Mark Hughes insists he retains the full backing of QPR owner Tony Fernandes despite the club's woeful start to the season.
Hughes brought in 11 first-team signings this summer, some of them from glamour clubs like Real Madrid and Inter Milan. The Welshman has failed to get his team to gel, however, and he goes into Sunday's relegation six-pointer against Reading having seen his team take three points from their opening nine matches.
Fernandes has made a number of public statements backing his manager since last weekend's defeat to Arsenal - their sixth reverse of the season - and Hughes is sure the Malaysian businessman is fully behind his project at Loftus Road. "How many times does he have to say (he backs me)?" the QPR boss told a press conference.
"He doesn't say one thing to (the media) and another to me. That would be absolutely crazy. He is an honest guy and he is very open.
"We haven't discussed (my future). He is very supportive. He was very upbeat when I was with him yesterday. He is in great spirits."
After pumping tens of millions into the club, it would be understandable if Fernandes was upset at seeing QPR at the bottom of the table, especially after the Londoners' last-gasp escape from relegation last term.
Hughes, who had to endure speculation about his future while he was in charge at Manchester City, is therefore extremely grateful for Fernandes' backing.
"He is a great guy to work for. He is very enthusiastic. He has been a great help," the former Blackburn boss said.
"He is an outstanding guy, a very successful businessman, and he wants success for QPR.
"He knows he has people working exceptionally hard to make that happen for him and he is very clear in what we are trying to do. He is fully behind everything that we have tried to implement here."
Source: PA
