Queens Park Rangers manager Julien Stéphan believes the coming months will be crucial to his side’s Championship ambitions, with almost half of the campaign set to be played between November and March.
The Frenchman heads into the November international break following a 2-1 victory over Lincoln City, secured through goals from Richard Kone and Glen Kamara. The result left Rangers eighth in the Championship after 15 matches, providing a positive conclusion to a demanding period of fixtures.
However, rather than concentrating on the disruption caused by two international breaks in relatively quick succession, Stéphan is looking towards the considerable number of games awaiting his squad over the winter months.
Stéphan Focused On Championship Challenge
Asked whether the frequency of international breaks affected his ability to develop the team, the QPR boss insisted that his attention remained firmly on matters within his control, rather than a schedule he cannot influence.
“Don’t really look at the different breaks,” he told assembled press, including Football Lowdown
“I’m more focused on the players and the team and how we want to develop the players, how we want to develop the team.
“I’m only focused every three, four, five days on the balance of power against the next opponent.
“And I don’t decide on the schedule. I don’t want to say anything about the schedule.
“I just want to stay focused on what we can deal with, in fact. And I can deal with the decisions that we take, the starting eleven, the subs that we can do, the communication that we have with the players.”
With only 15 of the Championship’s 46 matches completed, the division still has a considerable way to go. Stéphan believes the period following the international break will be particularly significant, not only because of the volume of fixtures but also because of the importance of maintaining squad availability and a positive environment around the club.
“And now, after this international break, we know that we will play almost 50% of the season between November and March.
“So it’s a key moment now of the season. We will start a key moment of the season and we have to continue just to progress collectively.
“I repeat, I hope we will have most of the players available during this period because it’s a key moment.
“And let’s see what can happen in the future. But yeah, it’s a very tough league, it’s a long, long journey.
“So we played only 15 games, represents 32% of the season. So many, many games to play until the end of the season.”
Squad Availability And Positive Momentum
Rangers have already had to contend with injury problems, including the absence of forward Alfie Lloyd, who is expected to remain sidelined until the new year. Stéphan’s emphasis on keeping players available reflects the challenge facing Championship clubs during a period when fixtures arrive regularly, and opportunities for recovery become limited.
The manager also highlighted the importance of the connection between players and supporters, suggesting that maintaining confidence and a positive atmosphere would be just as valuable as tactical preparation during the months ahead.
“And we have to stay just focused on what we can deal with. And we can deal with us only, the decisions that we take, the mindset that we have and the positivity that we have as well all together.
“The connection that we create between the players and the fans, and the atmosphere that we create around this team, it’s really, really important to stay positive.
“And I think the players deserve, with the game and with the way how they play, they deserve the rewards and they deserve to receive some good communication.”
The victory over Lincoln provided Rangers with a platform heading into the break, but Stéphan is clearly reluctant to attach too much significance to any individual result at this stage.
With the majority of the Championship season still to come, his priority remains developing the squad, maintaining availability and ensuring that recent progress continues through the demanding winter schedule.