GARETH Ainsworth says he doesn’t pay any attention to speculation about his position as manager of struggling QPR.
The Hoops boss has come in for renewed criticism in recent weeks, particularly in the wake of the damaging 4-0 home defeat to Blackburn just before the international break.
That result saw the likes of former Loftus Road managers Neil Warnock and Michael Beale being linked with returns to the club.
But Ainsworth is paying no attention to the rumour mill, something he says he isn’t even aware of having chosen not to read or listen to what others are saying.
“It is very easy to hit someone when they are down isn’t it?” he told South London Weekly when asked about the flak currently coming his way.
“You get that a lot in the world. For me I don’t read anything, I don’t look at anything, they never get to me so I never hear it.
“I try and protect my family as best I can and my players.
“People wake up to do that (criticise) no matter if you are top of the league or bottom of the league.
“I watched the Emirates Stadium empty last year in the second last game of the season when Arsenal were sitting second in the Premier League.
“People do this. I was a bit gutted for the Arsenal players thinking they are second in the league and the Emirates is emptying here because they haven’t won a game.
“Why would you do that?
“So it is no surprise in a relegation position that the fans will go super negative but that’s them.
“All I can say is I’m not doing that, I’m a positive person and it is just the opposite for me – I will be finding ways of being better, of how can we turn this round, and see it as a big challenge rather than doom and gloom.
“But I understand all people are different.”
Ainsworth’s position may well be under increasing scrutiny going into a busy spell before the next international break.
But he insists QPR can defy those pre-season odds as relegation favourites and retain their Championship status under his guidance.
“I’ve got a great group,” he said.
“The players respond to me, the players do what I ask and as I say it was going to be a tough season.
“We know that the money that has been spent in the Championship is quite big.
“It is the fifth or sixth biggest league in the world so there are plenty of super players in this league.
“We just have to baton down the hatches maybe and really get through a tough season.
“But I really believe we can finish higher than people are anticipating and what everyone was predicting.
“The boys see that optimism. I’ve worked with very little before at my last club and got results and I’m super positive that this football club can be a success story this season.”
