QPR confirm big off-pitch update - Christian Nourry says it'll be a 'landmark' moment | OneFootball

The R's intend to submit an application for their academy setup to achieve Category 1 status

Queens Park Rangers have officially confirmed their intention to submit an application for Category 1 academy status.

The R's will seek to upgrade from their current Category 2 status over the next 18 months, with academy director Alex Carroll leading the 'ambitious' project.

Releasing an official statement on Wednesday, the West London club's CEO, Christian Nourry, also revealed his thoughts on the prospective application and what it means going forward.

QPR confirms intention to submit Category 1 academy status application

In an official club statement, Nourry opened up on the big off-pitch update for QPR as they pursue the highest tier of academy classification.

"This is an important next step for us as we look to develop and enhance every area of the football club," Nourry explained.

The upgrade from Category 2 would see QPR's academy operate at the same level as Premier League sides - whilst there a select few other Championship clubs that already hold the top status, which include Derby County and Blackburn Rovers.

Nourry added, "The next 18 months will be a major undertaking for our academy director Alex Carroll and his staff as they seek to meet the increasingly elevated standards that are required by the relevant institutions in order for us to successfully upgrade from our current Category 2 status. If successful, this will be another landmark milestone in the bright future that I believe we are all building for this football club."

Carroll then expressed his gratitude for the backing from the club's ownership group and spoke about why this upgrade is needed, saying, "I am extremely grateful to Christian and our ownership group for the belief shown in the potential of our long-term youth development strategy.

"The academy football landscape in London is highly competitive, and this news confirms our ambition to compete against the very best clubs in our area - as well as nationally. The significant investment in our facilities at TSG Training Centre will go a long way to attracting and retaining the very best talent - on and off the field - for our academy."

What achieving Category 1 status could mean for QPR

The most immediate impact of the proposed application by QPR being successful would be participation in Premier League 2 - the elite under-23 competition that replaced the old U21 Premier League and features 29 teams across two divisions.

As mentioned earlier, the PL2 includes the academy sides of every single current top-flight club. The only academy side whose first-team doesn’t compete in either the Premier League or Championship is Reading, who are obviously in the third-tier.

Category 1 clubs also receive much higher annual payments per player across all age groups, which could allow the R’s to widen their scouting network, as mentioned in the statement.

Also highlighted in the statement, the upgrade would provide greater protection against the poaching of young players by ‘bigger’ clubs. The regulations and compensation structures would make it more difficult for rival academies to lure away QPR's best prospects without the appropriate fee.

Ultimately, for Rangers fans, this announcement is a clear statement of intent from an ownership group that wants the club's youth teams to play at the highest standard possible - while also attracting the best players to come and develop in West London.