Briatore, Briatore, Briatore - Briatore Supposedly Wants Ainsworth as Dowie Replacement..Briatore and Team Selection

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The Times/Kaveh Solhekol
Flavio Briatore wants to give Gareth Ainsworth his chance at QPR
- Flavio Briatore is trying to convince his business partners at Queens Park Rangers that Gareth Ainsworth should become the club’s manager until the end of the season. Ainsworth became the caretaker manager when Iain Dowie left Loftus Road on Friday and the 35-year-old player-coach was in charge for QPR’s goalless draw away to Reading on Saturday.
- “We have everything,” Briatore said. “We have the players and we have the coach. There was no argument with Iain Dowie, it was just a decision of the board because we were not happy, it’s as simple as that.”
- The former Crystal Palace manager effectively resigned when he refused to allow Briatore to pick the team for the match at the Madejski Stadium. The Italian co-owns the club with Bernie Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal and was frustrated that Dowie would not pick players such as Samuel Di Carmine and Daniel Parejo, who are there on loan.
- Dowie, who had little say over the club’s transfer policy, lost his job when he refused to drop Dexter Blackstock, the club’s leading goalscorer, and start with Di Carmine and Parejo in attack. Both players were in Ainsworth’s starting XI on Saturday.
- “There are lots of talks and discussions about players with various people at the club and of course that includes Flavio Briatore,” Ainsworth said. “He’s the chief investor and he loves taking an active part in how his investment is going.”
- Ainsworth will be in charge for QPR’s home match against Birmingham City tomorrow while his employers decide whether to keep faith with him until the end of the season. Terry Venables, Darren Ferguson, Kenny Jackett and Italian managers such as Roberto Mancini and Roberto Donadoni have been linked with the post... . The Times


Commentary - Martin Sammuel/The Times
...You cannot be serious
It is an open secret that Flavio Briatore, the joint owner of Queens Park Rangers, intends to have a say in team selection. This makes the speculation on the identity of Iain Dowie’s successor meaningless. Roberto Mancini and Terry Venables have been mentioned, but no serious football man would take the job in those circumstances." The Times


BBC - Dowie's exit was a shock - Mahon
Queens Park Rangers midfielder Gavin Mahon has admitted he was surprised by boss Iain Dowie's sacking after a training session on Friday morning.
Mahon told BBC London 94.9: "Just after training (QPR co-owner) Flavio Briatore said he wanted a meeting with everyone and said that Iain's leaving.
"It was strange because the gaffer had been taking training.
"Twenty minutes later we were told by the chairman to go upstairs and have a meeting and that's where we found out."
Mahon added: "I was a little bit shocked, but I've had all sorts of things in my career.
"On a personal note I got on really well with Iain. The coaching was top drawer, well organised, everyone was fit and at times we let him down on the pitch with our performances.
"His record's decent, you can't fault it. We've got a decent cup game coming up (Manchester United in the Carling Cup fourth Round) and are in a decent position in the league.
"Everyone knows how hard this league is. I think this club has moved on a lot from last year." BBC


GUARDIAN/Mikey Stafford - Briatore makes his point as QPR draw solace at ReadingGuardian report Match facts Championship
- Steve Coppell welcomed Iain Dowie and his QPR team to the Madejski Stadium in his programme notes, but it was instead the caretaker manager Gareth Ainsworth he pitted his wits against.
- The veteran midfielder's managerial debut was impressive and his resolute QPR side were the first this season to leave the Madejski with a point as they held the free-scoring Reading in a hectic encounter bereft of clear goal-scoring chances.
- Speculation is rife over who will take over on a permanent basis at the Championship's wealthiest club, with Terry Venables, Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli and Sam Allardyce all thought to be in the frame. On Saturday evening, with the young Italian striker Samuel Di Carmine preferred to top scorer Dexter Blackstock, it would appear that whoever does take over may have to respect the opinion of Flavio Briatore, the Renault formula one team owner and chairman of QPR. The Italian was conspicuous in the director's box during the game, and Ainsworth admitted that Briatore had also spent some time in the dressing room beforehand.
- "I would say 80% of the games he comes into the dressing room," said the former Wimbledon midfielder. "Tonight he came in for a general chat when we had just arrived at the ground."
- The 35-year-old maintained that Briatore had no input on strategy and the final team was his to name, but he did confess that the chairman "likes his input" and "says what he sees". "There are discussions about the team and discussions about players. Flavio has put a lot of money in the club and wants to know how his investments are going. Already we have made a point that we are going to be meeting regularly, not just with Flavio but with the other people who have put their money in, but I have the final input on who goes out there. He doesn't discuss the strategies but he is a winner and he loves to be involved in sport."
- Dowie may have been dismissed because of his preference for Blackstock over Di Carmine, but on Saturday it was the QPR defence that dominated proceedings. Mikele Leigertwood in particular did a fantastic job of marshalling Stephen Hunt, Reading's provider-in-chief, and despite the tireless running of Hunt's brother Noel and Kevin Doyle up front, the previously free-scoring Royals failed to create any solid chances from open play. The substitute Kalifa Cissé went closest six minutes from the end when he met Stephen Hunt's corner with a powerful header, only to see Radek Cerny dive brilliantly to his left and divert the ball away from the top corner and around the post.
- While he professed to not getting involved in the QPR "hoo-hah" before the game, as one of the most stable and autonomous managers in English football it was interesting to hear Coppell's take on Dowie's departure. "Picking a football team is not a committee decision," he said. "If I didn't pick the team what would I do?"
- Man of the match: Mikele Leigertwood - Guardian


The Sun/Paul Jiggins - Reading 0 QPR 0By PAUL JIGGINS
- IAIN DOWIE seemed to know he was a dead man walking when he took training at QPR for the final time on Friday.
- His players could tell their manager had something on his mind as he was quieter than usual. Even a bit distant maybe.
- But they had no idea of the drama that would unfold at the end of the session at the Hoops’ Harlington training ground.
- After announcing HIS team for the trip to the Madejski and giving the side their final instructions, Dowie was promptly sacked by the club’s co-owner and chairman Flavio Briatore after less than six months in the job.
- Midfielder Gavin Mahon revealed: “The first inkling I got the gaffer was going was at training on Friday when Gianni Paladini came up to me and said ‘I think he’s going’. I said ‘But he’s just taken training’.
- "Then Flavio called a meeting 20 minutes later and said ‘Yeah, the coach is no longer here. But I want everyone to stick together. I don’t want to see any down faces around the place because we’ve got an important game at Reading’.
- “I was stunned a little bit. But you could tell there was something on the gaffer’s mind or that he was feeling a bit under pressure. Once Flavio told us, we all went to see him to wish him all the best.”
- SunSport told on Saturday how Dowie was axed because he showed he could no longer stand being told what players to pick by Briatore.
- And this was seemingly backed up by Rangers’ starting XI against the Royals.
- Mahon admitted: “The gaffer had picked a side before he left and . . . er, it was sort of the same as the one that played.
- “There were a couple of changes made but I can’t mention names.
- “The lads who were told on Friday they were playing and then told before the game they were not, took it really well.”
- Briatore went into the Rangers dressing room to congratulate caretaker-boss Gareth Ainsworth and his players on becoming the first visiting side to leave the Madejski with a point this term.
- Mahon added: “I spoke to Gaz after the news was announced on Friday and he said he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry because he’s been thrown straight in at the deep end.
- “But he’s experienced. He’s gone through a lot of things in his career. I think he’ll do really well.”
- The QPR caretaker had referee Chris Foy and keeper Radek Cerny to thank for the point.
- First, Foy failed to spot Mahon’s blatant handball in the box. Then Cerny made a fabulous late save to keep out Kalifa Cisse’s header.
- Royals boss Steve Coppell said: “Ainsworth would be happy, his players played for him.
- “There was determination and steel from their back four and midfield four. They didn’t leave too much daylight.
- “They were not far from the ideal side Iain Dowie would have picked.”
SUN STAR MAN - RADEK CERNY (QPR). Keeper pulled out all the stops. The Sun


The Mirror. Alex Varney - MAHON: FLAV DID PICK THE QPR SIDE
- Gavin Mahon admits Rangers team selection was altered afterthedismissal of Iain Dowie on Friday.
- Dowie had named the starting XI before he was sacked following a row with co-owner Flavio Briatore over the line-up.
- Gareth Ainsworthwasput in temporary charge - although it certainly looked as if Briatore had the final say as fellow Italian Samuel Di Carmine was drafted in aheadofDexter Blackstock.
- "He (Dowie) had picked a sidebefore he left," revealed Mahon. "It was sort of the same as the one that played - but one or two changes were made.
- "That's football - all those ladswhoweretoldonFriday they were playing and then told before the game they were not, took it really well.
- "There were only a couple of changes made, but I can't mention names."
- Mahon was shocked to see the back of Dowie - who had guidedRangerstothe fourth roundoftheCarlingCupand left theWest London side ninthinthetable-butwants the managerial situation sorted quickly.
He said: "I was stunned a little bit. His training was very good. At times the players let him down on the pitch. But we're still in a decent league position and we'vegotManUawayinthe Carling Cup."
Despite their off field troubles Rangers became the first side to take points off Reading at the Madejski Stadium this season.
- Whether he picked the side or not caretaker boss Ainsworth seemed to have his side giving him their all.
- The hosts had plundered 27goals athome before this clashbutwerekeptquietby a defence expertly marshalled by Damion Stewart.
Reading remain third although they have slipped to six points behind leaders Birmingham.
Royals defender Liam Rosenior said: "With the formweare in it's definitely two points dropped. We created more than enough chances to score.: Mirror


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