The long-serving Amit Bhatia has immediately stepped down from his role as chairman, but supporters will likely not be enthused by his successor.
After five years as chairman of the Hoops, Amit Bhatia has stood down from his role due to the fact that he cannot commit enough time to the role because of other commitments.
Bhatia first became involved with the R’s back in 2007, when he bought a stake in the club and subsequently became vice chairman off the back of that, at the same time that F1 moguls Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone had completed a takeover.
After briefly resigning from the board in 2011 after failing to purchase the entire club, Bhatia was vice chairman until 2018, when he stepped up to become the full-time chairman of the R’s, but a recent downfall in form for the club in the last 12 months has seen his stock somewhat diminish.
After 16 years of involvement, the 44-year-old, who is married to the daughter of minority QPR owner Lakshmi Mittal, will now leave the team.
What has Amit Bhatia stated in relation to QPR’s exit?
In a statement following his resignation from Loftus Road, Bhatia reaffirmed his commitment to being a QPR supporter in spite of his departure and the fact that his notoriety has recently rapidly declined.
Bhatia said, via QPR’s official website, “While the decision to step down as chairman was always going to be difficult and has been made with a very heavy heart, it is made with the best interests of the football club in mind.”
“I wanted to wait for the arrival of our new head coach to take place first and to ensure it was a process that could be conducted as smoothly as possible.
“I would like to use this moment to thank Gareth Ainsworth for all his best endeavors with the club. He is a fantastic man.
“Equally, I now wish Martí Cifuentes the very best of luck following his arrival.
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“Being chairman of QPR is a role I have held and served with immense pride.
“However, I fully recognize the responsibility of the position and the importance of a greater presence, not only at matches but also, where possible, on a day-to-day basis.
“Due to ever-increasing responsibilities and commitments on my time, it is now proving challenging for me to dedicate as much time to this position as is required and deserved.”
Who will be QPR’s next chairman?
There is going to be somewhat of a seamless transition between Bhatia departing and his replacement coming in to fill his shoes, as his successor has been at the club for a while anyway.
It is set to be a somewhat controversial one, though, as it is the club’s CEO, Lee Hoos, who is set to take on Bhatia’s job and essentially combine his two roles into one.
Hoos has also been criticized for the recent downfall of QPR, along with Bhatia and the owners, as well as previous director of football Les Ferdinand, so it’s not exactly an announcement that is set to get the R’s fans pulses racing.
They would have surely much preferred an outside hire with a clean slate, but they have got hoos, and you have to wonder if things will actually change now that Bhatia has gone.
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