QPR's Ilias Chair situation: Big Charlie Austin claim backed - 'high hopes' verdict emerges | OneFootball

FLW's QPR fan pundit has given his reaction to claims made by the club's former striker Charlie Austin about attacker Ilias Chair.

As the Championship season draws to a close, Queens Park Rangers supporters may be wondering what could have been.

QPR spent much of the first half of the season in and around the top six after a strong start to life under head coach Julien Stephan, but a run of just three wins in 15 games over the winter period saw them slide down the table.

The R's have rediscovered their form in recent weeks, picking up 10 points from their last four games, but it may be too late for them to launch a late play-off push, with Stephan's men currently sitting nine points behind sixth-placed Southampton with just five matches remaining.

One man who could have made a difference to the Hoops' season is attacker Ilias Chair, but after missing over two months earlier in the campaign, the 28-year-old has been sidelined since early December due to a calf injury.

Chair has been limited to just 11 appearances for QPR this season, but he is now back on the grass and is expected to resume training with his team-mates imminently after his lengthy lay-off, suggesting he could play a part over the coming weeks.

Former R's striker Charlie Austin recently backed Chair to get back to his best after his injury issues, describing him as a "special" player and claiming that his return will be a "massive boost" for the club and would add "another dimension" to their forward line.

Exciting QPR, Ilias Chair prediction issued after Charlie Austin comments

When asked for his reaction to Austin's comments, FLW's QPR fan pundit Louis Moir agreed that Chair could be an influential figure for the R's next season, despite his recent injury woes, and he insisted that the Morocco international is still one of the best attacking midfielders in the Championship on his day.

"100%," Louis told FLW.

"Despite the talented players we've got at the club who have performed well this season, when fit and at his best, Ilias Chair is clearly the best player at QPR.

"I think he's one of the best attacking number 10s in the whole league when he's fully fit and firing.

"It's just such a shame he's been with injuries.

"We've been so used to him being consistent and playing a lot of games every season, and fingers crossed it's not him getting older and becoming more affected injury wise, hopefully it's just a little blip in his career.

"We need him back.

"I've got massively high hopes for him next season.

"I think every QPR fan has hoped that, in terms of numbers and goals and assists, Chair will just have that one season where he blows up, and that could be next season if he stays injury free.

"He's a special player, he's still the best player at the club, but I suppose it's exciting in one way that we've done as well as we have without him so much this season.

"He's been out for so long, but you could only imagine if we did have Chair fit, even though it wouldn't have been all on him, he would surely have contributed massively.

"Who knows, we might have been closer to the play-offs if he was fit and playing more games.

"He's a top player, and I'm glad it seems he's going to be at QPR for another season, so fingers crossed he gets fit, stays injury free, and next season could be a big one, not just for us, but for him and few other players at the club as well."

Ilias Chair return could save Julien Stephan and QPR a big transfer headache

It has been a positive first season for QPR under Stephan, particularly given that they have been without Chair for much of the campaign.

If the R's are to take the next step and reach the play-offs next season, they will need to strengthen the squad this summer, but the return of a fully fit Chair will be like a new signing for the West London outfit, potentially saving them millions in the transfer market.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Chair will be able to rediscover the form he produced before his injury problems, but there is no doubt that the Hoops are a better side with their talisman, and he could be the missing piece that helps Stephan's men close the gap to the top six.