Vialli Another Name Touted for QPR Manager...Chairman Paladini Says Gregory Sacking was His Decision

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While The Times reports (seemingly authoritatively) that QPR are going for Antonio Conte and Franco Bares, other press suggests Vialli. Other names mentioned: Martin Allen and even Dave Bassett. Even Gerry Francis! Add Steve Clarke... Meanwhile Chairman Paladini says Sacking Gregory was "my decision" and that Gregory was surprised by the sacking.

The Telegraph - Gianluca Vialli leads the field for QPR job - By Jeremy Wilson
Gianluca Vialli and Martin Allen have emerged among the early favourites to succeed John Gregory following his sacking as Queens Park Rangers manager yesterday.
Rangers are currently bottom of the Championship table after picking up only three points from seven matches, culminating in Sunday's 5-1 defeat against West Brom.
Formula One magnates Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone recently have had a £14?million takeover bid recommended and have already signalled their ambition to take the club into the Premiership within four years.
Vialli denied wanting to replace Gregory after being pictured in the directors' box at Loftus Road, but the former Chelsea manager is a friend of Briatore and could change his mind now that a vacancy has arisen.
Allen, who spent more than six years at QPR as a player during the 1980s, is available after leaving Leicester City just four games into the season.
First-team coach Mick Harford has been appointed caretaker manager.
QPR have scored just once at Loftus Road in the league this season in a campaign overshadowed by the road death of teenage striker Ray Jones.
Chairman Gianni Paladini said: "The club would like to thank John for everything he has done during a difficult period, in particular for saving us from relegation last season. However, the performances and results this season have not met with our expectations. The league table does not lie. The club have decided to act swiftly in time to turn things around for the remainder of the season. Mick will be caretaker manager for Wednesday's away game at Colchester and a further announcement about the post will be made after that." Telegraph

Express - VIALLI IN WAITING AS GREGORY IS SACKED
Queen’s Park Rangers fans may not be happy about it, but the bookmakers have made Gianluca Vialli the favourite to replace manager John Gregory, who was sacked yesterday.
Vialli was successful at QPR’s local rivals Chelsea – winning five trophies in three years, but was a huge flop lower down the football food chain at Watford.
He spent a fortune on players and guided them to the giddy heights of 14th in the First Division before he was sacked 12 months into a three-year contract – almost bankrupting them in the process.
But QPR are about to be taken over by Formula One tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, who are keen for a high-profile manager.
Vialli is a friend of Briatore and was even in the Loftus Road directors’ box for last week’s 1-1 draw with Watford, as a guest of the Italian.
He dampened down speculation then linking him with Gregory’s job saying: “It’s not my style to put myself forward for jobs by showing up at the games of other managers who might be having a difficult time. In fact, I don’t like it, I think it is disrespectful to the manager in charge. This is especially true with an experienced colleague and friend like John Gregory. I plan on watching again as Flavio’s guest, but nothing more.”
Now Gregory is no longer there. He was sacked yesterday after the 5-1 thumping at West Brom on Sunday that left QPR bottom of the Championship with just three draws from their first seven games. That would leave Vialli with a clear conscience and a clear path to take over.
First team coach Mick Harford will take charge for tomorrow’s game at Colchester, his former club.
Chairman Gianni Paladini said Harford would also be at the helm for the home games against Norwich on Saturday and Ipswich on October 20. Gregory had not expected his sacking, said Paladini, but the imminent takeover had increased the pressure.
“People have invested a lot of money in the club,” said Paladini. “Football is cruel, but when you are losing games, it is not a good situation. I am friends with John, so it is sad, but I always say it is not me who sacks managers. It is the results that get them sacked.
“John was surprised to be sacked, but the results are there for all to see. The game at West Brom was shown live all over the world.
“It was my decision to sack John. It was a hard one to make, but the prospective new owners back me. They want success. At the moment Mick is in charge of the team, and he has the chance to stake a claim for the job full-time.”
Ecclestone and Briatore are expected to formally complete their takeover at a meeting at Loftus Road on November 5.
Harford said Gregory had given him his verbal backing after Paladini had offered him the caretaker-manager’s post.
Harford, who was brought in by Gregory in the summer, said: “I spoke to John. He told me to go for it and to look after the club.
“It is a shame because he is a good man and a good manager, who put a good infrastructure in place.
“It is a good opportunity for me, albeit in difficult circumstances. The players were surprised, because John was a great character, and they liked him a lot.” Express

BBC - Gregory sacked as manager of QPR
"Chairman Gianni Paladini told BBC 5live: "It was a very hard thing to do. I have nothing but admiration for what John has done for the club.
"We are very good friends but John understands these things happen in football. You've got to win games and if you don't, you've got a problem." ...
Gregory's position came under further scrutiny when Formula One magnates Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone began the process of taking over the club.
Paladini said he alone had taken the decision to sack Gregory, although he had informed Briatore and Ecclestone of his plans.
"It was a decision to make I had to make as chairman and I've done it," he said.
"But they are investing in the club so I had to tell them what was going to happen.
"It was a very hard thing to do for me to it and I don't want to make too much of a comment about it..." BBC

Daily Mirror - Vialli put in pole position
GREGORY IS AXED BY QPR'S FORMULA ONE BOSSES - Darren Lewis 02/10/2007
Gianluca Vialli is being lined up to take over at QPR following the sacking of John Gregory yesterday.
The former Chelsea boss lifted five trophies in his three seasons in charge at Stamford Bridge. But he is not so fondly thought of at London rivals Watford, where his attempt to work his magic in the Championship failed spectacularly.
Vialli's extravagant transfer dealings at Vicarage Road raised eyebrows throughout football, particularly as the Hertfordshire club finished only 14th as a result in 2002.
To rub salt in the wound, the pay-out given to Vialli when he left played a massive part in Watford nearly going to the wall. It was only promotion to the Premiership that helped to save them Nonetheless, Vialli is seen by prospective owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone as the future of Loftus Road. The bookies' favourite to take over could even be installed in time for next Monday's game against Norwich.
Other names in the frame include recentlyfired Leicester boss Martin Allen and Dave Bassett, while ex-QPR captain and manager Gerry Francis could even make an emotional return.
Vialli, however, is the man everyone is talking about. Just 11 days ago the 43-year-old Sky Sports pundit was seen in the directors' box at QPR during the 1-1 draw against, ironically enough, Watford.
He insisted he was only there as a guest of Briatore but fickle QPR fans with short memories chanted for the Italian to replace Gregory, the man who saved them from relegation last season.
Since then rumours have persisted that another defeat would spell curtains for Gregory and Sunday's 5-1 rout at West Brom gave the club the excuse they required.
Receiving his cards at QPR is a career low for a man who was, at one time, talked of as a prospective England manager. During his time as Aston Villa boss Champions League football was being talked about as a realistic prospect at the club before he quit in 2002, with the pressures of the job being blamed.
The former Portsmouth, Leicester and Wycombe coach remained in big demand and moved onto Derby just six days after leaving Villa.
His stock would begin to fall, however, as he could not prevent the Rams being relegated and they spent most of the following campaign battling another, humiliating relegation.
Things took yet another turn for the worse during that season when Gregory, under pressure due to a run of five straight losses, was suspended following allegations that midfielder Craig Burley was mistreated whilst injured.
He never returned to Pride Park and was replaced by George Burley. Now it remains to be seen whether or not Gregory will ever return to football management.
Sunday's bad result at The Hawthorns has left QPR as the only club in all four divisions without a victory this season.
In a statement on the club's website yesterday, chairman Gianni Paladini said: "The club would like to thank John for everything he has done during a difficult period, in particular for saving us from relegation last season.
"However, the performances and results this season have not met with our expectations.
The club have decided to act swiftly in time to turn things around for the remainder of the season."
Francis meanwhile, possibly harmed his chances of landing the job by criticising the speed with which the QPR board have acted. He said: "I felt he would have had a few more games to get himself out of the situation, but that's football.
"The most important thing is there is investment in the club because that's been very difficult for John and the managers before him.
"You need that financial to get players capable of performing at a certain level."
Mirror

The Sun - QPR give Harford his big chance
QPR will give Mick Harford three games to land the full-time manager’s job after John Gregory was sacked yesterday.
First-team coach Harford takes charge for tomorrow’s Championship game at former club Colchester.
And he will continue for the home matches with Norwich on Saturday and Ipswich on October 20.
QPR chairman Gianni Paladini said: “Mick has the chance to stake a claim for the job full-time.
“There is no intention to consider another manager right now.” The Sun

Daily Star
"... QPR are bottom of the Championship and are the only team in the country without a league win all season. ..
But there could be bad news ahead for the Blues with Steve Clarke ready to stun the club by walking out to take charge of QPR.
Clarke is looking for a manager’s role himself following Mourinho’s exit and John Gregory’s sacking at Loftus Road presents an ideal opportunity.
Mourinho had wanted Clarke to eventually step up from first-team coach to manager ­during his career.
That time has now come as Clarke is fearful of being caught up in the chaotic political wranglings behind the scenes at Chelsea.
Since Avram Grant was appointed Chelsea boss, it is claimed the Scot has done most of the work organising the team.
And with Grant said to be searching for his own coaching staff to bring in, Clarke knows he could be better off out of the club he has served with distinction as a player and a coach.
QPR are bottom of the Championship and are the only team in the country without a league win all season.
But the fact the club have recently been taken over by F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone and Renault team boss Flavio Briatore – and the prospect of heavy investment to follow – means the job is an ­attractive option for would-be managers.
Blow
Former Chelsea boss Gianluca Vialli has been installed as the bookies’ favourite, but Starsport understands the Italian has already made it clear he does not want the job Star

[Previously posted:
The Times Antonio Conte and Franco Baresi on QPR’s list - Gary Jacob
Queens Park Rangers have lined up Antonio Conte and Franco Baresi as candidates to become their next manager after John Gregory was dismissed. The former Italy internationals have been sounded out about the post by representatives of Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One businessman, who will complete their takeover next month.
Gregory had dinner with the new owners two weeks ago, when he was assured of his position and offered funds for new players. However, Briatore told Gianni Paladini, the QPR chairman, to dismiss Gregory after the 5-1 defeat away to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Paladini did so at about 10.30pm and appointed Mick Harford, the first team coach, as caretaker manager.
Many of the consortium behind the takeover of the Championship side have links to Juventus. Franco Ceravolo, a former scout at the Italian club, is expected to be confirmed as sporting director, while Conte played in midfield for Juventus for 12 years from 1992. He has since been coach of Arezzo in Serie B in Italy. Baresi, the former defender, has been a youth team coach at AC Milan since he retired from playing for the club.
Didier Deschamps has also been mentioned as a possible manager, but Gianluca Vialli, the former Chelsea manager, has said that he is not interested. The Times

[And hopefully Reuters isn't looking into the future!
"...The club would like to thank John for everything he has done during a difficult period as manager, in particular for saving us from relegation last season," chairman Gianni Paladini told the second division bottom club's Web site (www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk)..." Reuters/The Guardian
.