Simon Walton on His Recovery and Gareth Ainsworth re QPR

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Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - Walton still playing the waiting game

BREAKING your leg just a week into a new job is frustrating enough - but Simon Walton feels he is playing catch-up all over again.
While every other player at QPR is striving to find an extra gear on the training ground and hoping to catch the eye of new boss Luigi de Canio, Walton is confined to the gym.
The Rangers midfielder, whose injury agony came on his home debut against Fulham in early August, has just begun a rehab programme, but knows he is still some way from featuring in de Canio's matchday squad.
"Obviously he [de Canio] won't have known an awful lot about the players, so everyone's on a level playing field, fighting for their place in the team," said Walton.
"I think everyone's working that little bit harder, but unfortunately I don't have that chance quite yet. I'm just stuck in the gym and I'd rather be out on the training ground.
"I'm doing a bit on the treadmill and a bit on the bike. The break itself is 100 per cent healed, but it's about making sure the muscles are working properly again and it's hard to put a timescale on that."
After seeing the £200,000 signing from Charlton in action during the Rs' pre-season friendlies at Wycombe and Harrow Borough, many observers felt he would be an automatic choice this season.
But, since Walton was stretchered off on that Friday evening at Loftus Road, the club have added three faces to their midfield roster - Mikele Leigertwood, Jason Jarrett and Akos Buzsaky.
"After I got injured, there was only really Adam Bolder and Stefan Bailey who could play in the centre, so it was definitely an area that needed to be improved," admitted the 20-year-old.
"I know it'll be hard for me to get back in the team - so I'll just have to play centre-half instead!
"John Gregory showed a lot of faith in me and I'm gutted that I didn't ever get a chance to play for him - then again, the chairman's still here and he's the one who splashed out the money, so I still owe it to him to repay his faith."
Walton was particularly disappointed to miss Rangers' recent win at Charlton, who paid £500,000 to sign him from Leeds in 2006, but allowed him to move on without a first-team appearance.
But the Yorkshireman is setting his sights on getting some Championship games under his belt in the second half of the season - and after that, he hopes, a reunion with his first club.
Walton, who grew up as a Leeds fan, added: "My friends and family aren't around here, so I was away for about eight weeks after the injury and I was able to get to a couple of Leeds games while I was up there.
"There aren't too many familiar faces there now, but I can see everything that's happened has brought them all closer together and hopefully we'll be playing them next year - in the Championship, that is! Kilburn Times


GARETH AINSWORTH/Kilburn Times
I MUST admit it felt like a defeat when we got back into the dressing-room at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
We definitely had the majority of the game, we created the chances to win it and I think that, if we'd gone 2-0 up during the second half, it would have been in the bag.
It just needed one of those chances to go in, but all credit to their keeper - he had a storming game and kept them in it. As a front man, you want to make the keeper work and, every time he was called upon, he did the business.
On the bright side, while the lads were disappointed in the dressing room afterwards, it was a much more positive dressing room than it was at West Brom not that long ago.
We've definitely turned the corner, I'm certain of that - now there are just little things that need adjusting.
Scott Sinclair was a bit quiet on his debut last week against Coventry, which was understandable as he hadn't even met most of the lads before that game, but I think we saw more of what he can do at Selhurst Park.
He doesn't get many goals with his head, but I've got a feeling there are a few more to come on the ground. Hogan did a fantastic job while he was here on loan and in Scott, we've got someone who's well capable of filling those boots.
I know in the past I've been grateful for the international break as it gives me and some of the other lads a chance to shake off niggles and knocks - but I think this one is a bit like a wolf in sheep's clothing! After a fortnight off, we'll have three weeks of Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday, which is going to really test the squad.
I know some of the foreign lads at the club can't believe that kind of schedule - and I don't think the manager was expecting it either.
In Italy, Tuesday games are pretty rare and they certainly wouldn't have so many all in a row, so it's going to be a test for the gaffer as much as anyone else. I think we'll need to combine some Italian flair with an English mentality in the next few weeks.
Like just about every other Englishman, I'm going to be Ben Sahar's biggest fan this weekend, hoping he and the rest of the Israel team can do us a massive favour in their game against Russia.
Obviously Ben hasn't got as much football as he'd have hoped recently, but this is a chance for him to show what he can do in front of a big TV audience.
Believe me, if he scores the winner, we'll roll out the red carpet for him when he gets back to QPR! Kilburn Times