"Got to be looking at better" - QPR told to shun 45-year-old EFL manager despite play-off heroics | OneFootball

Wellens is high up in bookmaker odds to be appointed at Loftus Road, but not everyone is enthusiastic at the potential of that happening

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Even though Queens Park Rangers still technically have a head coach in the form of Marti Cifuentes, the Hoops hierarchy are on the hunt for his successor, having placed the Spaniard on gardening leave in late April.

The 42-year-old had action taken against him after it was reported that his representatives had been in talks with Championship rivals West Brom over their managerial vacancy, and after it emerged he was not on the club's shortlist to replace Tony Mowbray, Cifuentes is now seemingly waiting for another club to come in for his services.

Whilst that happens, QPR are on the hunt for a replacement, and with many names being banded around in the bookmaker odds, one individual who is prominent is Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens.

QPR urged to steer clear of any potential Richie Wellens approach

Wellens is making waves with Orient in League One, and his side will contest the play-off final at Wembley next weekend, meaning he could be a Championship manager for the very first time.

Despite that though, FLW's QPR fan pundit Louis Moir believes that given his lack of experience in the second tier of English football, the 45-year-old should be politely declined as a candidate, despite the good work he has been doing lower down the pyramid.

"Richie Wellens has obviously done a really good job with Leyton Orient," Louis told FLW.

"You look at his overall win ratio and it's quite good. He's had Charlie Kelman there as well which is a massive help, the amount of goals he's scored for them.

"Again, with a couple of these managerial names, it's one name that I think we can do a whole lot better - it may sound a bit harsh not sort of giving someone a chance at Championship level, but for me, you want a bit more pedigree behind the appointment, a bit more know-how, you want a bit more experience, a bit more excitement surrounding that sort of appointment.

"Obviously, Richie Wellens is doing really well in League One - would he cut it in the Championship? I'm not too sure.

"You get a couple of managers who make that step up and they might find the Championship and the gap is a bit too big - not to say he wouldn't, but in our position, wanting to kick on as a club and looking for that top six hope, is he going to be the man to do that? I'm just not so sure - I think we've got to be looking at better names than him."

Richie Wellens could be too big of a risk for QPR if he is a serious candidate

With League One being the highest level that Wellens has managed so far in his career, there's every right to be cautious about his potential job prospects.

His stock has never been higher though, and should Orient win the play-off final next weekend, Wellens will be a Championship manager through earning it, and he may not want to depart anyway if that's the case.

For QPR though, they could do with some Championship experience perhaps for their next move - Cifuentes was exciting and he came from no history himself of England's second tier, but there are a lot of candidates out there who know the league and who could potentially be an upgrade.