Ramsey took over at QPR in February and was appointed permanent manager in May

QPR: Chris Ramsey says players have 'taken advantage of' club

QPR manager Chris Ramsey claims players have "taken advantage" of the club in recent seasons.

The 53-year-old told Golsicilia.it Sport the "big-spending days are behind us" after relegation from the Premier League, their second in three seasons.

Ramsey's predecessor Harry Redknapp has described the club as a "soap opera" and said many players earn "far too much money".

Ramsey said: "We know there's been some players who could have helped us more."

In a wide-ranging with Football Focus, he also discusses the problems facing black managers and the future of in-demand striker Charlie Austin.

‘We have to get bargains’

Between May 2011 and January 2013 QPR signed 27 players under three different managers – Neil Warnock, Mark Hughes and Redknapp.

Ramsey was appointed permanent manager in May after filling the role since Redknapp's resignation in February, Les Ferdinand having taken over as head of football operations in October 2014.

"Unfortunately there's been a situation where the club has been taken advantage of at different times," Ramsey said.

"Bringing Les in to try and calm things down, make sure everything is done correctly, is a big move by the club.

"I must commend the players that were here last season who did actually try to keep us up. The players that are here really want to get back to the big time.

"First of all we have to stabilise the club in order to move forward.

"The club realise that the big-spending days are behind us and we either have to get some good bargains and good characters or develop our own players."

Will Austin and Phillips be sold?

Charlie Austin has scored four goals in his past three matches

In July, QPR rejected a £12m bid from Leicester for striker Charlie Austin, their top scorer last term with 18 goals in the Premier League.

It is understood QPR want at least £15m for the 26-year-old, who joined from Burnley in August 2013.

Midfielder Matt Phillips has also been linked with West Brom and Crystal Palace. 

Former Tottenham first-team coach Ramsey said: "The fact is the players who have been speculated about are good characters who worked their guts off in pre-season and they've kept focused.

"As you can see, Matty and Charlie, they're scoring goals and creating goals. They've been fantastic.

"Players may come in. We haven't made any offers on anyone at the moment and we've had no offers for those players either."

‘We need to cut these barriers down’

Ramsey is one of only six black managers in charge of the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs.

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has said football has a "hidden resistance" to appointing black managers, while the Football League said in June it was considering plans to increase those numbers.

Ramsey said: "I don't think it's a football problem. It's a problem of society.

"It's changing; probably it hasn't changed quickly enough. I am fortunate that I've just got under the barrier with my age but I'm hoping there's going to be some doors open for other people to come in.

"I'm not just talking about black coaches. I'm talking about people from all persuasions, and I'm talking about gender even. Why shouldn't there be a female coach in the dugout at some point?

"A coach with obvious disabilities or someone that's openly homosexual – why shouldn't that happen?

"We have to really cut all these barriers down and make it more of an equal opportunities issue than just about black coaches."

Watch Football Focus on Golsicilia.it One on Saturday at 11:30 BST.