Buzzin Championship Football

Ian Dowie has been appointed as QPR first-team coach today. Dowie’s appointment follows last week’s departure of Luigi de Canio by mutual consent.

Dowie spent three years with the club as a player and had stints as caretaker boss and assistant manager.

Ian Dowie, 43, was sacked as Coventry manager in February. He has also managed Charlton, Crystal Palace, Oldham and Coventry. Today he signed a two-year contract with one of the richest clubs in England.

Wealthy businessmen Lakshmi Mittal, Formula One head Bernie Ecclestone and Renault team managing director Flavio Briatore have made their intentions clear, they want QPR to rival Chelsea & Man Utd - the sooner the better.

So it was quite a shock to hear Dowie had been appointed as QPR manager. I thought Mittal, Ecclestone & Briatore would be looking for a manager who Premier League or international experience. Yes I know Dowie has taken teams from the Championship into the Premiership. But he has not cut the mustard in the Premiership in the way other available managers such as Glen Hoddle, Sam Allardyce nad Steve McLaren have.

Maybe Dowie has two years to get QPR into the Premiership & then he will pass the baton on to a big name manager. Whatever the plan I can’t help but feel deflated at the news of Dowie’s appointment; and I’m not even a QPR fan!