Snippets: Managerial Odds: Mancini Leads...Delaney on Dowie and Ainsworth ...Tommassi Speaks...Agyemang Returns...Oatway Forgives Bean

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- QPR Managerial Betting Odds Update: Mancini Leading --- [See: Roberto Mancini Profile]


Setanta/Brian Murphu - Exclusive: Delaney backs Ainsworth
by Brian Murphy, 05 November 2008
- Damien Delaney, the QPR and Republic of Ireland full back, has backed stand-in manager Gareth Ainsworth to pick up the pieces at Loftus Road after Iain Dowie was controversially sacked.
- Delaney has revealed that he was aware Dowie was unhappy in his final days at the club, but says he was not privy to the exact reasons for his dismissal.
- Rumours of discord between the club’s owners and the former Northern Ireland international have done the rounds over the last few weeks, with suggestions that there were attempts to influence team selection from the boardroom.
- “Obviously there were whisperings that the manager was unhappy and the owners were a bit unhappy as well, but you can’t do much about it,” Delaney told setantasports.com.
- “We didn’t know what was going on really. Obviously you hear the odd whispers and things like that but nobody actually knew for certain what was happening.
- “The owners have made a decision and Gazza [Gareth Ainsworth] is now in charge for how long nobody knows.”
- The former Hull City favourite admits the timing of Dowie’s departure - just 12 league games into the season – was not ideal but insists that it is now up to the players to salvage something from the season.
-“It is I suppose [bad timing], but I think everyone that has been in football knows what it’s like, knows that that’s football and that you have to get on with it,” he added.
- “But unfortunately football doesn’t wait for anyone so as soon as someone gets sacked another one comes in and it’s up to the players to keep going.”
- Ainsworth, who made over 140 appearances with the R’s over five years, has been handed the manager’s role on an interim basis, and Delaney feels his standing among the players makes him the ideal man to steady things at the club.
- “Last year when I first joined in January, Gazza was still a player,” he said.
- “Then he went into coaching at the start of this season. He’s brilliant, Gazza. He’s real honest, hard-working – a guy who just asks for commitment from everyone really. That’s all he asks for.
- “That’s the type of player he was as well. He wasn’t the most gifted player in the world but you knew you got it every week, which was work-rate and commitment. And he is just the same as a manager.”
- Delaney says he is in the dark as to who will replace Dowie in the long-term, but admits Ainsworth is a definite contender after helping Rangers to four points from his first two games in charge before last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Ipswich.
- “Nobody knows really. I think he is in charge on a temporary basis. Whether or not we are looking to get somebody else in or whether or not Gareth will be left in charge, I don’t know,” he said.
- “Obviously we have had a few very, very good results under him and I’m sure he will throw his hat in the ring for it. Who knows, he might get it.” Setanta


[Tommasi too young at 34, but Ainsworth at 35...?]
Kilburn Times/Ben Kosky - Tommasi too young to be manager
- QPR'S former World Cup star Damiano Tommasi has firmly ruled himself out of the running to become the club's next manager.
- Tommasi, who moved to Loftus Road earlier this season and made his first-team debut against Birmingham last week, had been touted as a possible successor to Iain Dowie.
- But the 34-year-old midfielder laughed when asked if his decision to continue his playing career in the Championship would pave the way for a coaching role with Rangers.
- "No, I'm too young to be a coach," Tommasi told the Times. "At this moment I'm concentrating on learning to play for this club and playing as well as I can.
- "I've been playing at QPR for a month and my fitness is very good, what's most important for me is I know my team-mates better now.
"Of course we want to be in the Premier League, but first we have to go up from the Championship. I think QPR have the possibility of doing this with these players we have, but we must fight for it."
Tommasi forged a reputation as one of Europe's best defensive midfield men during a decade with Roma and also won 24 caps for Italy, including four at the 2002 World Cup finals.
After a spell in Spain's La Liga with Levante, he is now bringing that experience to the QPR engine room and showed clear signs of quality both against Birmingham and Ipswich.
Surprisingly, Tomassi never actually faced Manchester United during his years of European football with Roma - but, even though a trip to Old Trafford is just around the corner, he insists the league must be QPR's priority.
"We need to concentrate on the Championship - we know Manchester United is a great match and an exciting day, but we have Cardiff in our way before that and this is more important," Tommasi added.
"Birmingham was a very important result for us, but we have to forget it after losing to Ipswich. I think 2-0 was hard on us, but they scored two set-plays and it was very difficult for us to put the ball in the box.
"In the first half we had many opportunities, there were two shots on goal and the Ipswich keeper was very good.
"But it was very difficult to fight against an Ipswich team who wanted to do well against a team that beat the number one side. We have to forget it and go for the win against Cardiff. Kilburn Times


Agyemang Return from Injury (Wasn't aware he was injured!)

QPR Official Site - IN RESERVE: AGYEMANG ON COMEBACK TRAIL
Patrick Agyemang is pencilled in to continue his comeback from injury in tonight's TotesportCasino.com Combination Cup tie against Crystal Palace.
The striker has been missing in recent weeks owing to a pelvic strain, but having come through a behind-closed-doors fixture at Harlington last Tuesday, the former Preston North End front-man will take another step on the comeback trail in Reserve action against the Eagles this evening.
First Team quintet Jake Cole, Peter Ramage, Kaspars Gorkss, Hogan Ephraim and Angelo Balanta are also set to feature, as First Team Coach David Rouse takes charge.
The match at Bromley FC, kicks off at 7.00pm.
QPR Reserves (from): Cole, Crowther, Ramage, Gorkss, Oastler, Ilesanmi, Flood, Bolder, Ephraim, Rose, Balanta, Agyemang, German, Harris, Maguire, Parker. *A brief report from tonight's tie will be available on www.qpr.co.uk on Thursday.
QPR Official Site


Oatway Not Mad at Bean

Hounslow Chronicle - Nov 5 2008 By Tim Street - Oatway forgives and forgets
Charlie Oatway insists he bears Brentford FC's Marcus Bean no ill - despite having his leg broken by him three years ago.
Former Brentford favourite Oatway will come up against both Bean and his former club on Sunday when Havant & Waterlooville, where he is now assistant manager, host the Bees in an FA Cup first round tie.
But the 34-year-old, who is still fondly remembered at Griffin Park despite only making 57 appearances between 1997-1999, holds no grudge towards Bean.
It was a challenge from the Bees midfielder, then at QPR, which crocked Oatway, then at Brighton, during a game at the Withdean Stadium on Boxing Day 2005.
Oatway said: "I know a few of the current Brentord squad - Nathan Elder from when he was at Brighton; I played against Adam Newton; and Marcus Bean broke my leg!
"I've not come across him since, but I don't hold anything against him. I've had a lot of injuries in my career and I've forgotten about it. It's not an issue." - See this week's Chronicle for the full interview with Oatway, on sale tomorrow, priced 50p.Hounslow Chronicle