QPR Snippets: Ivor Powell Remembers...Mancienne Returns... Don Howe on Stejskal...Bircham, Forbes and Rose Update

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Yet another very warm Official Site profile/interview of a former QPR player.

QPR Official Site - POWELL'S PALACE DATE
Former R's half-back Ivor Powell is looking forward to a big day out at Buckingham Palace next month.
The 91 year-old was awarded an MBE for services to sport in the New Year's Honours list. So now Powell is going to meet the Queen to pick up his gong.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Powell said: "I'm very happy about it. This is a real honour and privilege. It was a big surprise when I got the letter.
"I have to travel up to London for the ceremony in February. Unfortunately, my wife Joan died four years ago and that was a big loss for me. But I will be accompanied on the trip by other family and friends."
Powell moved from his native South Wales to join Rangers in 1936. His life was to change forever.
"When I left school, I worked in a mine with my father and six brothers," he said.
"I was there seven hours a day, six days a week. We had to walk a mile and a half underground every time to reach the coal face. I was only earning 12 shillings and a penny each week.
"I also played amateur football for a local team called Bargoed Thursdays FC. After we won the league and cup by remaining undefeated, Queens Park Rangers picked me up.
"I was called in to sign for the Club by QPR Manager Billy Birrell when I was 20 years-old. It felt like becoming a millionaire! And I said to myself 'I'm never going down that bloody coal pit again!' I never did.
"The top wages I received at Loftus Road were £7 a week in the reserves and £8 in the first team. We got £6 in the summer. There also were bonus payments of £2 for a win and £1 for a draw."
Powell made 157 appearances for Rangers in a 12-year spell that was interrupted by the War. He was part of the R's team that clinched the Division Three South title in 1948 and was our first post-war player to be capped - going on to make eight Welsh international appearances.
"QPR had a very good side in those days," he said.
"The secret was that there was a great spirit in our squad. We all linked up well together and we had a lot of excellent players like Billy McEwan, Cyril Hatton and Arthur Jefferson.
"Our team formation was very far removed from what you see today. We had a goalkeeper, two full-backs, three half-backs and five forwards.
"We also played with a heavy, laced-up leather ball. It was totally different to those much lighter versions that they use in the modern game which I call tennis balls!"
Nowadays, the sprightly Powell passes on his tactical knowledge to the players at Team Bath FC of the British Gas Business Southern League Premier Division. He relishes his involvement and has been officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest working football coach in the world.
"I take training sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I also sit in the dug out at our matches," said Powell.
"I like to see football played hard but fair. My watchwords have always been aggression, determination, work rate, consistency of performances and the will-to-win. If players adopt those characteristics then they will do well on the field.
"I can spot little things in matches that need to be corrected and the lads appreciate me telling them quietly. I don't curse and yell. I coax and encourage them.
"The most important thing is that I never ask anybody to do something that I can't do myself. But then again, I can still demonstrate passing and heading as well as producing a few tricks with a ball!
"I have been in the game for more than 70 years and I have received great pleasure from every moment of it. But I am not done yet and I will keep going as I am enjoying it and I have still got something to give.
"As long as they want me at Team Bath, I'll be here. Anyway, I have got to show my great-great-grandchild that I have still got the power, the strength and the health in me!
"I will never forget my early days down in the coal mines with all those hard working people. Their plight has forever been etched on my mind and that has given me the willpower to carry on in coaching right into my nineties."
Powell is a walking encyclopaedia of football recollections and when he is greeted by Queen Elizabeth next month, he is sure to talk about the Club where it all began for him.
"QPR were my first true love," he said.
"I really relished my time at Loftus Road. Every match where I pulled on the famous blue and white hooped jersey was a dream come true for me. So Rangers will always be my team. I still follow all their results and I hope the R's do well in the future."


QPR Official Site - MICHAEL ON THE MEND
Posted on: Wed 09 Jan 2008
Michael Mancienne completed an hour on his comeback from a hamstring injury, as QPR Reserves shared the spoils in a stalemate with Crystal Palace at Bromley FC.
Lining up in the heart of the R's defence in a 4-3-3 formation, the Chelsea loanee produced an accomplished defensive performance, which will no doubt provide First Team Coach Luigi De Canio with plenty of food for thought ahead of the Championship campaign getting back underway following the weekend's FA Cup ties.
In a scrappy first period, Eagles front-man Charlie Sheringham slid the ball past Jake Cole, only to see his 20th minute effort cleared off the line by the back-tracking Aaron Goode.
Palace continued to threaten and Dougie Freedman's low 25-yard drive cannoned off the foot of Cole's post, while Ben Kudjodji forced the R's custodian into a fine save moments later.
Rangers threatened sporadically, but failed to muster a single clear-cut opportunity in an uneventful opening 45 minutes.
The R's improved in the second period though, with Chris Arthur forcing Scott Flinders to save his in-swinging corner, before Josh Parker headed wide.
Angelo Balanta's impressive second half display was almost rewarded with a goal, but his 16-yard effort cannoned off the face of the bar and the woodwork again denied the R's in the closing stages, as substitute Antonio German fired against the foot of the post.
Rangers, to their credit, continued to push numbers forward late on, but the all-important opening goal remained elusive, as honours ended even.
QPR Reserves: Cole, Coyne, Mancienne (Brown), Goode, Howell, M O'Brien, Walton, Arthur, Morgan (Vanterpool), Balanta, Parker (German). Subs: Goodchild, Davenport. QPR


Ex-QPR Manager, Don Howe Remembers Jan Stejskal

Don Howe/Daily Telegraph - Keeper's most crucial job is to call the shots
During my days as manager of Queens Park Rangers I signed a goalkeeper from the then Czechoslovakia who had plenty of talent, but there was a big problem with the language barrier.
The player was Jan Stejskal, who was a commanding figure when it came to goalkeeping, partly because he stood 6ft 6in in his socks, but his command of English was virtually non-existent when he came to London.
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To ensure he hit the ground running, on the first day in training I pulled his interpreter to one side and told him that I wanted him to learn just three words in English to be going along with.
The first two were "keeper's ball", which was intended to tell his back four he was going to punch or catch a cross or corner and they should, for instance, block the oncoming traffic in the penalty box. It let them know he was coming.
The other one was "away", which was meant to let the defenders know that he was staying put and that it was up to them to make sure they cleared the danger.
I wrote those words down for the translator and Stejskal went on to serve the club with some distinction even through there were still a few communication problems.
It certainly appeared that communication broke down at Stamford Bridge the other night when Joleon Lescott inadvertently scored Chelsea's winning goal against Everton when Tim Howard was rooted to the goal-line.
When the goalkeeper stops talking to his centre-halves it is a recipe for disaster because they form a little triangle that is crucial.
It is not only when it comes to crosses and set-pieces that they should be inextricably linked, though, because a confident goalkeeper should be directing the traffic as well by making sure, for instance, that the defence push out.
Now Fabio Capello is in charge of the England team the goalkeeping situation will be one of the areas that will give him plenty of room for thought....Telegraph


Western Daily Press/Nathan Jones - FORBES IS THE NEXT ON A BAN
Yeovil Town have been hit by a further suspension blow - this time to defender Terrell Forbes.
The Londoner will be banned when Oldham visit Huish Park a week on Saturday after accumulating five bookings this season.
Forbes was yellow-carded for a foul in Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat to Walsall. The former Oldham and Queens Park Rangers man has been ever present at either centre half, right back or left back for the Glovers this campaign.
But his run will come to an end when Oldham, conquerors of Premier League Everton in the FA Cup third round, visit Somerset.
The news comes just as Yeovil thought their suspension woes were coming to an end. Terry Skiverton, Paul Warne and Matty Rose all missed the Walsall game. All four players will be available for this Saturday's trip to Southend United.
And manager Russell Slade hinted strongly at recalls for the experienced trio who sat out the Saddlers clash.
"You would have to say if you are looking for strong characters then they are strong types," said Slade.
"I would rather sacrifice some of the football we played for being a little bit more solid and a team you know is at worst going to get a draw. To do that you need your solid types playing."
Slade was also impressed with midfielder Marc Bircham's showing as a second half substitute.
The former QPR man has missed most of his first season at Huish Park with hamstring problems.
"I was pleased with Birch," said Slade. "He came on and wanted to boss it and he gets his body in.
"He's not the quickest man around the place but he annoys the opponents.
"A fit Marc Bircham at the start of the season would have been fantastic for us but there are still plenty of games left for him and if he can stay injury-free I am sure he is going to be playing more than he is not."..
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