QPR's Steven Caulker expects to stay at Loftus Road

QPR defender Steven Caulker has told Sky Sports News HQ he expects to be at Loftus Road next season, but he is refusing to offer a guarantee that he will remain at the club.

Caulker is refusing to predict a rapid return to the top flight for the relegated R's and has warned QPR fans that they will need to be patient as manager Chris Ramsey attempts to turn things around.

The 23-year-old joined QPR from Cardiff City last summer, after the Welsh side were relegated from the Premier League, but remains committed to the west Londoners despite rumours of interest from newly-promoted Bournemouth and West Brom. 

Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, he said: "For me at the moment, I am staying at QPR.

"There is a much more positive vibe this year, everyone is feeling confident ahead of the season and we are looking to do good things.

"I can't assure the fans (I will be there next season) because things happen and change day to day in football. But as things stand I will be at QPR."

Caulker has backed Ramsey, who he worked under at Tottenham, to turn things around and eventually get the club back into the Premier League - although he says that might not be for a few years.

He said: "I really like the manager, I have worked with him since I was a kid and I only have positive words about him. 

Last year was disastrous. We are gutted for the fans and ourselves, we didn't perform well enough and we know that. Hopefully this year there will be a lot better performances and more positive results.

"We have a good bunch of kids now who are young, honest and really want to work hard which makes a change from last year, so hopefully things will progress.

"I feel it will be a long-term project, more one for the future but hopefully over the next few years we can get ourselves back into the Premier League with a lot more stability and then to perform better than last season.

"You can never say never but we are confident that with the group of lads we have got that we can do good things but we will have to be patient. There are a lot of new players and a lot of changes, so we can't expect everyone to gel straight away.

"Hopefully if the manager is given time, we can kick on to better things.

"Last year was disastrous. We are gutted for the fans and ourselves, we didn't perform well enough and we know that. Hopefully this year there will be a lot better performances and more positive results."