Flashback: "De Canio to Stay at QPR"

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Since joining QPR in October, 2007, have been several rumours/reports that De Canio would be leaving which were repeatedly denied by the club and Manager. And with talk of building roots, building the club from the bottom, the appointment of Gareth Ainsworth as coach and de facto De Canio assistant, etc, it seemed a gradual process was being adopted and that the question of De Canio leaving had been resolved.

Joining QPR: The Announcement

October 29, 2007 QPR Official Site - EXCLUSIVE: DE CANIO APPOINTED
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Luigi De Canio as First Team Coach.
The contract period runs until the end of the 2009/10 season.
The 50 year-old has an extensive coaching pedigree having taken charge of Udinese, Napoli, Reggina, Genoa and most recently Siena in Serie A - who he helped keep in the top-flight for two consecutive seasons before leaving.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, De Canio said: "I am very excited at this fantastic opportunity to join Queens Park Rangers as their First Team Coach.
"For me, it will be an honour to work for Queens Park Rangers, a Club which is backed by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, two businessmen with an incredible track-record of success in sport and other fields.
"I would like to thank them and tell them I will not disappoint their expectations. I am fully committed to the project and I am looking forward to getting to work with the players in preparation for our forthcoming home fixture against Hull City on Saturday."
On behalf of the new management of QPR, Chairman Gianni Paladini expressed his delight at the capture of De Canio, commenting: "The Club is going through a phase of total restructuring and for us the appointment of Luigi De Canio is the first important step ahead in our long-term strategy.
"De Canio is a highly motivated professional, whose dynamic and aggressive approach fits perfectly with the image and philosophy of the new Management."
Paladini added: "De Canio is fully aware of the high standards and objectives that the new Management has set for the future of the Club, and he is ready and eager to take up the challenge"
Mick Harford, who has acted as Caretaker Manager since the departure of John Gregory in early October, has left the Club with immediate effect.
Paladini added: "We offered Mick a role within the new set-up and we're disappointed that he has turned this down. He has done a fantastic job since he arrived here in the summer and his contribution will never be forgotten.
"We all wish him the very best for the future."
*The Club will be making no further comment at this stage.


Some of the Subsequent Statements


May 7, Dave McIntyre/BBC QPR Double Act Continues - "De Canio and Paladini defy predictions of their demise "-
Luigi De Canio will continue to rely heavily on chairman Gianni Paladini as QPR attempt to build a promotion-winning squad.
Italian De Canio is preparing for his first full season in English football having been installed as first-team coach last October.
.....And Paladini accepts he will need to continue improving the squad in order to satisfy the club's ambitious owners.
Paladini said: "We have to get it right again this summer - I know that.
"I work closely with 'Gigi' and I love doing that. We brought some good players here in January and we have to do it again.
"It's a very important summer for the club and we must get the right players. We will be judged on that." ...
Few managers will start the new season under as much pressure as De Canio, whose team are expected to be among the promotion challengers.
Speculation about his future has already been rife, with a variety of big names linked with the Rangers hot-seat.
But having come through a spell last season when his position was under review, a marked improvement has given De Canio some job security - for the time being at least.
He also has dismissed suggestions he is unhappy in London and may seek a return to Italy.
"I really have no idea where that speculation comes from," he stated.
"There was one occasion, when I missed a game after my father died and I had to return to Italy and it was suggested I might be leaving.
"That was never my intention. I'm happy here and am looking forward to next season."
He added: "I know there will be high expectations because we have high-profile owners but it has been stressed before, and I must stress it again, that QPR are not rich - the owners are.
"We are trying to do things the right way and build properly without simply spending money....BBC


April 24 - Daily Mail: Briatore Speaking
"..."With the manager, Gigi is a super professional guy. He is a transparent guy, very honest and he is working very hard. For the project we have at QPR, I feel he is the right guy to start it. I judge anyone by the results.
"For the moment, I don't have any worry because he has done a great job." Mail


April Goal.com - De Canio's QPR Future Uncertain
Goal.com - I Don't Know If I'll Go Back To Italy - De Canio
Coach Luigi De Canio talked about his experience coaching in England with Championship side Queens Park Rangers.
The career of coach Gigi De Canio has come at a crossroads. Will he continue coaching ambitious Queens Park Rangers in England, or make his return to Italy? This is the decision which De Canio will have to make within the next few weeks.
"Coming back to Italy? I'll only say that I like to be a coach and I will exercise my profession wherever I can," he said. "But it's true that coaching abroad enriches you from the human and professional point of view. Let's see how the season finishes at QPR, then we will see."
The former Siena and Reggina coach did want to emphasize that he is doing well in England: "Here in England there is the right atmosphere of enthusiasm and joy. There is pressure as there is in Italy, but football is experienced in a different way. The choices made by the management here at QPR (composed of Formula 1 moguls Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone) have proven adequate." Danilo Pochini - Goal.com


March 19 De Canio to Prune the QPR Squad...Previewing Player of the Year Awards
Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - Boss will prune squad to 22
QPR boss Luigi de Canio has revealed he wants to begin next season with a squad of 22.
Rangers have been represented by a total of 36 players during the current campaign - not including substitute goalkeepers - and De Canio wants to rely on a much smaller pool of options next year.
The Rs boss has rightly dismissed foolish suggestions that his side might yet nail a play-off place this season - and admits he is not greatly concerned about their final league placing.
"Recently in mid-season a lot of faces changed and so the most important thing is to gel a team and get everyone thinking with the same mentality," De Canio told the Times.
"The objective is to do as well as possible. The final position doesn't have huge importance, but obviously the higher we place ourselves, the more faith we'll have in our own ability...."I believe this is very important. We'll do whatever is necessary and do it gradually, one step at a time, not a revolution. Kilburn Times


February 4, 2008 - - This is London - Paladini: De Canio is staying
QPR chairman Gianni Paladini today quashed rumours manager Luigi De Canio could be sacked.
De Canio attended his father's funeral in Italy this morning after missing Saturday's 3-0 win over Bristol City but Paladini described reports the Italian had met with Napoli to discuss the manager's job as "absolute rubbish".
He said: "Luigi has a contract here and we are very happy with him. He is flying back to London tonight and will resume training tomorrow." Mail


Feb 3, 2008 The People/Tom Hopkinson - DE CANIO FACES QPR BOOT
Qpr manager Luigi De Canio faces being sacked after club officials found out he held talks with Napoli about becoming their boss.
De Canio only took over at Loftus Road in October after John Gregory was sacked.
But reports suggest the Italian has struggled to adapt to life in England and that the language barrier is proving difficult. Now he has landed himself in hot water after Rangers chiefs found out he had spoken to the club in his homeland.
The Hoops were without a fixture last weekend and De Canio returned to Italy for a few days. During his trip, he spoke with Napoli, and QPR co-owners Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore blew their tops when they learned of the meeting.
De Canio then asked for permission to return to Italy during the week, but the club refused. De Canio was absent for yesterday's game against Bristol City after he returned to Italy for a family funeral." The People
Meanwhile in The People Match Report:
".......Manager Luigi de Canio was absent after a family bereavement but the fans still sang his name, and Rangers' multi-millionaire owners could be playing with fire if they sack him for talking to Lazio..." The People

UPDATE from the BBC BBC - QPR unsure over De Canio return
It is not known when QPR coach Luigi De Canio will return to the club following the death of his father.
De Canio missed his side's 3-0 win over Bristol City to fly back to Italy, and was replaced in the dugout by performance manager Joe Dunbar.
"Luigi will take as long as it takes and as long as he needs," said Dunbar.
"First and foremost our thoughts are with him and I was proud of the players, they put on a very professional performance."
Dunbar added: "Luigi left at noon and he had already told me the starting XI he wanted to play. "I wasn't QPR's manager today, I was just filling a gap and I had very little to do." BBC


Daily Telegraph January 16, 2008 -Flavio Briatore: Luigi De Canio to stay at QPR - By William Gray
Flavio Briatore has quashed speculation that Queens Park Rangers manager Luigi de Canio is to be replaced by Gianluca Vialli at the end of the season.
Briatore, a co-owner of QPR with fellow Formula One mogul Bernie Ecclestone, appointed De Canio to replace John Gregory in October on a 2½-year contract and has overseen a substantial January spending spree by the Italian.
Vialli, the former Chelsea manager, can occasionally be found in the directors' box at Loftus Road, prompting reports that he is in line to take over, but Briatore insists Vialli is a guest and nothing more.
"It's not even an issue. Gigi has a contract with QPR and we intend to honour it - simple as that," Briatore said. "Gianluca is a friend of mine and he's welcome to come and watch matches whenever he wants, but Gigi is our manager, end of story.
"We are happy with the job Gigi and his staff are doing and he's very much part of our project." Telegraph