‘Gary, I want you to take charge’ Gareth Ainsworth says Flavio Briatore was always getting his name wrong at QPR during 2008/09's chaos season

By Ed McCambridge
published

In February, Gareth Ainsworth swapped a long-term gig at Wycombe to return to QPR, whom he'd managed on a caretaker basis previously

Gareth Ainsworth and Flavio Briatore
(Image credit: Getty)

Many football fans questioned Gareth Ainsworth's decision to swap Wycombe Wanderers for QPR in February. 

With the Chairboys chasing promotion to the Championship at the time, and the West Londoners at risk of dropping out of it, it appeared a risky move for the English manager. Yet Ainsworth's attachment to QPR ran deep, with the then-49 year old having played for and managed the club (twice on a caretaker basis) previously. 

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Ed McCambridge
Ed McCambridge
Staff Writer

Ed is a staff writer at FourFourTwo, working across the magazine and website. A German speaker, he’s been working as a football reporter in Berlin since 2015, predominantly covering the Bundesliga and Germany's national team. Favourite FFT features include an exclusive interview with Jude Bellingham following the youngster’s move to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, a history of the Berlin Derby since the fall of the Wall and a celebration of Kevin Keegan’s playing career.