-
I recall reading about a Flavio Briatore team talk, one time last season; don't recall hearing about a Bernie Ecclestone team talk.
Came across from a couple of weeks ago:
The Times/Kevin Eason - July 4, 2008 - Eason at large: David Coulthard could enliven the Beeb
And so, from one of the prettiest sporting venues in the world to, er, Silverstone. I have promised faithfully some of the chaps at the British Racing Drivers' Club, who own Silverstone, that I will never again refer to the venerable circuit as "the former airfield" because it sends out all the wrong messages about it being a bit rickety and windswept.
Which, of course, it is. But it is all we have got and the BRDC have big spending plans to transform the place, so fingers crossed that the mercurial Bernie Ecclestone keeps the faith and keeps the British Grand Prix running at the old place.
***
Of course, Bernie has a slight distraction from his day job running Formula One these days, since he joined forces with Flavio Briatore to buy Queen's Park Rangers. Bernie says he doesn't play much part in the running of the Coca-Cola Championship club, leaving that to Briatore, who doubles as team principal at Renault and will be in his usual place on the Silverstone pit wall this weekend.
But Bernie tells me he did once give the QPR players a team talk before a game of, what seemed to me, such admirable common sense that the Football Association should hire him immediately as a consultant. "I just went in and told them I had no idea how to kick a ball so I wouldn't bother trying to tell them how to do it," he says. "But I told them that if the referee got his yellow card out to book them, they should say, 'Thank you, referee' and get out of the way immediately and get on with the game. If you start arguing with a referee, he will remember you and he will look to get you into trouble next time. There is no point in arguing, he will always win." See? Perfect common sense.
***
There was a funny story relating to the sale of QPR to the dynamic duo in SportPro magazine this month. I have no idea whether it is true or not and haven't checked with either Bernie or Briatore, but I like it so you are getting it.
The pair had been looking to buy a club for some time - Ecclestone was in the frame at Chelsea before Roman Abramovich turned up on the scene - so the word was out that they were in the market. But Briatore was also on the lookout to buy a restaurant in London to add to his burgeoning empire. So he gets a call from somebody offering him QPR. He thinks, "Mmmmm, sounds good" and rings Bernie to ask him if he knows a restaurant called QPR. At which point the diminutive genius was forced to put his old friend right. Probably rubbish, but I like it. The Times
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
QPR Report Twitter Feed
Sunday, July 20, 2008
When Ecclestone Gave The QPR Team Talk...and The Buying-the-Club Story
Blog Archive
-
▼
2008
(1621)
-
▼
July
(129)
- Gorkss Signs for QPR...Blackpool Withdraw Their Co...
- Ben Watson Update...Paul Bruce, QPR Coach? ...Nard...
- Parejo-QPR Loan Updates
- Updated - QPR Ostensibly Chasing Real Madrid's Dan...
- More Money Coming to QPR! Another Sponsor Announce...
- From Blackpool: Confirmation of Gorkss to QPR - Na...
- The Stomache-Churning, Sinking-Feeling of Deja Vu:...
- Gorkss May Actually Be Joining QPR!
- Teams for Tonight's Kimarnock Friendly
- Mahon and Blackstock Look Forward, Praise Dowie, E...
- Explaining The Gorkss and Nardiello Deals and Dela...
- QPR Report Profiled/Q&A (Part II)
- Kilmarnock Tonight...Coventry's Morrison and Crani...
- QPR Injury Update: Connolly, Cerny Vine, Di Carmin...
- Gorkss to QPR, Nardiello and Rehman to Blackpool -...
- Cerny Set for QPR Debut ...Starting Goalie Not Yet...
- Remembering De Canio and Language Issues
- Blackpool and QPR Both Want Gorkss Transfer Concluded
- Snippets: Q&A With Dennis Signy On The Old QPR of ...
- Remembering The ABC Loan
- Rodney Marsh Responds
- QPR's Ramage Looks Foward to the Season
- QPR's Week in Review
- Flashbacks: Walton and Camp Sign for QPR...Then QP...
- The Geat Stan Bowles Fondly Looks Back and Optimis...
- QPR Crash in Scotland - Reports and Dowie's Reacti...
- QPR's Championship Prospects Assessed
- QPR's ABC Loan Resolution - Update
- QPR Set for Falkirk...Reserves Lose to Hayes...You...
- QPR Youth Hold Chelsea With Malloy Hatrick for QPR...
- QPR Offering QPR Membership and Exclusive W12 Club...
- From Queen's Park Rangers to Queens Park Rangers
- Assessing QPR After Northampton...Recalling QPR's ...
- QPR's Away Strip Unveiled - (Reddish With Some Blu...
- No! Real Madrid's Salgado NOT Coming to QPR
- Redknapp on QPR Cranie Interest...Watson to Someon...
- Twenty-Five "Factoids" About QPR
- Snippets - Dowie Wants Gorkss Resolution...Suppose...
- QPR's Northampton Victory - Reports and Comments
- QPR Announce Squad Numbers
- Ex-QPR Update: Matt Pickens Hopeful...Alan McDona...
- Gorkss or Bust....Nardiello on Expecting to Leave
- Snippets: Shimmin Trialing With St. Mirren...No W...
- Rodney Marsh Rates QPR' s Prospects - and on Gerry...
- QPR Report "Profiled"
- Luton's QPR Contingent Continues to Grow
- Gorkss Training With QPR...Flowers High Spirits at...
- Championship Prospects Preview and Current Promoti...
- Ex-QPR Loan, Martin Cranie Supposedly Set for Loan...
- Ian Dowie Speaks About QPR's Overseas Signings and...
- QPR's Youth Player Harry Smart at Leatherhead...QP...
- Loan Goalie, Jake Cole Goes Off Injured...Another ...
- Ex-QPR Chairman Bill Power's Swindon Reimbursement...
- QPR's Loyal Supporters Association (LSA) Finds a N...
- Highlights From a Week of QPR News and Rumours
- When Ecclestone Gave The QPR Team Talk...and The B...
- One Time QPR "Wonder Kid" Turns 30...Flashback - Q...
- The Dowie Era Opens With a Win
- Supposedly QPR's New Second Strip
- Ben Watson Set to Sign for QPR?...Lee Cook - Year ...
- One-Time QPR Target, Peter Thompson Moves...Ex-QPR...
- More From QPR re Season Tickets and Fans...Dowie ...
- QPR's New Third-Team Kit: Black with a Dash of Yellow
- QPR: "Phenomenal" Season Ticket Sales
- Reviewing QPR's Summer...Previewing QPR's Signings
- QPR and Chelsea: The Humiliation/"Long National Ni...
- Respect and Handshakes Before Every Game
- Snippet: Norwich in for "QPR's" Gorkss?...QPR 'Rev...
- Commodity Barons and Football Clubs (Such as QPR) as
- Dowie on Nardiello, Rowlands, Bolder, More Signing...
- Club Factoid...Gulf Weekly Adopts Hoops and Profil...
- Another QPR Fan Site Profiled: Queens Park Rangers...
- QPR Important to Harrow
- Further Les Ferdinand Comments About QPR
- Flashback: July 2007 - ABC Loan Concerns and Alleg...
- Updated QPR Staff Directory
- Award Winning Fan Magazine AKUTRs Update
- Interviews with Ex-QPR World (and QPR-Supporting) ...
- Past and Prospective QPR: Gorkss Update...Curtiss...
- A Detailed Look at the QPR "Revolution"
- Ex-QPR Snippets: Danny Cullip Goes Non-League...To...
- QPR to Dowie: Get QPR Promoted...Then Be Replaced!
- Just Three QPR "Survivors" Out of Thirty-Five From...
- Coming Soon: Football League's Latest Agents' Fees...
- Updated: QPR Bidding for Real Madrid's Defender Mi...
- Snippet: Jake Cole Loaned to Oxford...Ex-QPR John ...
- Another QPR Fan Site's Perspective of QPR's Prospects
- Gorkss Update.....QPR to Benefit From Shittu Sale
- Newcastle's Chairman Wants to Emulate QPR
- Dowie on Rowlands Staying (as Captain) and Injury ...
- No Lee Cook to QPR?
- Gorkss Not Done...Bolder and Nardiello Blackpool S...
- Ainsworth: No Pressure...Gorkss Investigation Cont...
- Preview and Background of QPR's Pre-Season Away Op...
- Snippets: Ex-QPR New Thailand Manager....Antonio C...
- QPR Fans Raise Thousands For Charity - and Get to ...
- Snippets: Morrison to QPR?...Reversed: Reporters Q...
- Seven Years Ago: QPR at Their Nadir...Takeover Eff...
- One Year Flashback - Sensationalist Headline "QPR ...
- Ex-QPR Hatrick Hero Chris Kiwomya Leaves Arsenal f...
-
▼
July
(129)