QPR: Legend and club both suffered from optimistic reunion - View | OneFootball

Gareth Ainsworth left his untouchable job at Wycombe Wanderers to join QPR. He was sacked just nine months into a three-and-a-half-year deal.

It seemed inevitable that Gareth Ainsworth would one day take charge of his former club, Queens Park Rangers. Sadly, when that day did come, the former Wycombe Wanderers boss found himself in a poisoned chalice.

The R's had just parted ways with manager Neil Critchley, as they struggled towards the bottom of the Championship. Ainsworth was starting to gain serious momentum with his Wycombe side, having won five matches on the bounce before he was poached away.

The reunion that everyone expected finally happened, as Ainsworth waved goodbye to Adams Park after ten years at the helm. But, it seemed like the romantic return was destined to fail, as QPR had been on a downward spiral since the departure of Mick Beale earlier in the season and were having some serious financial issues.

QPR rebuild didn't go as planned

After being appointed in late February, the 51-year-old was left with no choice but to try to keep the R's in the league with the players who were already at the club. This late appointment meant that the club legend couldn't dip into the transfer market to build his squad.

Whilst the London club only won three games under their new manager, back-to-back wins over Burnley and Stoke proved enough to secure QPR's Championship status next season. Results weren't great, as a 6-1 thumping by Blackpool early into Ainsworth's reign ignited relegation fears.

Thankfully, the former winger had succeeded in what he was brought in to do. There was no danger of the new boss losing his job, and he could now focus on building the squad ahead of the 2023/24 season. Unfortunately, a takeover wouldn't happen in time for the summer, but Ainsworth was a specialist at building a quality squad on a shoestring budget from his time at Wycombe.

Ainsworth said that he wanted "big changes" in the summer, as he set his sights on targets to fit his "very up and at 'em" style of play.

The majority of QPR's business that summer was done via the free agent market. However, Steve Cook from Nottingham Forest and a pre-agreement with Brighton for Taylor Richards meant the R's did splash some cash.

Opting to go for experience rather than youth, it soon became clear that Ainsworth wanted to secure the short-term future of the club as a whole in the Championship. Unfortunately, the Championship proved to be a different kettle of fish to what the 51-year-old was used to, despite coming so close to keeping Wycombe in the second tier just a couple of years before.

The squad struggled to click, which left QPR sitting second from bottom after 14 games. After six straight defeats, Ainsworth was given his marching orders in late October, to bring the reunion to an end. He was ultimately unable to replicate his miracles at Wycombe in a different environment, and with the pressure ramping up, the board were forced to act.

QPR sacking had a lasting impact on Ainsworth's career

Since the sacking, the man who once had the most secure job in the EFL has been unemployed. A return to Wycombe was impossible, as his replacement, Matt Bloomfield, has revolutionised the Chairboys, with a new era in Buckinghamshire in full swing.

Since then, there have been plenty of jobs available in what might be considered a good fit for Ainsworth. Despite this, no concrete rumours have emerged, which have seen the former QPR boss remain unemployed for almost a year. It's not known whether Ainsworth has had any offers that he's turned down, but the Wycombe legend has been involved in plenty of punditry since he departed from Loftus Road. This suggests that the 51-year-old isn't missing the technical area.

However, the unemployed man seems to be planning to make a return to management. It's been reported recently that Ainsworth has thrown his hat in the ring for the available Hearts job, sighting his ability to return the Tynecastle club to being Scotland's third force.

It would be interesting to see Ainsworth in the Hearts hot seat, as he looks to rebuild his career after an unsuccessful venture at QPR. Nobody can deny the unbelievable job the former player did at Wycombe, taking the club from the bottom of League Two to the Championship. But the R's failure raises the question of whether the EFL cult hero was a man suited to one club.

We've seen, plenty of times before, a manager who has been at a club for so long eventually moving on and not hitting the heights they did at their previous home. Paul Tisdale, formerly of Exeter City, is a prime example of this. The former Grecians boss was a success in Devon but failed to emulate that elsewhere.

Sadly for Tisdale, his managerial career began to fade into distant memories after failed stints at MK Dons, Bristol Rovers, and Stevenage. This begs the question of whether it could be a similar story to Ainsworth, which everyone hopes not, following his incredible work in High Wycombe.

Having established a culture in a familiar environment for so long, leaving that after a long time in charge would, of course, be a shock to the system. Taking a manager out of a club that they are the spine of, into a new environment is a big risk for all parties involved.

QPR are still feeling the effects of an uncertain Championship future, whilst Ainsworth remains without a club. On the contrary, Wycombe are now flying in their new era, but the transition from Ainsworth to Bloomfield took a season of building the foundations to set the Chairboys up for success.

To judge this, we will have to wait until Ainsworth gets a new job, and how he performs for his next employer. It would be far too harsh to say he's only suited to a single job after one sacking, especially in a job as challenging as QPR.