John Eustace admitted he learnt a lot about his players after his first game in charge of Sky Bet Championship relegation strugglers Derby ended in a thumping 4-0 defeat at QPR.
Ilias Chair scored twice, with Koki Saito and Ronnie Edwards also on target on a disastrous first day at the office for the new Rams boss.
Eustace raised eyebrows this week by leaving Blackburn, a side challenging for promotion to the Premier League, for one battling to avoid the drop to League One.
While Rovers lie fifth, Derby’s humbling in west London meant they slipped into the bottom three on goal difference.
Eustace, whose final match with Rovers was a 2-1 defeat at Loftus Road just 10 days earlier, said: “Obviously I’m really disappointed with the result.
“I learnt a lot about the group tonight, and there’s lots I’m excited about. There is also lots we can improve on.
“I thought we started well but the goal they scored knocked the wind out of our sails. Then we didn’t defend the box well enough for the second, third and fourth goals.
“We’ve got an exciting week ahead on the training pitch and lots to work on. I know this group of players is going to fight for every point and the hard work starts on Monday.
“I’ve come to Derby not just for the short term but for the long term and it’s my job now to give as much confidence as I can to the players. You can see they are low on confidence at the moment.”
Chair fired Rangers in front with his first goal of the season, a rocket from just outside the box.
A low cross from the Moroccan winger then landed at the feet of Saito, who lashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Eustace’s first half-time team talk needed to be a good one, but whatever the message was it failed to have the desired effect.
Just before the hour mark Chair had his second, and Rangers’ third, when he tucked away a cut-back from Tottenham loanee Yang Min-hyeok.
Then Edwards, on loan from Southampton, headed the fourth from Kenneth Paal’s free-kick as Rangers, who could be dark horses for the play-offs, wrapped up a seventh win in eight home outings.
“I liked a lot of things about the performance,” said boss Marti Cifuentes.
“We didn’t really know what to expect from them but everybody was so committed.
“Ilias Chair is one of the best players in the league. I’m glad he got two goals. He’s a bit angry at me for taking him off because he wanted a hat-trick. We are happy he is playing well.”
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