QPR's Italian Tour

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The tour was first announced in April:

Paladini a couple of months ago - Why Italy:
" I don't want people injured all the time for no reason. It was always the same - hamstring, hamstring, hamstring - and something can't be right there. ... I believe that going to Ibiza last summer wasn't the best preparation, especially working on the plastic pitch and I won't take the team there again." In Italy there will be better training facilities - and also it's an easy way for me to get home for a week!" http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/content/camden/kilburntimes/sport/story.aspx?brand=KLBTOnline&category=sportfootball&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=sportklbt&itemid=WeED10%20May%202006%2011%3A13%3A18%3A41 7


Paladini's QPR Rivals Interview (May 2) -New Suits
"... When we go to Italy in the pre-season all the players will have tailor made suits, with the club badge on so the players will really look the part for next season. That's another deal we've done."
http://queensparkrangers.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=925&p=2&stid=8410350


Paladini & Waddock Visited Italy at the End of April:
Also in that May 2, QPR Rivals Interview of Clive Whittingham's
"What will the team be doing this pre-season?
One week, the 23rd to the 29th of July I think, in Sorrento. Gary and I have been in Italy this week looking at the hotel and the facilities and it looks fantastic, a really first class place. We'll be playing two games against Savoia and Cavese, just warm up matches and then we're hoping to come back and play Fulham that Sunday but that hasn't been confirmed yet. Hopefully we'll be able to take some supporters with us to Italy, three hundred people for three hundred pounds each or something like that but there'll be more details later. http://queensparkrangers.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=925&p=2&stid=8410348


April 26 - QPR OFFICIAL SITE - ITALIA!
Sorrento
This summer, QPR will be preparing for the Championship season with a pre-season tour of Italy.
Gary Waddock and his squad will be travelling to the Gulf of Naples on July 23 and will face Sorrento Calcio and SS Cavese in a warm up to the 2006-07 campaign.
This season has been a successful one for both Italian teams. Sorrento finished top of Serie D Girone I and won promotion into Serie C2. Cavese also clinched promotion from Serie C2B and will play in Serie C1 next year.
Rangers will play on the Tuesday and Friday night, before returning to England where the final fine tuning will take place before the season begins.
The club are currently negotiating with Travel Counsellors to agree the best possible deal for fans wishing to travel.
The official trip will consist of accommodation, transfers and match tickets and will be seven days, six night from July 23 to 29.
Flights will have to be booked separately and can be done so via Travel Counsellors.
Any supporters who would like to register their interest can contact Carly Charteris at Travel Counsellors on 0845 058 7681.
A full and complete price package will be in place by next Wednesday May 10.
For all those supporters wishing to travel and pre-register, details will be sent to you no later than Wednesday evening.
Below is a brief outline of the history of Cavese, and for any Italian speaking Rangers, links to the clubs websites.
Sorrento Calcio
Cavese
Cavese were founded in 1919 as Unione Sportiva Cavese, and played its first match ever against Salernitana, ended in a 3-2 win for the Aquilotti. In 1922 the team merged with Libertas Sporting Club, another local team, in order to build a more competitive side. That same year, the team was admitted to the First Division (the equivalent of the nowadays' Serie A).
In 1974, after the relegation of the original team, who was playing the Serie D at the time, Cavese merged with Pro Salerno, another Serie D team, and renamed itself as Pro Cavese. The team returned to Serie C in 1978 and took back its original denomination in 1980.
In 1981, Cavese was able to gain its first (and only) promotion to Serie B. The first Serie B season for Cavese ended in a 15th place which allowed the team to avoid relegation. The 1982/1983 was the top season ever for the Campanian team in its whole history: in fact, Cavese was almost to reach a incredible promotion to Serie A, ending the first half of the season in a third placed, which would allow the promotion, and sixth at the end of the season.
That championship is remembered especially for the crushing 2-1 victory in San Siro against AC Milan. The scorers were Joe Jordan for Milan, and Tivelli and Di Michele for Cavese: after this shocking win, the team was nicknamed Real Cavese by the Italian sports columnists.
However the next season Cavese relegated to Serie C1, and was not able to reach Serie B anymore. The team was even cancelled from Italian football in 1991, and readmitted in the regional Eccellenza league with the current denomination.
Cavese website
Sorrento Calcio websitehttp://www.sorrentocalcio.com/indice.htm
http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~821771,00.html


QPR OFFICIAL SITE
R's fans making the official pre-season trip to Italy this summer will have the unique opportunity to mix with their heroes.
Gary Waddock and his squad travel to the Gulf of Naples on July 23 and will face Sorrento Calcio and SS Cavese in a warm up to the 2006/07 Coca Cola Championship campaign.
Supporters wishing to meet the managerial staff and players can do so at their Sorrento training camp on Thursday 27 July.
"Pre-season is a vitally important time for me and the players, but it'll be nice for them to be able to mix with the supporters,'' Waddock told qpr.co.uk.
"Although we'll be pushing them very hard in Italy, you can't expect it to be all work and no play and this will be a fantastic opportunity for them to chat with the supporters and share their views on the forthcoming season.''
You can rub shoulders with Wads' and Macca in Italy
http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~830832,00.html


21 - July 2006 QPR OFFICIAL SITE
ITALIAN JOB
Sorrento FC
As the clock ticks down on the R's pre-season preparations, qpr.co.uk brings you the final details of the Club's trip to Italy.
Gary Waddock's side face Serie C outfit Sorrento FC on Monday (6.30pm local time), before a trip to San Antonio Abate FC on Friday (6.30pm local time).
Please note, the San Antonio fixture replaces the scheduled game against Cavese FC.
The Italian Club's pitch is currently unplayable and as a result, the R's have been forced to switch their opposition at the eleventh hour.
http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~870710,00.html


Official Site - Player Scott Donnelly on the Tour

DAY ONE -SCOTT DONNELLY
QPR's pre-season trip has begun and each day we'll be catching up with the latest happenings with our players' diary entries.
Today a home sick Scott Donnelly told qpr.co.uk how his first day had been as Gary Waddock walked past three times, unable to get his door key to open his room.
Despite the fact that Monday was pencilled in as a rest day for the players - an hour long meeting this morning, followed by a pre-match meal left little time for any play.
A local tailor then came to measure the players for matching suits and then it was off to Sorrento.
Here's how Scott Donnelly has found the first day of his first trip abroad.
"I didn't mind the flight, it was a nice steady journey all the way - there were a couple of the lads who don't enjoy it as much but thankfully they got here in one piece!
The hotel is unbelievable and the food is lovely. The people are really friendly as well, they just can't understand us!
The pool looks nice, but it's been all work so far and none of us have had a chance to go in it yet.
We had a meeting this morning to go over what we'd be doing throughout the week and what our schedule will be.
We went through everything to do with pre-season so far. We were given the opportunity to go through things that we didn't like, but hardly anyone had any complaints.
It's been spot on throughout and there wasn't very much negative feedback at all. In fact, the only complaints were that some of the lads wanted to do MORE training.
Then we went through tonight's game against Sorrento and talked about how we're going to approach it.
I'm rooming with Jake Cole, I get on really well with him and he's in the same boat as me.
It was a massive thing for me that I got picked to come here and really was made up, this is my first trip away with QPR and it's great to be here and it's a great experience.
I've never been to Italy before, but I'd definitely come back with my family or my girlfriend. I'd like to be able to order my food and drink on my own though without having to ask Mauro or Marc!
I'm looking forward to the game tonight; I've never played a foreign team before so this will be a bit of a change for me."
http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~871787,00.html