QPR is the perfect fit, says new manager Steve McClaren

New QPR manager Steve McClaren says the club are "a long, long way" from the Premier League and has made his first objective a top-half finish.

The former England boss, 57, signed a two-year deal on Friday to succeed Ian Holloway at the Championship side.

McClaren pointed towards recent 18th and 16th-placed finishes as reasons for "realistic" expectations at the club.

"First and foremost, we have to get a consistently winning team - you don't even think about promotion," he said.

"At the present moment, we finished 18th and 16th the last two seasons, so we're a long, long way away from that," the ex-Derby, FC Twente and Middlesbrough manager told BBC Radio London.

"It's a huge leap to even get into the top half, to get into the play-offs is a massive leap."

QPR need to get 'creative'

McClaren had a three-month spell at QPR as a coach in 2013 when Harry Redknapp was in charge, and acknowledges that continued repayment of a Financial Fair Play fine of up to £58m may impact what he has to spend.

"They're in a certain situation with Financial Fair Play and there's a fine to pay so I've got to know exactly where we are in terms of budgets, what we've got available.

"I think the situation that QPR are in, we're going to need to be creative - but I think being creative in modern-day football is possible.

"As has been proved, with luck and everything going in your direction, you can get into that top half and that's ultimately got to be our first aim, and then plan after that."