-
Telegraph/ Sandy Macaskill - Birmingham City test next for Queens Park Rangers caretaker manager Gareth Ainsworth
Despite being given the public backing of his chairman, Flavio Briatore, at the weekend, the pressure will be on Queens Park Rangers caretaker manager Gareth Ainsworth when his side come up against Championship leaders Birmingham on Tuesday night, now he has been informed that he stands every chance of being given the full-time job.
- In pole position: QPR caretaker manager Gareth Ainsworth has been told he is in the running for the job on a full-time basis Photo: JASON DAWSON
- Ainsworth was put in charge of the team last week after the club terminated Iain Dowie's contract just 15 games into his tenure. Initial suspicions were that Ainsworth's appointment would be temporary, with Terry Venables and former Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini lined up as potential replacements, but Briatore is understood to be keen to keep the winger in his new role.
-Ainsworth will, therefore, be hoping to build on his first result with the club, an important draw with Reading at the weekend which will no doubt have brought him fresh confidence from the board.
However, the Birmingham fixture represents a far greater challenge: QPR were defeated 1-0 when the two sides met a little over three weeks ago at St Andrews.
Of particular interest for Rangers fans will be the team selection. Dowie was thought to have named the starting eleven to face Reading at training on the Friday morning before being fired, yet the Italian Samuel di Carmine was chosen over Dexter Blackstock, a move interpreted by some as a sign that Briatore has exerted some influence over team affairs.
It is not the first time that Briatore has been accused of becoming involved at dressing-room level – Dowie's relationship with the Italian is understood to have been strained by his interference, especially with regard to the transfer market.
Ainsworth will have to do without Damien Delaney, who is suspended after collecting five yellow cards this season.
Birmingham, meanwhile, are looking to consolidate their league position after wins against Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday. They may have been fortunate to get a result against Palace, when Garry O'Connor scored after four minutes of added time, but their prowess in attack against Wednesday will stand them in good stead against QPR.
Manager Alex McLeish has hinted that after a series of striker rotations this season O'Connor and Kevin Phillips will feature over James McFadden, Cameron Jerome and Marcus Bent up front.
O'Connor has finally started to convert his promise on the practice pitch to performance on match days. He has long been the best goalscorer in training, according to McLeish, but now he is converting that to goals when they count.
McLeish said: "I don't think people realise that he is a decent player. He's the best finisher in the club, and now he's showing it at Birmingham after doing it at Hibs and in Moscow. Another pleasing feature is that he's now linking up well with Kevin Phillips."
David Murphy, out with a thigh injury, could return, but McLeish is unlikely to make any changes, especially after beating Wednesday 3-1. Telegraph
Snippet at the Mail re Chopra
"...Mancienne has been on loan at Queens Park Rangers, who are on the trail of Sunderland striker Michael Chopra on loan with a view to a permanent £2.5million move." Mail
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
Monday, October 27, 2008
Another Pointing to Ainsworth for Permanent Appointment...Chopra?
Blog Archive
-
▼
2008
(1621)
-
▼
October
(168)
- A Look at Briatore Involvement and Impact at QPR ....
- Analysis of Briatore and QPR'S Managers...QPR Seek...
- Marc Bircham Interview on his Five Years at QPR - ...
- Some Recent Items of Interest
- Snippets -Leigertwood Loses Appeal (Ban Increased!...
- Ex-QPR Snippets: Shittu to Birmingham?...Walton's ...
- Next: Ipswich (Away)
- Year FLASHBACK: Bartoli and Pavese in...Neil Out.....
- Chopra and Sturridge Update
- Stan Bowles Speaks
- Snippets: Chopra and Sturridge Update...Ainsworth ...
- A Scathing Opinion of The Role of QPR Managers Und...
- FLASHBACK: One Year Ago Today - Luigi De Canio App...
- Further Reports and Comments re QPR's Birmingham's...
- Match Reports and Managerial Comments re QPR Win O...
- Ten-Man QPR End Birmingham's Undefeated Away Record
- Teams - QPR vs Birmingham: Tomassi's Debut...Di Ca...
- Snippets II - Swansea's Martinez Not Interested in...
- The QPR Managerial Merry-Go-Around
- Criticisms of Briatore...Briatore Holding Back QPR...
- Tommasi to Start Debated?...Ainsworth in Charge?.....
- From Houston to Ainsworth - QPR Managerial Announc...
- Another Pointing to Ainsworth for Permanent Appoin...
- More From Ainsworth...Ex-QPR Loan, Mancienne to Wo...
- Chopra for QPR?...Ainsworth for QPR?...Vine on Dow...
- Next: Birmingham at Loftus Road
- League Managers Association re Dowie...Darren Ferg...
- Briatore, Briatore, Briatore - Briatore Supposedly...
- How Briatore Told Dowie...QPR's Mahon on Briatore'...
- Dowie's Three Bites at the QPR Apple
- QPR Snippets: QPR for Sturridge & Folan?...Dowie o...
- Assessing Dowie's Departure and Ainsworth Possibil...
- QPR's Reading Draw - Roles of Briatore and Ainswor...
- Teams - Reading vs QPR
- Snippets: Managerial Names...Lee Camp Speaking ......
- Caliendo Legal Action vs Briatore - Updated
- QPR's Managerial History
- Dowie's Sacking - Further (Amazing) Press Reports ...
- QPR Mangerial Possibilities..."QPR Want Venables"
- Dowie's QPR Axing - Analysis and Reactions
- QPR Sack Iain Dowie
- Reading for Americans!...QPR/USA....Coppell Previe...
- Snippets: Nugent QPR Loan?...Mancini as Manager?.....
- Briatore and Bhatia Dine in Paris...Bhatia Speaks...
- Didnt Gesture, Says Jake Cole...Rowan Vine Talks a...
- Different Press Approaches to QPR's Ticket Price R...
- Snippets: QPR Player Trialing at Cardiff....Swanse...
- Dowie Speaks - On Handling Pressure/Expectations
- Next: QPR at Reading - Preview
- QPR Boardroom Power Struggle? ...Dowie Facing Sack...
- Photos from Swansea....Swansea 'Goalkeeper' - "I w...
- Club Reverses Itself on Ticket Pricing and Announc...
- Bolder Outspoken...QPR Wouldn't Let Bolder Go for ...
- Tommasi Not Yet Ready...QPR's Striker Pursuit
- The Bad Boys of Loftus Road?
- Swansea-QPR Report consensus - Dire, Lucky, QPR
- QPR's Goaless, Yellow Carded Draw in Swansea: Repo...
- QPR
- Swansea vs QPR - Tonight's Teams
- Former QPR Goalie, Chris Day, Publican
- Lee Camp Talking and Set to Debut
- Swansea's Perspective -"QPR are very different opp...
- Flashbacks: One Year Since QPR's Worst 10 Game Sta...
- Swansea vs QPR Previews and Team News
- Cash Reportedly Available for a Forward...Not Chop...
- Why Forest Wanted Camp (Updated)...Ex-QPR St Aimie...
- "On This Day" - Three Goalies...and a Wonder Goal
- QPR Now Confirming Camp Deal Gone Through...24 Hou...
- Next: QPR vs Swansea
- Lee Camp Joins Nottingham Forest
- Buzsaky Defends and Praises Dowie
- Snippets - Hull's Folan Stays on Bench...Gerry Fra...
- Nice Victory for QPR Youth...Updates re QPR vs Not...
- "Happened On This Day" - QPR's Most-Ambitious-Ever...
- Post-Match Comments: QPR's Flowers "I can't unders...
- QPR Defeat Nottingham Forest 2-1 - Match Reports
- Today's Teams/Follow Game Live - QPR vs Nottingham...
- Snippets: No Venables...Money and Championship Pro...
- Confirming: No Folan to QPR
- Snippets: Supposed Past QPR Interest in Italian Mi...
- Maybe Folan Not Joining QPR?...Folan May be Playin...
- Next: QPR vs Nottingham Forest - Flashback Memorie...
- Snippets: Dowie on his Job....Fulop Deal?...Ex-QPR...
- QPR Set to Sign Loan striker: Hull's Caleb Folan
- Lee Cook - Players Back Dowie
- Gianni Paladini's Role at QPR?
- Gerry Francis Rejects Newcastle
- The Goalkeeper QPR Reported Want - Marton Fulop
- No Kenny Jackett to QPR
- Combatting Discrimination, Promoting Diversity and...
- QPR Snippets: QPR Player Interest?...QPR/Internati...
- "On This Day" - A Decade Since Gerry Francis Retur...
- Dani Parejo Updates His Blog: Loving London - Weat...
- Reserves Crush Lewes...QPR Open Day....Perspective...
- Dowie Not Planning Sell Camp!...Dowie's Urgent Str...
- New QPR Message Board - QPR Report Messageboard
- Snippets: Jackett to Replace Dowie?...Venables to ...
- Ex-QPR Youth Player Wins "Player of The Round" Awa...
- Kaspars Gorkss Speaks
- Blackstock Prefers a Partner...Gavin Mahon's Persp...
-
▼
October
(168)