Ian Holloway is approaching a critical time as QPR boss.

The days of big spending at Loftus Road have gone and there are early signs that perhaps he is building something of a different legacy, one in which good young players are brought through or scouted from all across the country.

Look at Ebere Eze or Ryan Manning, two young players currently looking at home in the Championship who cost very little.

Gone are the days of huge transfer fees and similar wages, there's almost a parity being restored in West London that has been a long time coming.

That said, there will need to be some investment.

Whilst Millwall have proven you don't need a Premier League budget to break into the top six, elsewhere the opposite could be said.

Bristol City and Preston have both tumbled out of contention as big-spenders such as Fulham and Boro have put their squads to excellent use recently.

Whatever does happen at Loftus Road, there are three players they simply cannot afford to lose this coming summer.

A mid-table finish might be acceptable right now, but fans will want to see a marked improvement next season and perhaps some consistency also.

After all, conceding four at Hull on Saturday only to rattle the same past Sheffield Wednesday three days later shows signs of promise but perhaps also naivety, something that must be dealt with.

Here are FLW's three players QPR must not lose in the summer...

Eze is the great hope, a player who started the season on loan in League Two and is finishing it with a growing price tag and reputation to match.

The manager has compared him to the great Stan Bowles and there's an expectation on his shoulders that he might be the first of the 'new breed', the home grown players emerging from the youth ranks to set Loftus Road alight. If he were cashed in for a quick buck, it could seriously damage the new philosophy at QPR.

Whilst the focus is on the new, the old must also be carefully looked after. Onuoha might harp back to the big-spending days of Flavio Briatore, but he's also experienced and calm at the back.

The young players will need someone to look to, a 'been there, done that' type of character who can guide them through the tricky waters of Championship football. Out of contract Onuoha is that player, but they must retain his services this summer.

24-year old left back Robinson is also out of contract this summer and he's another the club have identified as wanting to keep.

The danger here is perception. If the club want to keep him and are unable to do so, it speaks volumes about their ambition or how players look at them. Robinson might be in and out of the team but he has bags of potential and if the club state openly they want to keep him, they must achieve that goal.