Snippets: QPR Flops...Agyemang Recovery...Exiting QPR Unfit -- Ray Jones Remembered -- Ex-QPR Birthday -- Australia-South Africa Coming Up

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Goal.com/Ricky Brooks - "Championships Tops & Flops: Week 2 - The second round of Championship games kicked off on Saturday afternoon with all 24 clubs in action. Ricky Brooks takes a look at the best and the worst performances...
Flops...
"...3 – Queens Park Rangers
QPR might be the richest club in England’s second tier and herald the title of the ‘Chelsea of the Championship.’ But they put in a very poor performance against fellow promotion hopefuls Sheffield United on Saturday. Rangers were made second favourites for promotion by the bookies just behind Birmingham. But after only just beating Barnsley on the opening day of the Championship, and again just edging the Carling Cup game with Swindon, the Superhoops were comfortably beaten at Bramall Lane. Manager Iain Dowie admits that the team needs to improve their defending, but says it is too early to start pressing panic buttons. He told a national daily: “Our inability to defend set plays cost us dearly. We're one of the biggest teams on the planet, so it's bizarre. Although we pressed in the second half we fell to another set-piece, which really sticks in the throat. I think we've got enough ability to cope. We don't want to overreact because we've had a mad 20 minutes today.” Dowie has been under pressure from day one and this result will have done nothing to help him. The fans and board are both expecting big things from the West London club. If they continue to perform as they did on Saturday, there could be serious consequences. Goal.com


Plymouth Manager Paul Sturrock on Simon Walton and Chris Barker
Plymouth Herald - "...Sturrock admitted the match fitness of Barker, and midfielder Simon Walton, was a concern.
Barker and Walton were both signed from Queens Park Rangers at the end of pre-season.
Sturrock said: "Duguid has come and done very well at right-back and I think Barker will be a good addition once he's up to speed.
"I think his fitness levels are poor – and I think Walton's fitness levels are poor.
"They have got a rude awakening coming to them next week, but the important thing now is we are starting to settle down and bed in a squad of players..." Plymouth Herald


QPR Official Site - AGYEMANG SET TO RETURN
Patrick Agyemang is set to return to the QPR squad for Saturday's home clash against Doncaster Rovers.
The striker missed Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United owing to a groin injury, but boss Iain Dowie expects the Ghanaian international to be fit to return for the visit of the Championship newcomers to Loftus Road.
"Pat was nursing a sore groin on Saturday," Dowie told www.qpr.co.uk.
"It's not too serious though and I expect him to be available for selection for the Doncaster fixture." QPR


Special QPR Programme on Saturday in Memory of Ray JonesQPR Official Site - REMEMBERING RAY - 'HOOPS' A4 SPECIAL
Monday 25th August 2008 marks the one year anniversary of Ray Jones' untimely death and as such, the Club will be remembering him when we play host to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
Almost a year on from the tragic death of the teenage starlet, the Club will be celebrating the life of the popular front-man next weekend with a series of glowing tributes.
'Hoops' - the Club's official matchday programme - will pay its own, unique tribute to the player who touched so many hearts with an A4 anniversary special publication.
The commemorative programme - which will be on sale for our Championship fixture against Doncaster Rovers on Saturday - is A4 in size and features 84 pages.
Our ever-popular 'Step Back In Time' history section will be dedicated in its entirety to Ray. QPR


[From a year ago: Ray Jones RIP

-Paul Parker, Mark Bircham and John Curtis and Remember Ray Jones
- Ray Jones Remembered by Ian Holloway, Joe Gallen, Gary Waddock, Gareth Ainsworth and Fans
- Ray Jones Update: Minute of Applause...FIFA's Sepp Blatter's Condolences
- Tributes and Memories
- Ray Jones RIP- Additional Tributes, Reports, Memories
- Expressions of Condolences
- The Ray Jones RIP Announcement/Report


Ex-QPR winger, Michael Meaker Turns 37 - Born August 18, 1971
Meaker, for the most part a reserve while at QPR, played for QPR from 1989-1994 before being sold to Reading (valued at 250,000 pounds) as part of the deal that brought Simon Osborne to QPR (for a few months!) -- Meaker Profile See Also: Michael Meaker/Wikipedia


One Year ago, August 18, 2007 saw QPR loose at home: QPR 0 Cardiff 2 - QPR Team: Camp, Stewart, Mancienne, Bolder, Nardiello (Nygaard 63), Blackstock, Rowlands, Moore (Ward 63), Curtis, Ephraim, Rehman. Subs: Cole, Bignot, Cullip. Match Report


Coming up this Week at Loftus Road: Australia vs South Africa, Tuesday, August 19th 8pm - Ticket Information - Official Site -- Ticket Information Update

Hopefully there is no Australian confusion about when the game is being played!
Australian Advertiser/Mail: "...BRUCE Djite's eight goals in seven matches for his new club was too good to ignore as Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek added the Genclerbirligi striker to the London-based Australian squad.
The Socceroos face South Africa in a World Cup warm up match at QPR's Loftus Road on Wednesday morning....
Djite joins Olyroos Mark Milligan (uncontracted), David Carney (Sheffield United), and Matthew Spiranovic (Nurnberg) plus Richard Garcia (Hull City) as late call ups for the clash.
The quintet have replaced Michael Beauchamp (Aalborg, Denmark), Brett Emerton (Blackburn) and Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), who have all pulled out of international friendly" The Advertiser/Sunday Mail