Brian Glanville on QPR Under Briatore...Gulf Weekly QPR Poll...Ex-Chairman Caliendo Q&A....AEK Athens' QPR Victory...Les Ferdinand (and Son) in Gulf

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Visit the QPR Report Messageboard...Among the articles posted there:
- Forty Years Ago Today, After 28 Days in Charge, "The Doc" (Tommy Docherty) Quit as QPR Manager
- The Continued Attraction of English Football
- Continuing Sports (not football specific) in the age of Terrorism
- Football Clubs Prices and the VAT Reduction: (No Word yet from QPR)

Brian Glanville/World Soccer (Written Prior to this week's Charlton/Watford games)
- Could things get any worse at Queens Park Rangers? Could Paulo Sousa, now enlisted, not as manager, mark you, but only as chief coach to the club, already be regretting having left his post as second in command of Portugal’s national team? Any comparison one might have made between the stern reign of Jim Gregory, which at least produced substantial results, and that of the autocratic Flavio Briatore, now seem irrelevant. The suggestion that Briatore himself might have become the manager in name as well, it seems, as in practice, was surely unfounded. All that money – Mitta, Ecclestone, even if so much of it seems ominously to be in the wife’s name; and the mountain produces the mouse of a 3-0 defeat at struggling Watford. All very sad to see. World Soccer


Gulf Weekly Poll Question:Will QPR go up into the Premiership at the end of the season?
Yes 51.64%
No 48.36% Gulf Weekly Poll


From an Article on Greek Football Successes, including -The Horror. The Horror! - of AEK Athens QPR Victory]
Goal.com - Just How Important Was Panathinaikos' Inter Triumph?
Panathinaikos’ Champions League victory over Inter Milan will live long in the memory of a generation of fans,but just where does it sit in Greek football history? Goal.com’s Chris Paraskevas gives his list of the most important accomplishments for Greek football on the European scene…..

Fairytale Run: AEK Athens, 1976-77 UEFA Cup Campaign
A semi-final appearance in the UEFA Cup remains the furthest a Greek side have ever progressed in the competition to this day.
The feat was accomplished by an AEK Athens side enjoying a ‘Golden Era’ under president Loukas Barlos and their famous run included unprecedented victories over a Derby County team who had just emerged out of their tutelage under Brian Clough, an away goals win over Red Star Belgrade and perhaps most famously of all, a penalty shoot-out victory over an in-form Queens Park Rangers outfit who had scored 26 goals in the competition up until that point. The Greeks were eliminated in the semi-final by Giovanni Trapattoni’s Juventus, who would go on to clinch their first ever European title with a two-legged victory over Athletic Bilbao in the final, though it was a fairytale run to perhaps at least rival that of Panathinaikos’ European Cup campaign five years earlier." Goal.Com


Gulf Weekly/Stan Szecowka - [Les Ferdinand] Son's injury agony
LES Ferdinand brought his 21-year-old son Aaron with him on his trip to Bahrain for a morale-boosting break as the young striker tries to follow in his father's footsteps and become a professional footballer.
Last New Year the youngster was undergoing a major operation to repair his shattered left leg after a crunching tackle in the penalty box looked like it may have put paid to a promising career before it had started.
Aaron was severely injured by a lunging clearance attempt by an opposing goalie to prevent him from scoring for Conference South side St Albans City. His powerful running and goal-scoring talent appeared to be a 'chip off the old block' and Championship side Watford was set to sign him up on professional terms. "I can remember the incident so clearly in my mind - my standing leg was taken away and I had no chance.
"Doctors have said that I can start playing football again next month so I'm very excited although I appreciate the hard work is only just about to start."
At least the young man will have his proud father to turn to for support. 'Sir' Les suffered serious Achilles problems during his time playing for Tottenham and says it takes real strength of character to fight back to fitness from injury. "Injuries are part and parcel of the game. You've got to keep your head up, stay confident and determined."
The former England international hopes to instil his 'never say die' attitude to the current Spurs team after being approached by recently-installed manager Harry Redknapp to coach the improving Premiership side's strikers.
"Harry believes there are a number of players of my generation who have still got lots to offer the sport," said Ferdinand, 42, who aims to further his coaching skills and obtain the necessary qualifications and experience needed to qualify for a management hot-seat in the future.
As a player he says former Newvcastle boss Kevin Keegan was the best 'man motivator' and ex-England coach Terry Venables the top strategist. Gulf Weekly


Q&A With Ex-QPR Chairman Antonio Caliendo
- In Italian Caliemercato - ANTONIO CALIENDO: Antonio Caliendo, storico agente di calciatori, si è confessato in esclusiva a calciomercato.it

English Web Translation ANTONIO CALIENDO
Antonio Caliendo, historical agent players, has confessed exclusively to calciomercato.it
MILAN - Antonio Caliendo not many years ago was the number one of the prosecutors. . In his team were champions of Caratage world (and there is no more time off: in the final of Rome of Italian World in 1990 between Germany and Argentina out of 22 players in camp, 12 are its well-assisted) and the particular appeal technical racetracks. Caliendo, so to name a few, is the one who has followed step by step pardon football after football, players like Roberto Baggio, Carlos Dunga, Claudio Paul Caniggia, Daniel Passarella, Diaz Ramon, David Trezeguet, Douglas Maicon. Caliendo in practice was the precursor dell'ormai arch-known figure of the modern prosecutor, or agent players who say it should.
Following is the country 'chairman' and shareholder of the Queen's Park Rangers, famed English training currently campaigning in Championship (Series B local), After an attempt to climb the property of Modena together with a group enterprise, now a consultant for players and society. Calciomercato.it has interviewed Exclusive:

Dr. Caliendo, his name has again erupted in several newspapers on arrogance is still interested in acquiring the Modena?

" "No. The explain why: I created a very strong group to take over ownership of the club Emilian, but there were details to go forward. Those economic, I mean ... The family Amadei has submitted a request that, according to the My experience with evaluations of the club, not even worth it to look. E 'out of the market, are quite rational. I treaty on behalf of my team, but we are always the usual ".

It 'an unfortunate period for her, after the vicissitudes on the sale of Flavio Briatore at QPR ...

"Days ago I issued a press release, I gave mandate to my lawyers (there are outstanding disputes between the old and the new ownership, ndr) to assess the situation. We will see what happens."

The job of prosecutor sport has changed over time ...

"The answer with a small consideration: more can be done today consultants, once the prosecutor to be a player had to be almost a second father. Football has changed the way I was expecting me, today we are also dancing mere economic interests. There is also this ...".
After Calciopoli the world of 'ball rolling' has changed for the better or Moggi and members have paid for all?

"... Mah has said and written a lot about this. I believe that football now is certainly more unpredictable. There are companies that some time ago I never believed come fourth or fifth. Today they are there. The Catania had risen in top positions despite a name not to cry and now has fallen a bit after a few days, Chievo at the time was a beautiful fairy tale. Once, however, there was a marked difference: it seemed there were two championships, now you can at least win or lose with all teams. There is talk of so-called 'rigorini' to Milan and other benefits granted to Inter or Juventus well, now I believe comes from good faith and into arbitration. Unfortunately, there are several different Concept Lo Bello and the like, now a director tendering wrong may have less preparation of others. It 'also a problem of personality. "

. She has always been tied to the figure of Dunga, since the times in which he was better known by its natural name: Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri.? Now that is the national coach of the most titled world as he has read the criticisms on the case Amauri?
Ha vastness of choice, the choice not to convene Amauri believe has influenced the fact that they are working for it world-famous players. If there are issues of nationality do not know, but I know that Dunga is a serious man. For him there are not any ultimatums, there is blackmail which takes ".

Now what Antonio Caliendo?
"I am a consultant, too many players, I follow a po 'entire football landscape."
Now that is considered the best right side of the world, what makes them happy?

"Perhaps even harbor some 'luck Inter. Nineteen years ago Ramon Diaz took the Nerazzurri and won the scudetto. After sixteen here and Maicon Inter wins again ... these are also satisfactions."
And Trezeguet, another great champion who follows a daily basis?

"About him I would say one thing. I take this opportunity thanks to you, but why a player like him has never been in the qualifications of the Golden Ball? There is talk of a world champion and Europe, was gunner Juve's for many years, the bomber most prolific of European football ... a thing to think when it is not present in the rankings of the Golden Ball? Jean-Pierre Papin won his prize, but is not comparable to David, from These are facts I think that this is an assignment policy ...".

Not bad as incipit ...
"Mass, people are careful enough, the player is stronger voted on the basis of what they won in their careers. If after winning a lot is not even selected, it is really incredible. If you are not separate him .. . Says the history of football. "

. At that time was procurator of 140 players participating in the World and Italian final between Germany and Argentina in the field there were 12, more than half. Qual è il ricordo più bello? What is the best memory?

"There are many anecdotes, one day more calm I tell them in detail. I could say things about Baggio and many others, but I like to remember what I said to Schillaci still before the end Juve. It was in Messina in B, I had to bring him to Turin: the predicted the Magical Nights of which was the protagonist. A few months later became the gunner's Juventus in the first year in A, was led by the World Azeglio Vicini and became the Golden Shoe of the event with 6 networks. I had expected, we had always believed. One day I said that Schillaci and Baggio were the twins of Italy, I was orgogliosissimo. "
Luigi Sinibaldi - Web Translation

See also: Past Caliendo Blog Posts including re QPR matters


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