Thursday, August 28, 2008
Brian Glanville Perspective of QPR
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Perspective of one of the historically truly great football journalists, Brian Glanville
KICKING AROUND / BRIAN GLANVILLE COLUMN - SPORTSTAR
Funny game
".....And then, there is the curious case of Queens Park Rangers. Hardly analogous, since QPR, the West London club, have been taken over by three very rich men indeed. Among them Lakshmi Mittal, who is one of the richest men in the world. The other two being the millionaire Bernie Ecclestone and the Italian Flavio Briatore, both of them connected with Formula One motor racing. But what, in this new season of the so-called Championship, which not so long ago was known as the Second Division, have they done so far? In the first place, the appointment of the likeable Iain Dowie as new manager in place of the competent Italian, Luigi Di Canio, seemed unadventurous. Last season, Dowie left South East London’s Crystal Palace, saying that his wife wanted to go back north: only to sign for nearby Charlton Athletic. To the fury of the bellicose Palace Chairman, Simon Jordan, who took him to court and won £1 million. But Charlton eventually sacked Dowie, who was then appointed and sacked by Coventry City. What now? By the time you read this, he may not even be at QPR, since he has already fallen out with the combative Briatore.
And while QPR, who missed the real Championship title by a last ditch goalkeeping error and a single point in 1996, can hardly hope to discover the equivalent of those glorious maverick attackers, Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles, when is the real spending going to start? Dowie pays tribute to Briatore for helping him to find excellent young players on loan such as right-winger Emmanuel Ledesma, an Argentine from Genoa, and Real Madrid’s striker, Daniel Parejo. But actual firm transfers have been of modestly accomplished players. Sportstar
Also: Brian Glanville/World Soccer - August 14, 2008
..We must take as read that QPR have three multi millionaires behind them. Yet what have they bought so far? I reported their opening match of the season, where they scraped through 2-1 against a Barnsley team which, by contrast with themselves, had shelled out £1 million plus for a quick new striker in the shape of Iain Hume, who duly scored the opening goal.
Afterwards, Iain Dowie – a somewhat unexpected managerial choice after his three club Odyssey last season, being sacked by two of them – paid credit to Flavio Briatore, the motor racing man (Bernie Ecclestone being the other) for helping him to sign good young foreign players on loan. On loan! One of them being the highly talented Genoan right flanker, Argentine born Emmanuel Ledesma, who had an excellent game.
But where are all the costly new arrivals? Without whom you can hardly see QPR escaping from the so-called Championship. And why has a once pleasant multi-rowed press box been turned into a cramped one slum at the back of the stand? Report
Perspective of one of the historically truly great football journalists, Brian Glanville
KICKING AROUND / BRIAN GLANVILLE COLUMN - SPORTSTAR
Funny game
".....And then, there is the curious case of Queens Park Rangers. Hardly analogous, since QPR, the West London club, have been taken over by three very rich men indeed. Among them Lakshmi Mittal, who is one of the richest men in the world. The other two being the millionaire Bernie Ecclestone and the Italian Flavio Briatore, both of them connected with Formula One motor racing. But what, in this new season of the so-called Championship, which not so long ago was known as the Second Division, have they done so far? In the first place, the appointment of the likeable Iain Dowie as new manager in place of the competent Italian, Luigi Di Canio, seemed unadventurous. Last season, Dowie left South East London’s Crystal Palace, saying that his wife wanted to go back north: only to sign for nearby Charlton Athletic. To the fury of the bellicose Palace Chairman, Simon Jordan, who took him to court and won £1 million. But Charlton eventually sacked Dowie, who was then appointed and sacked by Coventry City. What now? By the time you read this, he may not even be at QPR, since he has already fallen out with the combative Briatore.
And while QPR, who missed the real Championship title by a last ditch goalkeeping error and a single point in 1996, can hardly hope to discover the equivalent of those glorious maverick attackers, Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles, when is the real spending going to start? Dowie pays tribute to Briatore for helping him to find excellent young players on loan such as right-winger Emmanuel Ledesma, an Argentine from Genoa, and Real Madrid’s striker, Daniel Parejo. But actual firm transfers have been of modestly accomplished players. Sportstar
Also: Brian Glanville/World Soccer - August 14, 2008
..We must take as read that QPR have three multi millionaires behind them. Yet what have they bought so far? I reported their opening match of the season, where they scraped through 2-1 against a Barnsley team which, by contrast with themselves, had shelled out £1 million plus for a quick new striker in the shape of Iain Hume, who duly scored the opening goal.
Afterwards, Iain Dowie – a somewhat unexpected managerial choice after his three club Odyssey last season, being sacked by two of them – paid credit to Flavio Briatore, the motor racing man (Bernie Ecclestone being the other) for helping him to sign good young foreign players on loan. On loan! One of them being the highly talented Genoan right flanker, Argentine born Emmanuel Ledesma, who had an excellent game.
But where are all the costly new arrivals? Without whom you can hardly see QPR escaping from the so-called Championship. And why has a once pleasant multi-rowed press box been turned into a cramped one slum at the back of the stand? Report
Comments:
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And so it starts - get used to it Hoops fans, we just aren't going to be able to win, ever again. Brian Glanville is one of, if not THE most respected sports writer of his generation and makes some interesting observations here. But is he right? He argues that we have not spent any of the money that has come into the club, relying instead on loan signings. Regulars will know that I am not a fan of the latter but the fact that we have been frugal seems to disappoint Mr G! Of course, had we turned out a team costing 15 million against Barnsley, we would have been slaughtered - a win would have been greeted with a big fat “so what” and defeat would have brought howls of derision. Keep your arms and legs inside the car at all times, this is going to be quite a ride...PS, regarding the cramped press box - welcome to our world Mr Glanville, I have been sitting at Loftus Road with my knees hitting my chin for as long as i can remember!
# posted by 
: 10:00 AM
: 10:00 AM
I guess age is catching up with him.
The years must merge what with us supposedly being one point of the Championship in 1996 instead of 1976 and with Dowie's last three season's appointments merged into one year... time must fly for the old sot. Either that or he truly has lost his brain in a Gin bottle.
The years must merge what with us supposedly being one point of the Championship in 1996 instead of 1976 and with Dowie's last three season's appointments merged into one year... time must fly for the old sot. Either that or he truly has lost his brain in a Gin bottle.
# posted by : 10:17 AM
: 10:17 AM
And of course the owners have spent nothing apart from the wages of the 20+ yes that's 20+ player we have got in since the revolution!
There is also the samll matter of saving the club from administration by sorting out the ABC loan & securing some of the best sponsorship deals ever seen outside the top flight.
Yes what have the Romans ever done for us?!
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There is also the samll matter of saving the club from administration by sorting out the ABC loan & securing some of the best sponsorship deals ever seen outside the top flight.
Yes what have the Romans ever done for us?!
# posted by : 1:31 PM
: 1:31 PM << Home
