Rodgers defiant in defeat

Magilton sympathises with Royals chief

Last updated: 21st October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Rodgers defiant in defeat

Rodgers: Under pressure

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Brendan Rodgers insists he does not fear the sack despite seeing Reading slip to a 4-1 defeat at Queens Park Rangers.

The Royals are now just three points off the foot of the Championship table following their dismal showing at Loftus Road.

The disgruntled away support vented their frustration as Rangers ran riot in midweek, calling for the head of Rodgers and the reinstatement of former coach Steve Coppell.

Rodgers is refusing to let the criticism get to him, though, and claims he needs more time in which to establish himself at Reading.

"It was a tough night," he admitted.

"I can understand the reaction. I've never experienced that but I've always been taught to fight. I'm not worried. Better managers than me have had that.

"It's not nice but can you blame them? We were poor. But it just makes me more determined.

"We've had a horrendous start. But what people maybe don't understand is it's a massive task here. My ambition at the beginning of the season was to be up there, but the reality is it's a very difficult job - all the best players have left.

"I want to give people a chance but I can't watch too much of that."

Horrendous

Both sides were reduced to 10-men during an eventful evening in the capital, with Ben Watson and Ivar Ingimarsson seeing red.

Watson's dismissal appeared harsh, as he was shown a second yellow for taking a free-kick too quickly, and QPR boss Jim Magilton has called on match officials to use more common sense in the future.

"It was a poor sending-off," he said.

"It's the letter of the law but common sense must prevail. We are all grown men."

Victory keeps Rangers within touching distance of the play-off places, but former Ipswich chief Magilton admits he has sympathy for the situation currently facing Rodgers.

"It's horrendous. I've been there, and I was ninth in the table at the time," he said.

"So I have a great deal of sympathy for him because you have to take the brunt of it, and you have to carry the can and he'll be up all night thinking about it."