Gareth Ainsworth Praise for Paul Furlong, on His Recovery from Injury and on Blackstock's Qualities

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Gareth wants to play on as long as Furlong
Ealing Gazette - May 31 2007 Qpr News By Yann Tear

GARETH Ainsworth heaped praise on retiring team-mate Paul Furlong - and vowed to follow his example by playing on for four more years.
Rangers announced the parting of the ways with veteran striker Furlong this week - the 38 year-old's career having finally ended after more than 200 appearances in two spells at the club since 2000.
Furlong arrived with the not inconsiderable handicap of having played for Chelsea, but
he steadily won over sceptical fans with his wholehearted displays. And now Ainsworth has paid tribute to the departing forward - who also played in European games at Stamford Bridge.
"He's given me a target. To keep playing until I reach his age would be fantastic," Ainsworth told the Gazette.
"For Furz to have the physique and fitness he has at his age is a fine example to anyone who wants to last in the game and I'd love to keep going as long as he has.
"Sometimes after training, there would be one or two in the gym after everyone's shot off home and you could guarantee that Furz would always be one of them.
"He's just been a fantastic servant to the club. He's scored some really important goals, right up to the last, as he did against Luton."
Ainsworth added: "He's going to be missed not just on the pitch, but off it as well. He's a great character and a true servant to QPR. For someone who's achieved so much in the game, he's a real genuine nice guy too.
"I wasn't at the club when he signed, but I heard it was tough for him to begin with. The anti-Chelsea feeling from the fans is there, I know it, and he's done fantastically to get past that and bring the fans over to his way of thinking.
"He deserves a nod of the head and a thank you from all the fans for coming through that and being a great servant."
The thought that at 34 he might still have plenty of mileage in him will act as a spur during some lonely weeks ahead.
Ainsworth is now out of plaster after breaking his leg and badly twisting his ankle during the team's run-in and he faces a tough schedule of rehab to be fit in time for the start of the new season.
But the naturally fit winger is confident of making it.
"The aim is to get fit for the first day of pre-season on July 4," he said. "That's six weeks away and we are up against it because it was a nasty injury.
"I had a fractured leg with a nasty twist which affected my ankle. It wasn't a strightforward kick on the fubula.
"It's going to be tough, but I'm usually pretty good at healing and getting back out there and I'll play through a little bit of pain, I don't care about that."
"It's a nice target to have, especially now we've got the Celtic game confirmed as well on July 15, although the game Wycombe game at the end of July [28] may be more realistic.
"It's frustrating, but at least I'm not missing any matches.
"During the season. there's nothing worse than seeing the news flashed up on Ceefax on a Saturday that you are still injured."
Another boost for Ainsworth will come when next season's fixtures are released on June 14 - a moment he says still thrills him.
And it should sustain him during a busy close-season working alone in the gym.
"I'm the oldest player at the club now at 34 but I still enjoy that day when the fixtures come out," he enthused. "You look at specific dates to see who you are playing - Boxing Day and the last game of the season and it's great.
"If you're not excited by that then you shouldn't be in the game. It will definitely give me a boost during the next few weeks.
"Everyone's off on their holiday but I'm in every day doing ankle and lower leg rehab. It's a boring place at the moment, an empty gym.
"Lee Cook and Pat Kanyuka have been in and out a couple of times, but they are only in cameo roles, whereas I've got the leading role!
"The road is very slow at the moment because after seven weeks in plaster, it's a complete re-education for the muscles. I've got to walk again and strengthen all the muscles and it's a long old process.
"I've had a lot of muscle atrophy and it's amazing how different one leg looks compared to the other and there's no way I can start running until both legs are equal other wise you are just asking for trouble.
"That said, I'd probably be in the gym anyway as it's a kind of home from home and I don't mind it.
"I'm still going to have one week's family holiday on Portugal, but I'm going to be at a hotel that offers a decent gym so I can keep working.
"The physios know I can get the cardio side of things sorted quickly and can be as fit as anybody."
It looks increasingly likely that Cook will be on his way in the close season. Premiership neighbours Fulham and Tottenham are both said to be ready to make offers of £4-5m to prise the winger away from Loftus Road.
Should Cook depart, it will make it even more important that the Rs retain Dexter Blackstock - the heir to Furlong's mantle.
"At the moment, I feel Dexter could fill the void, stature wise and playing wise," said Ainsworth about Furlong's departure.
"They are very similar players. Good target men who score crucial goals. I think Dexter would be honoured if you said he looked like a young Paul Furlong and I'm sure Furz would be honoured as well because they are both terrific players.
"He's only young and the gaffer's going to have a job on his hands to keep all our good young talent because the Premier League snaps everyone up. Money's no object. But hopefully we can keep hold of all our young play-ers, including Dexter.
"It took him a little while to settle in but he's turned out to be a great goalscorer who's very important for us." Gazette