

QPR’s aim this season is now to challenge for promotion and Chris Ramsey “has to step his game up”, Les Ferdinand has said.

Rangers have made a troubled start to the campaign, conceding a total of 20 league goals – no Championship side has shipped more.

Head coach Ramsey has therefore come in for criticism from fans, particularly after the recent 4-0 thrashing at Fulham.

Ferdinand backed him after that debacle, insisting “consolidation” remained the club’s aim this season despite a number of high-profile players staying at Loftus Road.

However, the Rangers director of football, who met with co-chairman Tony Fernandes this week, accepts that Ramsey’s brief has now changed.

Speaking on ‘Access All R’s’ on the club website, Ferdinand said: “When you look at our squad of players, yes of course the expectation has changed.

“With the ability we have in the team, we expect to be up there. Hopefully we will be, and we’ll be doing everything we possibly can to make sure we’re up there fighting come the end of the season.”

He added: “If the expectations have risen for the squad, they’ve risen for Chris as well. He finds himself in at the deep end.

“When the position was given to him, we were talking about consolidation and just keeping us in the league. The expectations have changed for him. It’s something that he’s relishing.

“If you’ve been beaten 4-0 or given 20 goals away in the first 10 games, people are going to say ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ because you’re giving goals away a bit too cheaply and easily.

“He has to step his game up as well, that’s for sure.”

Ramsey’s side are 11th in the table and return to action on Saturday when they visit Birmingham City.

See also: Is Ramsey the right man for the job? It depends what the job is