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Redknapp slams rich QPR flops

Newcastle - QPR manager Harry Redknapp has slammed his QPR flops as over-paid under-achievers after the west London side's 1-0 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday.

Redknapp was seething with his players in the aftermath of his first defeat since officially taking over from Mark Hughes last month and the former Tottenham boss claimed too many of his squad aren't earning their vast salaries.

Backed by QPR's Malaysian owner Tony Fernandes, Hughes, who was sacked to make way for Redknapp, embarked on a pre-season spending spree that saw a host of big name players, including Jose Bosingwa, Esteban Granero, Julio Cesar and Andrew Johnson, arrive at Loftus Road on high wages.

But those stars have failed to repay the club's investment and will reach Christmas second bottom of the Premier League with just one win from 18 matches.

"There are a lot of players at this club who earn far too much money for what they are; far, far, far too much money for their ability and what they give to the club," Redknapp said.

"I don't really want to see the owners have their pants taken down like they have in the past. There's a lot of agents made money out of them.

"I fined a player last week and he was earning more than any player earned at Tottenham.

"You shouldn't be paying massive wages when you've got a stadium that holds 18 000 people.

"This club (Newcastle) holds 52 000 and most of their players will be nowhere near some of the wages some of the players are earning here (at QPR)."

Redknapp also confirmed that Portugal right-back Bosingwa had been fined a fortnight's wages after refusing to sit on the bench for last weekend's 2-1 victory over Fulham.

Bosingwa signed from Chelsea in pre-season on a big-money contract but has so far failed to deliver the performances to match his salary.

"He didn't want to be on the bench and didn't want to be a substitute, so he went home," Redknapp said.

"He has been fined two weeks' wages, £130 000 (R1.8m). Not too bad for two weeks, decent isn't it? Not too bad for playing on a Saturday, it's okay."

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