QPR MANAGER HARRY Redknapp has admitted Jose Bosingwa was taken off at half-time during their game with Newcastle at the weekend because of the abuse directed at him by the club’s fans.

The Portuguese player has often been criticised for his performances since joining the club, despite reportedly being on excessive wages.

He was at fault for both Newcastle’s goals against QPR on Sunday, and Redknapp said that it was impossible for him to continue owing to the hostility that home fans showed towards him, which included chants of ‘we don’t want you here’.

“It wasn’t going to help anyone was it,” Redknapp told reporters.

“You can’t play with that sort of negativity around the place, so I decided to change it. He’d cost us a couple of goals and I decided to bring on Fabio and Shaun Derry, who will always give an honest performance.

“He [Bosingwa] didn’t make mistakes purposely, but it cost him and cost us, though I’m not blaming him entirely.

“We needed a lift at half-time and I took him off because I felt it wasn’t a good feeling if we’re trying to get back in the game. You need the crowd to be with us and they were obviously very upset with him.”

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