QPR's Balanta Again on Cusp of Young England Chance....Cook Wants to Stay at QPR

-
QPR Official Site - September 22, 2008 - BALANTA ON STANDBY
Angelo Balanta has been placed on standby for the England Under-19 squad.
In the event of any pull-outs, the young striker will join up with the squad for their UEFA European Under-19 Championships Qualifying Round matches against Albania, Northern Ireland and Serbia in Belfast, between Thursday 2nd October and Tuesday 14th October. QPR

Football Association - Qualifying squad named Monday, 22 September 2008. UEFA European U19 Championship
Qualifying Round Group 9 - England, Albania, Northern Ireland and Serbia.
Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2-14 October 2008.
- England U19s get their qualifying campaign for this season's European Championship underway early next month when they travel to Northern Ireland for the Qualifying Round.
v Brian Eastick has named his squad for the game, which sees the Young Lions face Albania, Serbia and Northern Ireland in a bid to progress to the next stage which is the Elite Qualfying Round and will take place early next year.
The U19s got their season off to a winning start earlier this month, when two goals from Arsenal's Rhys Murphy saw them run out as 2-1 victors against the Netherlands in Shrewsbury.
Many of the players involved in that game are named in this squad, whilst there are call-ups for Chelsea midfielder Jacob Mellis and Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso who now have the opportunity to make an impression.
West Ham's Jordan Spence and Manchester United's Danny Drinkwater also return to the squad after missing out on the previous game through injury.
The likes of Jason Steele, Krystian Pearce, Danny Rose and Victor Moses all had a taste of the U19 Championship in July, when they were included in the squad which competed in the finals in the Czech Republic.
The Squad
Player Club
Ben Amos Manchester United
Jason Steele Middlesbrough
Matthew Briggs Fulham
Lee Hills Crystal Palace
Gavin Hoyte Arsenal
Krystian Pearce Birmingham City (on loan to Scunthorpe)
Jordan Spence West Ham United
Kieran Trippier Manchester City
Danny Drinkwater Manchester United
Henri Lansbury Arsenal
Jacob Mellis Chelsea
Jack Rodwell Everton
Daniel Rose Tottenham Hotspur
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas Arsenal
Nathan Delfouneso Aston Villa
Victor Moses Crystal Palace
Rhys Murphy Arsenal
Daniel Welbeck Manchester United
Football Association


- See Also: Belanta on Cusp of England U-18 Chance


SKY SPORTS/Chris Galea - Cook wants to sign QPR deal
Winger enjoying being back at Loftus Road
Lee Cook is hoping to sign a permanent contract at Queens Park Rangers in January.
The winger is on a season-long loan at Loftus Road from Fulham and has made nine appearances to date.
He has not played a first-team game for Fulham since joining from QPR in 2007 and wants to stay with Iain Dowie's side.
"The loan deal is with a view to a permanent, so I'm hoping it will be sorted out in January," Cook told skysports.com.
"As far as I am concerned I am going to be at QPR for the next three-and-a-half years at least.
"It's a football club that I have supported all my life, so I can't think of anywhere better to play my football."
Promotion target
Meanwhile, Cook believes the Loftus Road faithful can roar the Hoops to promotion this season, after 13 years outside the top flight.
He added: "There's a lot more expectation around the club now and the fans are more excited because they feel it is a realistic target to return to the Premier League, whereas before we dreamed of promotion when there wasn't much chance of us fulfilling it back then.
"You can see it off the pitch as well as on it, everything at this football club is geared towards being successful and gaining promotion to the Premier League.
"The owners are successful men and they don't muck about. They've put a lot of money into the club and they will be looking to steer this club back into the promised land."
The 26-year-old believes the atmosphere generated by the fans at Loftus Road can help guide them to a Premier League return.
Crowd
"It's a great football club and I love the atmosphere down here, any team who comes to Loftus Road say how difficult it is to get a result here due to the atmosphere the crowd build," Cook continued.
"It is important to get a good start and that's what we have done, but we have to build on it.
"We have to keep our feet on the ground and concentrate on playing our football and if we keep getting good results week in week out then I can't see why we can't get promoted" Skysports