Queens Park Rangers are furious with Jose Bosingwa after he was caught laughing just moments after the club’s relegation was confirmed.
Players and members of the Rangers hierarchy were said to be angered by the Portuguese defender’s antics after the final whistle of Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Reading — which condemned both clubs to the Championship next season. Enraged fans took to Twitter and internet message boards to express their anger — branding the 30-year-old, who earns £65,000 a week, a ‘mercenary’ and a ‘disgrace’.
Many Rangers players were unaware of his untimely smirk until well after the game. But after learning about the right back’s reaction, it is claimed several were livid at Bosingwa’s apparent lack of respect. His reaction, however, did not come as a complete surprise to his team-mates.
Embarrassment: Jose Bosingwa (right) was castigated for laughing as he left the pitch after QPR were relegated
Bosingwa, who joined QPR from Chelsea last August, was already an unpopular figure among players and board members at Loftus Road after refusing to sit on the substitutes’ bench earlier in the season.
He was fined two weeks’ wages over the incident and fiercely criticised by manager Harry Redknapp. The full back has endured a torrid season on the pitch, too, and poor performances have failed to endear him to the home supporters.
He is viewed as ‘arrogant’ and ‘disrespectful’ by some members of the squad, while others are said to go out of their way to avoid him at the club’s Harlington training complex.
Likewise, he is disliked by members of the club’s top brass and staff.
Sunday’s show of disrespect has seen his reputation with team-mates and club chiefs hit rock bottom. Despite this, Redknapp defended his player, insisting he was sharing a joke with Reading’s Portuguese substitute Daniel Carrico. ‘He was laughing because as he walked down the tunnel, another foreign lad came up and said something to him and he laughed and put his arm around him,’ said Redknapp.
‘He wasn’t laughing about being relegated, that’s for sure.’
You too: Clint Hill was also grinning after the two sides were condemned to the Championship
As revealed by Sportsmail on Saturday, QPR co-owner Tony Fernandes will meet Redknapp this week to discuss the playing squad for next season in the Championship.
And Bosingwa will be first on the list of players the club will look to shift.
It could prove easier said than done. Rangers tried to offload the defender in January but he refused to move for anything less than his current £65,000-per-week wages.
Redknapp now faces a summer of clearing out the big earners from a divided dressing room in order to recruit characters with the stomach for the fight ahead.
‘There are problems within the club,’ he admitted.
‘You need players who are going to be up for playing three times a week, not people who play on a Saturday and feel tired all week and can just about raise a gallop the following Saturday.’
Huddling up: Reading players try to psyche themselves up before the match
Meanwhile QPR midfielder Joey Barton, on loan at Marseilles, hit out at Bosingwa
'I can't believe QPR have just been relegated and Boswinga was walking down the tunnel laughing,' said Barton on Twitter.
'Embarrassing. Show some guts man.
'The League table doesn't lie. Both sides haven't won enough games to deserve to stay up. Reading in a better position than QPR though.'
He added: 'Gutted for the club. To many w*****s amongst the playing staff. All brought in by (former manager Mark) Hughes.
'Some good lads but not enough. Too many maggots.
'Hope they can get a load out, if not they'll end up in a Wolves situation because trust me that Championship is a f****** hard league!
'League table doesn't lie. Both sides haven't won enough games to deserve to stay up. Reading in a better position than QPR though...'
Reading manager Nigel Adkins, by contrast, claimed to have already learned enough about his players to feel positive about Reading’s promotion chances. He has only been in charge for five games.
‘I’m very positive,’ said Adkins, who led Southampton to promotion in successive seasons. ‘We’ve got a really good group of players. They won the Championship last season, but unfortunately the Premier League got away from us. There is not a great track record of teams bouncing back, but I’ve done that before at Scunthorpe, albeit at a different level. The drive and ambition will be there.’
Chipping in: Jay Bothroyd tried a lob in the goalless draw at the Madejski