

@DazzaCumber: The fans are not scared we are terrified

@MatthewLawrens7: Small club beat you 6-1 😂 how embarrassing

@JohnPettit66: Just what you want to hear from your gaffer. Clown. Be gone by October

@Rick_H1988: Referring to Blackpool as a ‘small club’. Love ya Ainsy. 😍😆😆👏🏼 #pnefc