Derry slams QPR's overpaid 'shirkers' after 'disastrous' two years... and he's not sorry to see them leave

Shaun Derry has lifted the lid on Queens Park Rangers’ ‘disastrous’ two-year stay in the Premier League and blasted the ‘shirkers’ who arrived with big reputations but gave little.



The 35-year-old was core to the team which won promotion under Neil Warnock in 2011, but then witnessed an influx of players on inflated wages create divisive splits that culminated in relegation.



Derry this week moved from Loftus Road to Millwall on a month-long loan but hopes to return to aid QPR's push to get out of the Championship once more and is well placed to explain how things should be different this time.



Trier: Shaun Derry has slammed 'shirkers' at QPR, who contributed to relegation

He believes manager Harry Redknapp has worked quickly to shift out those who do not fancy the second tier and bring in reinforcements with the right attitude.



‘It’s been difficult,’ said Derry, speaking on behalf of the Tackle Africa charity. ‘You go into the changing room and you appreciate what background certain players have come from but you get judged on the here and now. Past achievements mean nothing if you don’t put it in.



‘That was the most upsetting side of it, seeing certain players with a pedigree not contributing. You know as a pro when players aren’t giving their all. I’ve been in the game 20 years and I know when people are fighting for the cause and when people are winging it.



Dejection: Derry thinks QPR tried to launch an assault on the top ten too quickly

‘If I’m looking at other people and asking if they’re earning the money, then no, of course they haven’t. Definitely not.



‘It’s difficult when the club was striving to break into that top ten straight after being promoted. We came up in a whirlwind and so many players came in through the door.



‘We tried to miss three rungs of the ladder to get straight into the top ten. Fingers were pointed at Mark Hughes and certain players but the whole club has to take responsibility, including us players.



All his fault? Mark Hughes bore the brunt of criticism

‘For one reason or another, factions started to develop within the squad, you take it onto the pitch and results don’t go well. You can dress it up as much as you like but without results people start questioning each other. That’s what happened, culminating in relegation. It was a disaster for the club.



‘Throughout last season you try to rectify that within the dressing-room because that’s where you sort it out. There were times last year where certain things were said. Unfortunately we didn’t get the right response and it ended in relegation.’



This summer, a catalogue of QPR players have left the club including Djibril Cisse, Chris Samba, Loic Remy, Adel Taarabt, Jose Bosingwa, Ji-Sung Park, Tal Ben Haim, and Jamie Mackie.



Get us back: Harry Redknapp is charged with promoting the club again

Massive loss: Derry is sad to see Jamie Mackie leave the club, but not many others

Derry said: ‘Jamie is a massive loss to QPR. I’m sad to see the back of Jamie. But I’m not sad to see the back of any of the rest of them, apart from Ji-Sung Park.



‘As far as effort was concerned you could never accuse him of throwing the towel in. He’s not one that I’d label a shirker.’



Redknapp has brought in Charlie Austin, Richard Dunne, Gary O’Neil, Karl Henry and Danny Simpson to invigorate the promotion charge and Derry believes the right blend has been achieved.



‘I really sense there is a camaraderie beginning to take place, an appreciation of hard work and a togetherness that hasn’t been there for 24 months.’

