Former QPR manager Harry Redknapp has defended the transfer dealings that were conducted during his time at Loftus Road at the start of the current season.
?With QPR seemingly set for relegation this season, midfielder Joey Barton had pointed the finger at former manager Redknapp's transfer moves in the summer as the main reason for the Super Hoops' current predicament.
?Redknapp signed eight new players during the summer transfer window, while allowing 15 to leave and such wholesale changes has evidently done more harm than good.
?The 67-year old has since departed Loftus Road in order to undergo knee surgery and assistant Chris Ramsey has been left to pick up the pieces.
?Amid the criticism from Barton, the former West Ham United boss has gone on to defend his transfer activity and has stated that things were not ideal from a financial standpoint prior to the campaign.
?"We had 11 players in that squad who were there when QPR finished bottom and went down last time," Redknapp told talkSPORT.
?"It was very difficult. We did not recruit a player until nine days before the season started this year, because we did not feel we had the finances to do it.
?"We went to Ireland for a pre-season trip with 12 players. So we had to dive in and, by then, most of players you wanted had gone. But Tony and board said we have not got the money to get everyone in.
?"At the last minute, as he always does, Tony came up trumps and managed to get a few in. We took a couple of loans, got Rio on a free and spent money on Steven Caulker and Leroy Fer. It was a last-minute job, so it was not easy."?
