What's in Harry's in-tray? Redknapp must bring harmony to a divided dressing room at QPR

Mark Hughes knew he had a problem at QPR when one of his players walked into his office last season and told him he had never witnessed a dressing room so torn apart by tension, bitterness and deep, mutual dislike.

'The players basically told Hughes that everyone in that dressing room hated each other,' a QPR source told Sportsmail recently.

'Mark was a bit taken aback. He was used to problems between players at clubs, but this was different.

Change places: Harry Redknapp (right) is set to replace Mark Hughes (left) at QPR

'He was being told that there were so many different issues between players that it was hard to keep track of them all.'

Fast forward a few months, and Hughes has paid the price for being unable to mould a reasonably talented group of players into an effective unit. QPR have been found wanting not for ability, rather for attitude and application.

From this day on, this is Harry Redknapp's biggest problem.

Divisive individuals such as Joey Barton may have been moved on by Hughes but enormous issues remain for Redknapp to address.

One of them is a split in the dressing room between players brought to the club in the summer and those who remain from last season.

Barton's exile to France has not put a stop to those completely.

On the field, Redknapp will soon discover that some of the key players bought in the summer have just not performed.

Moved on: Mark Hughes loaned Joey Barton to Marseille

Target: Redknapp may try to buy Michael Dawson (right) from his former club Tottenham

Park Ji-sung has been a disappointment, not in attitude but in performance.

Experienced central defender Ryan Nelsen was signed as back-up in the summer but has transpired to be one of the club's few reliable performers.

Elsewhere, Redknapp will have to deal with the brooding presence of goalkeeper Rob Green - bought from West Ham in the summer and then replaced immediately by the experienced Brazilian Julio Cesar - and the talented but erratic Adel Taarabt.

Redknapp prides himself on his man-management skills. Over the coming weeks and months, he will need them.

Sign a goalscorer

He will only be given £10million in January so he will have to spend it wisely.



But a new striker will be his priority and a move for Michael Dawson to shore up the defence is likely too.



Rangers lack a real cutting edge up front. Harry will know that.



Spark: Redknapp must get Djibril Cisse (right) back to goalscoring ways

Find a settled side

Part of Hughes's problem was that he was unable to select a settled side due to injuries and suspensions.



There is not enough strength in depth within the squad to make changes every week. Harry needs to find an XI and stick with it.

Spark Cisse

With Bobby Zamora out for three months with a hip injury, Redknapp will have to rely on Djibril Cisse to be his No 1 striker until January.



Redknapp knows his side must not be cut adrift at the turn of the year. He'll need Cisse firing to achieve that.



