| Hayden interview 13:44 - Sep 25 with 2596 views | E17hoop |
I won't link to the Daily Mail and it's behind a paywall, but, with a few tools, this is what he said:
How Project Youth, the 'Lionel Messi of football business' and a rising star in the dugout are leading QPR's revival: INSIDE THE EFL
When Isaac Hayden was weighing up his future this summer, there was one option that stood above the rest.
‘That period was quite special,’ Hayden tells Daily Mail Sport when reflecting on his successful loan spell at QPR during the second half of the 2023-24 season, when Marti Cifuentes' side won nine of 17 games to pull away from relegation danger having been three points adrift.
‘I don't think people quite understand how difficult that scenario is. Mentally to be able to turn it around, and points-wise it was phenomenal. The camaraderie and togetherness created and harnessed from everyone was outstanding. You don't get that everywhere.’
Back then, Hayden arrived at Loftus Road on loan on deadline day of the winter window, when things were looking bleak. He featured in each of those remaining 17 games under Cifuentes, playing a crucial role as the Rs pulled six points clear of the drop and avoiding falling into the third tier for what would have been the first time in 21 years.
‘So many other clubs have been in those situations and gone down,’ Hayden adds.
‘That period always sat well with me and when you look at the club now with the project, it aligned with what I wanted to do and where I am in my career. I’ve really enjoyed being back and it feels like I never left.’
Hayden’s permanent move to Loftus Road was confirmed on August 25, after he was released by Newcastle three weeks earlier.
The 30-year-old spent nine years with the Magpies, making 171 appearances, although his future had long been away from St James’ Park.
Hayden played an important role in helping Newcastle get promoted from the Championship in 2017 before establishing the club back in the Premier League, but following the Saudi takeover in October 2021 he made just eight more appearances for Eddie Howe's side, and in 2022 was told that he was surplus to requirements.
His arrival in west London, a few days after a chastening 7-1 defeat by Coventry, has coincided with an impressive run of form for QPR, who have picked up three successive wins.
The Rs sit ninth in what is their 11th consecutive season in the Championship and there is optimism around Loftus Road under highly rated French manager Julien Stephan.
‘It’s been a decent start,’ adds Hayden, who has come off the bench in each of the victories. ‘Especially with the turnover of players and a new head coach. That's never easy, but the lads have done really well and we’re looking up now.’
And what about Stephan, the 45-year-old known for developing young talent and leading Rennes to their first trophy for 48 years in 2019 - and into the Champions League a year later?
‘He's been fantastic,’ explains Hayden. ‘It's never easy coming to a different league, but the transition period has been good. Everyone's learned a lot and we've seen that in the last couple of games with the progress we've made. The detail, the level of work we do, and the training sessions are all second to none.
‘You can tell he's got that knack for nurturing and helping young players yet even as an experienced player I'm learning and improving every day.’
Hayden’s arrival came amid a busy summer for QPR, who also saw Cifuentes depart for Leicester.
10 senior players joined, while several others departed, including long-serving left back Kenneth Paal and the experienced pair of Jack Colback and Morgan Fox.
Many signings have been young and exciting talents, like sought-after Wycombe striker Richard Kone, 22, who has already netted three times in five games.
There has been a focus on bringing the squad's average age down, a move driven by ambitious CEO Christian Nourry, who was appointed aged 26 in January 2024 with the task of modernising the club and developing young players through a data-led recruitment strategy to help achieve financial self-sufficiency.
Hayden is a slight anomaly within the squad given he is one of only four players aged 30 or over, yet he is relishing the responsibility.
‘When you hit 30 it's almost a sacred topic,’ Hayden says. ‘For me it’s about giving as much as I can on and off the pitch and making sure I'm pushing everybody in the right direction and helping the young players develop.
‘There’s a nice balance within our squad. When I was here on loan, maybe it wasn’t as balanced as it should have been. We were the third or fourth eldest squad in the league. This summer has shown that in terms of the profile of players we’ve bought in, but there is still a good core of experienced players. And over the season you need experienced ones, and you need the young players too.’
Hayden, 30, is relishing his role as one of the more experienced members of Stephan's squad and is enjoying helping youngsters such as teammate Rumarn Burrell (left)
It has been a turbulent period for QPR fans since relegation from the Premier League in 2015.
Much of it has been spent around the lower reaches of the Championship, with a ninth-place finish in 2020-21 their best performance during that time, while they have had 10 permanent managers.
However, CEO Nourry is a fascinating figure at the heart of things now after previously working for football data analytics and advisory business RETEXO.
The company has advised some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Real Madrid, while Nourry also led the company’s audit of the Rs in the summer of 2023.
Once described as ‘the Lionel Messi of the football business world’ given his precociousness, the administrator has attracted criticism from fans for some of his decisions and occasionally tetchy relationships with staff, which reports suggested included former boss Cifuentes.
However, he has developed the club through a modern, data-driven approach which has seen them adapt to new technologies like AI. He has also introduced a club-wide ‘game model’, while QPR's innovation is shown through their appointment of a Head of Methodology and a Director of Sporting Operations.
The season has begun nicely and alongside Hayden, QPR’s squad includes former wonderkid Karamoko Dembele, Chelsea academy product Harvey Vale, talented Japanese winger Koki Saito and veteran defender Steve Cook, while Jonathan Varane, half brother of former Man United, Real Madrid and France star Raphael, continues to impress.
And Hayden is loving having a permanent home after years of uncertainty towards the end of his time at Newcastle.
‘It wasn't easy,’ Hayden says of a three-year period when he had loan spells of mixed success at Norwich, Standard Liege, QPR and Portsmouth. ‘When you're consistently on loan you never feel as integrated as you would want to be.
‘You get used to one place and then you move again. I was just glad to get the deal done and desperate to get in the building and start helping.’
Hayden, who spent time training with Newcastle’s academy during his exile from the first team, is also a key part of Jamaica’s quest to qualify for their second ever World Cup.
Steve McClaren’s side, which includes several other British-based players such as Brentford's Ethan Pinnock, Demarai Gray of Birmingham and Hayden's club-mate Rumarn Burrell, are well placed to do that.
Hayden started recent victories over Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago that have put the Reggae Boyz top of their group. Stay there and they will qualify for the first time since France '98, in a process that has been streamlined by the fact that the three North American giants, USA, Canada and Mexico, are already in as hosts.
Confidence generated by those exploits will only help Hayden’s cause at QPR and he is optimistic heading forward.
‘It’s about progress,’ he concludes. ‘We need to follow the right processes and what the head coach wants us to do to make sure we’re not in a relegation battle like we have been. If we do that, we will climb up and be in a healthy position.
‘I've had a couple of years where I haven't played as much as I’d like and you’re always playing catch-up when you’ve been training by yourself or not had a pre-season. I just want to play as many games as possible and help the club achieve as many of their goals as I can.’ |  |
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| Hayden interview on 14:26 - Sep 25 with 2403 views | Mick_S |
Thanks for that, mate - very positive stuff. |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Hayden interview on 15:25 - Sep 25 with 2149 views | kensalriser |
There's a rather large and heavy hand of PR behind that. Reads like an advertorial. |  |
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| Hayden interview on 15:32 - Sep 25 with 2086 views | Rsole |
| Hayden interview on 15:25 - Sep 25 by kensalriser |
There's a rather large and heavy hand of PR behind that. Reads like an advertorial. |
AIsaac ? |  |
| Those possessed by devils, try and keep them under control a bit, can't you ?
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| Hayden interview on 15:42 - Sep 25 with 2040 views | W7Ranger |
| Hayden interview on 15:32 - Sep 25 by Rsole |
AIsaac ? |
I shave my alsaac. |  | | |
| Hayden interview on 15:50 - Sep 25 with 1977 views | Rsole |
| Hayden interview on 15:42 - Sep 25 by W7Ranger |
I shave my alsaac. |
You must have some of Arteta’s tricky balls | |
| Those possessed by devils, try and keep them under control a bit, can't you ?
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| Hayden interview on 16:16 - Sep 25 with 1859 views | qprd |
| Hayden interview on 15:25 - Sep 25 by kensalriser |
There's a rather large and heavy hand of PR behind that. Reads like an advertorial. |
agreed, this is where most qpr fans get frustrated
bad results and everyone goes into hiding, fan forums get delayed/cancelled, etc
few good results and the athletic is doing profiles on kieran morgan, christian nourry is being called messi etc |  | | |
| Hayden interview on 16:25 - Sep 25 with 1826 views | loftupper |
| Hayden interview on 16:16 - Sep 25 by qprd |
agreed, this is where most qpr fans get frustrated
bad results and everyone goes into hiding, fan forums get delayed/cancelled, etc
few good results and the athletic is doing profiles on kieran morgan, christian nourry is being called messi etc |
Hasn't this always been the case? Used to see it more with Managers having favourite journalists they would leak stories to knowing it would be written in their favour.
Puff pieces and opinions have replaced most journalism everywhere these days. Don't see it as a reason to knock the club. | | | |
| Hayden interview on 17:57 - Sep 25 with 1482 views | nix |
| Hayden interview on 16:25 - Sep 25 by loftupper |
Hasn't this always been the case? Used to see it more with Managers having favourite journalists they would leak stories to knowing it would be written in their favour.
Puff pieces and opinions have replaced most journalism everywhere these days. Don't see it as a reason to knock the club. |
Yep all interviews with sports people are identical. They all have to work hard, play for the team, be humble, focus and think the coach is the bees knees. When was the last time anyone said post-match that their performance was the difference, or that their goalie is rubbish with his feet or that they loathe their teammates? Hardly worth conducting them. |  | | |
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| Hayden interview on 18:17 - Sep 25 with 1392 views | Match82 |
"Once described as ‘the Lionel Messi of the football business world’ "
Jesus Christ. I'm going to need a source for that, do we think it's his mum or his agent? |  | | |
| Hayden interview on 18:57 - Sep 25 with 1240 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Meanwhile Messi's at home in Miami getting a bit tired of being called "the Christian Nourry of actual football". |  |
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| Hayden interview on 19:52 - Sep 25 with 1068 views | Mick_S |
Oh dear. I think I may have to downvote myself. 😉 | |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Hayden interview on 19:52 - Sep 25 with 1057 views | GroveR |
I think he was a good signing and he'll add some needed experience in the middle but he looked miles off it when he came off the bench against stoke. |  | | |
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