Queens Park Rangers boss Steve McClaren was happy with Leistner and Lynch’s performance on Saturday and will want to see more of the same.
Queens Park Rangers boss Steve McClaren has confirmed he is happy with the potential partnership of Toni Leistner and Joel Lynch, and rightly so.
The 57-year-old is set for his first competitive game as QPR boss and was pleased with the defensive duo after Saturday’s friendly win over FC Union Berlin.
The R’s travel to Deepdale to face Preston on August 4 and McClaren was full of praise for the pair, in particular Leistner, who made his first appearance at Loftus Road.
“Toni was behind the rest of the group fitness wise so has been catching up and the partnership he formed with Lynchy was very good,” McClaren told QPR’s official page.
“We have said to the team about the importance of communication. We want them to talk, talk, talk, to make the job easier and you can see that from Toni, you can see it from Lynchy. You can’t play silent football. You need vocality and we got that.
“It was a difficult game for Toni against his former club but he kept his focus, did his job and did it very well,” the former Derby County and Newcastle United man added.
Overall, the early signs are looking good but the R’s faithful will want to see this form translate into the Championship, week in, week out, where it matters.
Lynch is a seasoned pro at this level and, if he stays fit, he will likely prove vital for the west Londoners.
Leistner arrives with a strong reputation and it appears that the German has settled in well to the side, with the QPR fans keen to see his early progress continue throughout the season.
Although QPR are somewhat light in defence – not helped with Darnell Furlong’s recent injury setback – Rangers fans can feel quietly confident that, if Lynch and Leistner continue to blossom, the Hoops can make themselves hard to break down this season.
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