Soccer AM

Ephraim: confident of promotion

I've got another two weeks out and then I'll be back playing again and helping this lot get to the top of the league!

Hogan Ephraim
Quotes of the week

Queens Park Rangers duo Wayne Routledge and Hogan Ephraim believe an automatic promotion place is not out of their reach this season.

The Championship side had been on a superb run-of-form, scoring 12 goals in three games, before losing 2-1 to Leicester City on Friday night.

But despite the setback, Rangers remain in seventh place, just four points off the top of the table, and Ephraim remains positive that a top two finish is obtainable.

"If we play to our ability, top six is our aim, but we can push even higher, maybe top two," he told Soccer AM.

"The manager drills it into us all the time that he expects us to do that. Where we finished last year wasn't good enough and we know that.

"With the players we've got and the squad that we have we should be up there and if we keep our minds focussed and don't get too ahead of ourselves we'll have a good season."

Positive

Adel Taarabt had fired the hosts in front against Leicester, before a Matty Fryatt brace condemned Jim Magilton's side to their first defeat in three matches.

Ephraim, 21, revealed the high expectations going into the game may have contributed to the loss, but he was happy to take the positives out of the game.

He said: "There was a lot of expectancy because we scored four in the previous three games and I think everyone was us expecting to turn up and see a goal fest.

"But I think it's a reality check and that will help us in the long run."

Injury

Ephraim has excelled since signing a three-and-a-half year contract with the club following a successful loan spell in January 2008.

A product of West Ham's Academy, the midfielder is currently sidelined with an ankle injury but he told Helen and Max he expects to be back very soon.

"I had trouble with my ankle for about 12-18 months," he explained. "There was an extra bit of bone at the back of my ankle and I had two injections last year to help me through it, but the pain was just ridiculous.

"I had an operation almost a month ago now to remove the bone and so I've got another two weeks out and then I'll be back playing again and helping this lot get to the top of the league!"