Former QPR Youth Coach, Joe Gallen's QPR Accomplishments (and QPR Tragedies)

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South London Press- Success touched by tragedy

JOE Gallen's leadership at youth level has been a big factor in QPR's recent success.

He brought 15 centre of excellence graduates into the first team, and coached two England internationals.

They also won their youth league. In Dean Parrett, his set-up also produced one of the most promising midfielders of his generation, signed by Spurs for £2million last season.

"We were skint every year but we were the envy of many academies," said Gallen.

"I am glad now the club has new owners, that there's some money there at last."

But Gallen also had to cope with a season of trauma - the death of two scholars, which saw four of his youth products being questioned over a tragic accident.

In June 2005, QPR youngster Kiyan Prince, 15, was been stabbed to death outside his school.

And when a Vietnamese student died under a train at Earls Court station in December 2006, youth player Harry Smart was also badly hurt.

Smart, 17, was reported to have been play-fighting on a team-mate's shoulders when he fell during the rush-hour on November 23, taking Tu Quang Hoang Vu, 25, who later died, with him. Smart's friends were questioned over the death.

Ray Jones, 18, had already played 37 times for the first team and scored six goals when he died in a car crash in August 2007. Gallen said: "It was a very difficult time because I was close to all those players and their families."
South London Press