QPR boost as Preston North End boss admits he's 'bothered' by pre-season

QPR face Preston North End in their opening fixture of the Championship season and Lilywhites boss Paul Heckingbottom is aware that his side must make progress in pre-season before then.

The second tier begins with the visit of Ipswich Town to Birmingham City on Friday, August 8 to kick-off a full weekend of features. QPR head coach Julien Stephan will oversee his first competitive match in charge of the R’s with the visit of Preston North End to Loftus Road.

Heckingbottom’s side narrowly avoided relegation last season, finishing in 20th and on 50 points, just one point above the drop zone. Preston North End were five places and six points behind QPR.

Paul Heckingbottom gives candid Preston North End evaluation

The London outfit completed the double over Preston North End last season, winning both fixtures 2-1 thanks to late goals from Jimmy Dunne and Lucas Andersen. Heckinbottom, who took over at the club last August, will be hoping to avoid that next season.

However, the Lilywhites coach has been candid in assessing his team’s flaws ahead of the Championship campaign. Preston North End were beaten 2-0 by League One outfit Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, a result which followed a goalless draw against Getafe and defeat to Liverpool.

Speaking to the club website after the match, Heckingbottom admitted he was ‘bothered’ by aspects of the performance and that players are struggling to take on new information ahead of the QPR clash. He said: “There’s bits of it I am bothered about, which I told the players, but we know we're affecting the performance with how hard we're training, so that's irrelevant.

“I want to see the players work their socks off and work as hard as they can and we'll get the maximum benefits out of it so that’s good. In terms of taking information on board, that's the bit that, regardless of how tired you are, you've got to do that. That's what we were poor at today. But I can't fault the players in these first four weeks, how hard they’ve been working.”

PNE could pose QPR threat on right flank

Heckingbottom did have praise for certain members of the first team, highlighting an area that looks to be a particular danger ahead of facing QPR. Odel Offiah and Thierry Small have both joined Preston North End from Brighton and Charlton Athletic respectively and look to be combining well on the right.

That could pose a threat for QPR, who still need to strengthen at left back ahead of the upcoming season. Kenneth Paal left as a free agent this summer and Harrison Ashby has returned to Newcastle United from his loan spell.

Heckingbottom said: “They look lively but I still think they need to be better. They can't be as loose as what they are when they play together.

“You see the chances they create, they can run and they'll be a handful whoever they play against so when you get these new players in, whether it's Thierry on the right or with Odel, Andy on the left, those at the top end of the pitch, you want them to form those relationships and understand how each of the players play as quickly as possible.

“Some things have been really interesting to see and promising, but it takes time. I think if they concentrate on it and keep working at it, they can only improve it.”

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