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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

QPR Report Tuesday Snippets...Championship Team of the Season

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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
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- The Club apparently wants fan group access to the club "Siphoned" through the Official Supporters Club (OSC). Fan Consideration re OSC. (Also past efforts)


- Year Flashback: QPR Bidding for Paddy Kenny

- On This Day for QPR: Five,four, three, two years Ago

- QPR's Week in Review: QPR and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

- Congratulations to Swansea, promoted to the Premiership with a hatrick from ex-QPR Loan, Scott Sinclair. (Victory parade already announced)

- Flashback: Kenny Jackett Leaves QPR for Swansea!


Sabotage Times/Adam Clery - The ST End Of Season Football Awards: Smash Gate, Super Injunctions And Savage
Posted: 31 May 2011
"....The “He’s behind you” award for Pantomime Villain of the season.
'We’re certainly not short of perennial bell-ends this season, I dare say most football fans could produce their own personal XI of players they’ve lost all love and respect for during this campaign. Be it the usual boo-boys who’ve kept winding us up, or the former childhood heroes who, shock and horror, fancied ploughing a topless model instead of watching their wives age, we’ve all had our hearts broken.
- But we deserve it. If we’re going to exhaust people we barely know, or worse, allow their behaviour to wind us up then we’ve only got ourselves to blame. That’s why this award is handed out to those who’ve really taken a shit from up high onto the heads of some poor, umbrella-less men and women who truly, truly deserved better. We’re talking to you Flavio Briatore, and whoever else had a say in Queens Park Rangers decision to charge every loyal supporter (who’ve stuck by them during the clubs leanest of spells) out of the hoop for the privilege of watching Premier League football. Not cool guys, not cool.
- Winner: QPR Chairman Flavio Briatore.
..." Sabotage Times


The Sun - Warnock to go the extra Kyle
- QPR'S Neil Warnock wants to take Spurs defenders Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton on loan next season.
- Walker, 21, had a spell with the R's for the first half of last season before moving to Aston Villa where he earned an England call-up.
- Meanwhile, Naughton, 22, impressed at Leicester.
- Now ex-Sheffield United boss Warnock aims to bring in both the former Blades trainees. The Sun


Skysports - Championship team of season
Skysports.com chooses the star performers from this season's Championship action.

.The Championship is renowned for boasting tight competition and this campaign has been no different, providing plenty of candidates for our team of the season.

We have handpicked 11 standout performers who have shined the brightest in the second tier, with a formidable line-up making the cut.

Paddy KennyQueens Park Rangers
Kyle NaughtonLeicester City
Wes MorganNottingham Forest
Ashley WilliamsSwansea City
Clint HillQueens Park Rangers
Scott SinclairSwansea City
Andy KingLeicester City
Adel TaarabtQueens Park Rangers
Shane LongReading
Danny GrahamWatford
Grant HoltNorwich City
..
Championship team of the season
Paddy Kenny (QPR) Kenny has been an outstanding performer in QPR's title-winning campaign. An ever-present in the league, the Irish shot-stopper notched up an incredible 25 clean sheets to help his side to the trophy.

Kyle Naughton (Leicester) Promising youngster Naughton has impressed on loan at Leicester from Tottenham this season, keeping things tight at the back as well as chipping in with five goals.

Ashley Williams (Swansea) An ever-present for the Swans this term, Williams has proved his capability at the back as well as contributing with four goals to aid his team's promotion bid.

Wes Morgan (Nottingham Forest) Popular stopper Morgan has been a constant force for Forest with a string of solid performances this season, utilising his physical strength and resolve to keep out the opposition.

Clint Hill (QPR) Hill has been a defensive rock for Rangers this term, making the left-back position firmly his own. Not scared of getting forward, he played a key role in his side's title push.

Adel Taraabt (QPR) Voted the PFA Championship player of the year, Taraabt has been a revelation at Rangers. Unpredictable, skilful and flamboyant, the Moroccan has enjoyed a stunning season, knocking in 19 goals and notching up a string of outstanding displays.

Scott Sinclair (Swansea) Sinclair has been the Swans' stand-out performer, proving himself a force to be reckoned with in front of goal. The prolific winger has netted 21 goals, crowned by a remarkable hat-trick in the play-off final against Reading.

Andy King (Leicester) King has enjoyed a season to remember with the Foxes, bagging himself a host of goals. The Welshman has been influential in Leicester's bid for promotion, providing the spark to Sven Goran Eriksson's midfield.

Grant Holt (Norwich) One of the division's top scorers, productive Holt has knocked in 21 goals to help the Canaries to promotion, including a memorable hat-trick in their thrashing of Ipswich. An expert at winning headers and holding up the ball, his contribution has been an impressive one.

Shane Long (Reading) Another industrious goalscorer with 21 goals to his name, Long's involvement for the Royals has been instrumental. Pacey and hardworking, his efforts have not gone unnoticed this season, with Premier League suitors expected to come knocking this summer.

Danny Graham (Watford) The Championship's top scorer with a remarkable 24 goals, Graham has reaped the rewards of his steady rise to prominence this term. A clinical finisher who is also strong in the air, the striker has played an integral role in the Hornets' campaign. Skysports



-Blashback to Haarlem Cup Tournament 1988


- Cardiff Axe David Jones

- Montepellier's Giroud linked to QPR, signs New contract with Montepellier


- Fifteen Years Ago: Chris Wright Bidding for QPR

- Nine Years Ago: A New Chairman of QPR?

- Four Year Flashback: "QPR's ABC Problem"


- Some QPR Fans Meeting Yesterday

- In Search of QPR Season Ticket Buyers Richard Lewis & Michael Prodomou!

- On This Day...Ten Year Flashback: Peter Winkelman Wants QPR in Milton Keynes

- Flashback: QPR's 2008 AGM Report

- Add to the list of American/Canadian QPR Supporters (Or QPR Fans from Central or South America)

- Some Past Years re QPR Season Tickets

- Victory for Blatter? Bin Hamman Withdraws from FIFA Presidency Race

- The Premiership Money

- Almost 25 Years Since Jim Gregory Resigned as QPR Chairman

- QPR Summer Calendar

- Flashback Nine Years: QPR Exit Administration (and with the ABC Loan!)

The full 86-page FA report on "FA vs QPR and Giannia Paladini" can be read here..Selected Excerpts from the FA Report Can be Read Here

- Flashback to the Briatore/Ecclestone Takeover

- The Bushman Archives of the 1968/69 Season

- Bushman's Photo Archives: QPR of 1905

Monday, May 30, 2011

QPR Report Monday Snippets: Club Efforts to "Siphon" Club/Fan Access?...Flashbacks to Wright Takeover, Blackburn as Chairman and Paladini on ABC Loan

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- Bushman's Photo Archives: QPR of 1905
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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
____________________________________________________________________________________

- Congratulations to Swansea, promoted to the Premiership with a hatrick from ex-QPR Loan, Scott Sinclair. (Presumably they will be having a victory parade!)

- Cardiff Axe David Jones

- Montepellier's Giroud linked to QPR, signs New contract with Montepellier

- The Club apparently wants fan group access to the club "Siphoned" through the Official Supporters Club (OSC). (Also past efforts)

- Fifteen Years Ago: Chris Wright Bidding for QPR

- Nine Years Ago: A New Chairman of QPR?

- Four Year Flashback: "QPR's ABC Problem"



- QPR's Week in Review: QPR and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

- Some QPR Fans Meeting Yesterday

- In Search of QPR Season Ticket Buyers Richard Lewis & Michael Prodomou!

- On This Day...Ten Year Flashback: Peter Winkelman Wants QPR in Milton Keynes

- Flashback: QPR's 2008 AGM Report

- Add to the list of American/Canadian QPR Supporters (Or QPR Fans from Central or South America)

- Some Past Years re QPR Season Tickets

- Victory for Blatter? Bin Hamman Withdraws from FIFA Presidency Race

- The Premiership Money

- Almost 25 Years Since Jim Gregory Resigned as QPR Chairman

- QPR Summer Calendar

- Flashback Nine Years: QPR Exit Administration (and with the ABC Loan!)

The full 86-page FA report on "FA vs QPR and Giannia Paladini" can be read here..Selected Excerpts from the FA Report Can be Read Here

- Flashback to the Briatore/Ecclestone Takeover

- The Bushman Archives of the 1968/69 Season

Sunday, May 29, 2011

QPR Report Sunday: Updates re Faurlingate, Warnock and Briatore: Decade Flashback - Winkelman Wants QPR in Milton Keynes

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Congratulations! "Trained at Loftus Road!
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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
____________________________________________________________________________________

- QPR's Week in Review: QPR and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week


- Some QPR Fans Meeting Today

- In Search of QPR Season Ticket Buyers Richard Lewis & Michael Prodomou!

- Congratulations to Ex-QPR Goalie Chris Day on Winning Promotion!

- On This Day...Ten Year Flashback: Peter Winkelman Wants QPR in Milton Keynes

- Flashback: QPR's 2008 AGM Report

- Add to the list of American/Canadian QPR Supporters (Or QPR Fans from Central or South America)

- Some Past Years re QPR Season Tickets

- Victory for Blatter? Bin Hamman Withdraws from FIFA Presidency Race


MIRROR/Michael Calvin - Why Brendan Rodgers is keeping Barca spirit alive and well trust is in short supply at QPR
Brendan Rodgers is the Northern Irish manager of a Welsh club with a Catalan philosophy. He’s made his mistakes, most notably during six months at Reading – tomorrow’s opponents at Wembley.
But his team would be welcome additions to the Premier League.
***
Flavio Briatore insists that he trusts Neil ­Warnock.
Whether the Queens Park Rangers ­manager should trust him remains to be seen.
Briatore’s casual betrayal of QPR fans doesn’t bode well. Obscene ticket prices are straight out of the Formula 1 playbook.
The little men don’t matter in that crass, superficial, business.
Lest we forget, Briatore was banned for his role in the Crashgate ­scandal.
Would you trust him? Mirror


People - Newly promoted QPR eye move for Spurs defender
- QPR are eyeing a move for Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne.
- Rangers boss Neil Warnock wants a new right-back and 20-year-old Clyne, who has rejected a new deal at Selhurst Road, is top of the list.
- Spurs defender Kyle Naughton, 22, is another option but the Premier League new boys could be priced out of a move. People


Daily Mail/Des Kelly

Bernie's scant reward Having achieved promotion back to the top flight, Queens Park Rangers rewarded their celebrating supporters for a decade-and-a-half of patient devotion with a season-ticket price rise of 40 per cent.

Some reward. QPR's owners might as well have punched every fan squarely in the face and then congratulated them for having such punchable faces.

Remember QPR will pick up £90million for going into the Barclays Premier League, mere pocket money for a club already bankrolled by Lakshmi Mittal, Britain's richest man, and Bernie Ecclestone, who somehow scrapes by on £2,500m.

To his credit Mittal's representative on the board resigned in disgust at the hike, but major stakeholder Ecclestone appears untroubled about screwing the paying public.

The F1 mogul admits he has little interest in football - he prefers Chelsea - and the word is Flavio Briatore, the Crashgate cheat (allegedly), is really driving QPR's greedy pretensions.

The club badge has already been re-styled to look like a 1970s aftershave logo, now fans are bearing the cost of the strategy to make Rangers a 'boutique club'. And you have to say it stinks.
Rodgers climb is good for all Daily Mail


Kenny Dalglish/Daily Mail - Confusion over Rangers ruling

"....One thing that has confused me about the Alejandro Faurlin affair is the argument made that QPR didn't deserve a points deduction because Faurlin wasn't a 'Messi or Ronaldo' and could not have been that significant to the club's final points tally this season.

I don't understand that at all. Surely the key point was whether Faurlin was owned by a third party when QPR bought him. If, as the tribunal deliberated, he was not, then fine. QPR are cleared of that offence. But to suggest the quality of the player had a bearing on the outcome is wrong.

If an ineligible player appears in an FA Cup tie, his club are kicked out, regardless of that player's ability or performance. Why would that not apply in any competition? Mail


News of The World/Andy Dunn

Saint Warnock faces battle to survive QPR madness

May 29, 2011

Neil and pray... Warnock faces a tough season ahead with QPR's current owners Neil and pray... Warnock faces a tough season ahead with QPR's current owners

WHEN Mohamed Al Fayed tugged the drapes from a statue of Michael Jackson in the corner of one of football's most iconic grounds, it seemed the asylum of Premier League owners was finally fully booked.

Just as it had when a gaggle of Indian chicken farmers sacked one of the game's most respected managers, tried to hire Diego Maradona and buy David Beckham and Ronaldinho.

Just as it does when a silent oligarch sacks his fifth manager in seven years for the crime of going 12 months without a trophy.

Truly, the 'No Vacancies' sign has been up on the door of the Premier League madhouse for some time.

Since absentee owners saddled Manchester United with outrageous debt, since a couple of jokers made Liverpool a laughing stock, since Far Eastern fancy Dans flounced into Birmingham promising Alex McLeish £80million to spend.

And delivered sweet and sour sod all.

Briatore and Ecclestone are the smart alecs who will parade supermodels in the stand while fleecing the great unwashed

Little did we know there would be room on the funny farm for a couple more.

Step forward Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, the shareholding geniuses who must surely have given their blessing to charge fans a minimum of £47 a throw to get into their ground.

The smart alecs who will parade supermodels in the stand while fleecing the great unwashed.

All the while, the fit and proper persons' test remains on football's statute book.

It is a complex piece of Premier League legislation but let me simplify it for you.

Got a load of dough? You're in.

And Ecclestone, Briatore and the Mittal family sure have a load of dough. Not that they look likely to spend any of it on new players. Oh no.

As Blackpool - accompanied by a nauseating cacophony of misguided romanticism - found out, you can get promoted, refuse to dig into your pockets, lick your lips at the £40m cheque from the Premier League, pocket a parachute payment... and have a damn fine chance of repeating the process all over again.

Yet these characters from the silicone world of Formula One feel free to sanction the doubling of season ticket prices at the princely palace that is Loftus Road.

"The rises are in line with other London-based Premier League clubs," said an official statement.

So. It's your first season in the top flight since 1996.

Compared, say, to the Emirates, your stadium is a bit of a dive. Your only 'star' is a Tottenham cast-off and, instead of watching a team that has been assembled for astronomical sums, the home fans will support names who are of the household variety only in their own households.

Yet you still want to have the same tariff as Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea.

But I guess we should have expected this. After all, Ecclestone goes generally unchallenged in Formula One, where fawning rules.

Briatore, in case one should forget, had to leave Formula One because one of his drivers, Nelson Piquet Jr, claimed the perma-tanned Italian had told him to crash.

Ecclestone, meanwhile, leaves matches at half-time. To beat the traffic.

It is a wonder he doesn't deploy a safety car around Shepherds Bush.

The plan for QPR is... to make sure next season we are competitive and keep all the good players we have at the moment - Flavio Briatore

Yes, they might have zillions. But they are a couple of proprietors almost beyond parody. But at least they have achieved the extremely unlikely. No. Not taken QPR into the Premier League... but make most people have sympathy for Neil Warnock, the only man who could romp to a Championship triumph yet still lose the vote of his peers for the division's manager of the year.

Those are the same peers who are more likely to refer to him not by his name but by an anagram of it. (Google it.) Yet Warnock now has one of the most thankless tasks in football.

Warnock lost his main ally in the boardroom when vice-chairman Amit Bhatia - son-in-law of Lakshmi Mittal - resigned, saying his "vision, strategy and direction for the club is very different from that of other shareholders."

It seems Ecclestone and Briatore have no intention of selling their 67 per cent share to Mittal (a scenario most supporters would welcome) and have offered their backing to Warnock.

From Monaco last week, Briatore said: "The plan for QPR is... to make sure next season we are competitive and keep all the good players we have at the moment. The coach is now looking to set up a very good club."

Hardly a promise of transfer largesse. Indeed, informed talk has it that Warnock will be lucky to get £10million to spend. He will have to please supporters who are now feeling disenfranchised by the alarming hike in ticket prices, while all the time looking over his shoulder to see the latest Italian manager being linked with his job.

Winning the Championship without any lavish backing from the board might not have been enough for fellow managers to honour Warnock. But if he merely survives another season under these characters, he deserves a medal.

Warnock might not be the most straightforward chap around. But set against the rogues' gallery of football club owners, he looks like a saint. NewsofTheWorld


- David Conn/The Guardian: Why QPR Were Fined Rather than Deducted Points

- The Premiership Money

- Almost 25 Years Since Jim Gregory Resigned as QPR Chairman

- QPR Summer Calendar

- Flashback Nine Years: QPR Exit Administration (and with the ABC Loan!)

The full 86-page FA report on "FA vs QPR and Giannia Paladini" can be read here..Selected Excerpts from the FA Report Can be Read Here

- Flashback to the Briatore/Ecclestone Takeover

- The Bushman Archives of the 1968/69 Season

Saturday, May 28, 2011

QPR Report Saturday: Warnock Comments on QPR Boardroom Matters and on Not Winning Manager of The Year Award

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- In Search of QPR Season Ticket Buyers Richard Lewis & Michael Prodomou!
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- The Bushman Archives of the 1968/69 Season
-
- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
____________________________________________________________________________________

- David Conn/The Guardian: Why QPR Were Fined Rather than Deducted Points

- The Premiership Money

- Ramage Hopes to Be Re-Signing With QPR

- Almost 25 Years Since Jim Gregory Resigned as QPR Chairman


Brian Reade/Daily Mirrror - Why I hope QPR get relegated and want to see a FIFA reality show called The Only Way Is Ethics

- So those old romantics who’ve followed QPR since the likes of Stan Bowles and Don Givens weaved their magic had a fortnight to bask in their belief that the good old days were back...
- ...and then they got smacked in the face with a season-ticket renewal form which told them that modern football is just a cold, corporate con and that their unwavering loyalty isn’t required unless they can back it up with cash.
- A 57% real-term rise in season-ticket prices and match-day entrance fees hiked as high as £72, show precisely why the rich, non-football-loving owners were attracted to Loftus Road.
- To get richer.
- With an average gate of 15,600 at a 19,100-seater stadium in affluent West London, they spotted an opportunity to turn a great old club into a “boutique” attraction - selling packages to firms, tourists, the nouveau-riche and bandwagon jumpers to watch some of the best teams in the world.
- The doubling of season-ticket prices merely weeds out the QPR regulars who don't have the financial power to keep up, releasing precious extra seats for the new match-day clientele they intend to draw to into their boutique experience.
- Sadly, I now hope they get relegated.
- If only to prove that money-men don’t know their R’s from their elbow..."
*** Mirror


Independent/Neil Warnock: Boardroom upheavals are part and parcel of football life – as is being linked with 50 players

What I Learnt This Week

Saturday, 28 May 2011


I've been away this week, in Scotland, but the phone's not stopped ringing because back at Loftus Road my club is still making the news, with Amit Bhatia, the chairman, resigning after the season-ticket prices were released.

Amit was instrumental in my joining the club last year, so I'm sad to see him go, but these things happen in football and people have to do what they feel is right.

Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone are now running things and both have spoken to me to reassure me of their intentions and told me to ignore newspaper talk about my position. It's not the first club I've been manager of where there's been a bit of upheaval and I've learnt from experience to just get on with my job. For me at the moment that means using whatever resources I've got to try and improve the squad as best as I can over the next four months.

At this time of year it never ceases to amaze me how many players are linked with me. I'm told the count is approaching 50. Quite frankly, some I've never heard of. I guess at this point papers can write what they want just using a bit of guesswork. When they get lucky, about one in 20, they trumpet: "We told you first."

What I can tell you is I'm looking forward to managing in the Premier League. Rodney Marsh, who is an idol at this club, once said the only way I would get a Premier League team is to take one up. He's right too. It's not just me – that applies to a lot of British managers. Look at Owen Coyle, Tony Pulis, Ian Holloway, Mick McCarthy; they all got their first crack at the Premier League through being promoted. Why would I give that up?

2. Thrift and hard work at Loftus Road go unrewarded by LMA

Before coming up to Scotland I went to Monday's League Managers Association dinner. Obviously, I was a little disappointed to be the only manager winning his league not to win a divisional award. Sir Alex Ferguson was manager of the year in the Premier League, Brighton's Gus Poyet in League One and Chesterfield's John Sheridan in League Two. Paul Lambert, of Norwich, was the Championship winner.

It's particularly disappointing because without a doubt it's been the toughest and hardest job I've done in my career. I took over a team 14 months ago that was facing relegation. I completely changed the team around in the summer, which meant it had to gel immediately. I think people look at our owners and assume we've spent billions, but we have actually been very thrifty with our money. To lead such a hard division almost every week of the season is something I'm very proud of and it is disappointing not to be recognised.

Fortunately, my family were very supportive. When I told Sharon about it I mentioned Brian McDermott and Brendan Rodgers had also been shortlisted. Sharon said she thought I would have been fourth in that list. Amy said, "What do you expect when nobody likes you?", which I thought showed what an intelligent 13-year-old she was. Until I remembered when we were doing our shopping she put a big leek in her basket. We asked why and she said she fancied a bit of celery. I asked, was she aware that was a leek? She blushed deeply. We've since been asking her whether she would like a big bowl of celery and potato soup.

At least William cheered me up. He said he's going to get me his own cup and engrave it to present to me, which I thought was super.

3. Scotland is treat enough for the kids as a holiday destination

It is a bit ironic that we've had another Icelandic volcano erupting while we've been in Scotland. We came here last year because the ash cloud meant we were concerned about flying anywhere. We had a great time, but I hadn't realised how great until we sat the kids down, after winning promotion, and told them they could go on holiday wherever they wanted to. I was expecting them to say Disneyland or somewhere like that. Instead they came back and said, "Can we go to Scotland again?" I thought, "How very level-headed."

So we've been mackerel fishing, cycling, swimming and canoeing. I got a hole-in-one in crazy golf, but didn't win the hole as Amy and William did as well. I lost all the other holes. We've not had a day hot enough to jump in one of the lochs like we normally do, but hopefully we will this weekend before we go back. There's also horse-riding on the beach to fit in, and a trip to Inveraray Jail.

We went up on Virgin trains. We're going to use them a lot next year in the Premier League now I've discovered we can get a return journey on which the players can have something to eat. It's nice and comfortable, and there's no worrying about volcanic ash.

4. Guardiola for the Chelsea hot seat? Give it a year

I'm sure everyone will be glued to the Champions League final tonight for what promises to be a fantastic game. It's a great contest on the bench between Sir Alex and the amazing young whippersnapper Pep Guardiola. Alex goes from strength to strength and Pep will know, even with his team, that Barcelona will have their hands full facing the king himself. The first goal is vital and everything rests on how good United's back four is. I think, unlike Real Madrid, United will have a go at Barcelona, though it won't be an onslaught.

I met Pep when Barcelona trained at QPR this season. He was a real gentleman, who spent a lot of time talking to people. I feel whether it's this summer, or after Guus Hiddink has done 12 months, that he will be manager at Stamford Bridge. Remember, you read it here first.

5. Play-offs are also a big draw

Tonight's match is not the only big game of the weekend, for the players, fans and staff involved the play-off finals are every bit as big. Good luck to Torquay, a club dear to my heart, in their play-off against Stevenage today. I'd love to see them progress but, whatever the result, Paul Buckle has done brilliantly on limited resources. Tomorrow's play-off pits another of my former clubs, Huddersfield, against Darren Ferguson's Peterborough. I'm sure it will be a cracking, high-scoring game. Whoever wins will grace the Championship.

Then on Monday there's the Championship play-off. Reading owe us a lot because since I loaned them Mikele Leigertwood they've hardly lost a game. Given it's just a short trip down the M4, I'm sure a lot of our supporters would love to see Reading go up, but Swansea also have a fabulous ground and Brendan has done remarkably well. May the best team win.

6. Touré ban exposes inconsistency

How is it Paddy Kenny gets 10 months for failing a drug test after unknowingly taking a banned substance, and Kolo Touré gets six months? Once again there's a lack of consistency. I suppose it all depends on who's on the panel and how expensive the defence lawyer is.

7. A busy week of family exercise

William shares his birthday with a friend called Banjo so they had a joint party in the park. Banjo's dad Chris and me built a couple of dens using some wood and stuck a flag on each camp. They then had a pretend gun battle, a bit like paintball without the paint and pain. It worked a treat. The exercise these kids did for two and a half hours was fantastic.

On the subject of exercise I have to congratulate Sharon and Natalie for completing the Moonwalk the other weekend. There was a great atmosphere with everyone encouraging one another. It's a fair walk and it was good to see the girls finish it and raise such a lot of money.

8. I could still manage Wednesday

The appointment of Danny Wilson, former Sheffield Wednesday captain and manager, is very heartening. If Danny can get the United job with his background, there must still be a chance of me managing Wednesday before I retire.

9. Until next season...

That's all for this season, but I'd like to let all you loyal Independent readers know I'm delighted to say I'll be writing for you again next year. I really enjoy doing this column and over the last few years have turned down a number of tempting offers to go elsewhere.

I always know when I write my Independent column it will say what I want it to say, and the headline will not take things out of context, which is really reassuring. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it. Have a good summer. QPR


Daily Mail/Des Kelly

- Bernie's scant reward Having achieved promotion back to the top flight, Queens Park Rangers rewarded their celebrating supporters for a decade-and-a-half of patient devotion with a season-ticket price rise of 40 per cent.
- Some reward. QPR's owners might as well have punched every fan squarely in the face and then congratulated them for having such punchable faces.
- Remember QPR will pick up £90million for going into the Barclays Premier League, mere pocket money for a club already bankrolled by Lakshmi Mittal, Britain's richest man, and Bernie Ecclestone, who somehow scrapes by on £2,500m.
- To his credit Mittal's representative on the board resigned in disgust at the hike, but major stakeholder Ecclestone appears untroubled about screwing the paying public.
- The F1 mogul admits he has little interest in football - he prefers Chelsea - and the word is Flavio Briatore, the Crashgate cheat (allegedly), is really driving QPR's greedy pretensions.
- The club badge has already been re-styled to look like a 1970s aftershave logo, now fans are bearing the cost of the strategy to make Rangers a 'boutique club'. And you have to say it stinks.
- Rodgers climb is good for all" - Daily Mail


QPR: JOINT STATEMENT FROM FLAVIO BRIATORE & BERNIE ECCLESTONE

Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore have today (Friday 27th May 2011) clarified the following points in the wake of recent press reports regarding Queens Park Rangers Football Club.

Bernie Ecclestone and the Flavio Briatore Trust (FB Trust) saved QPR from administration when they acquired the Club in 2007. When the Mittals joined them, FB Trust and Ecclestone maintained an 80% interest in the Club and provided 80% of the funding needed to run QPR.

In 2009 when Briatore took a backseat at QPR, FB Trust passed a 13% shareholding in QPR to the Mittals free of charge. This took Ecclestone and the FB Trust's combined shareholding to 67% and they have continued to fund 67% of the Club's financial need, with the Mittals contributing 33%.

When Ecclestone and Briatore took over at QPR, they were clear about their vision to take the Club into the Premier League within four years and this plan has now been achieved, with QPR set to grace the top-flight of English football in the 2011/12 season.

Both Ecclestone and Briatore believe that Amit Bhatia's recent comments and the subsequent press coverage have been damaging to QPR and do not fairly reflect the reality of the situation. They have not received a written offer from the Mittals for their QPR shares and feel strongly that the verbal offer made to them was insultingly low. Bhatia appears to be using the press to try to force the price of any deal down, which is disrespectful to both the Club and its fans.

Despite the assertions from both Bhatia and Lakshmi Mittal that they were prepared to invest heavily in QPR to allow Neil Warnock to spend money on new players ahead of the new season, a recent request for shareholder funding was rejected by Bhatia, whereas Ecclestone and FB Trust have met and will continue to meet their funding commitments to the Club.

Ishan Saksena has parted company with QPR as a result of managerial changes that the Board felt were appropriate after the way in which the FA Hearing was handled. This was a decision made by the Board for the best interests of QPR.

QPR's Season Ticket prices for the 2011/12 season are in line with other London-based Premier League Clubs and are reflective of the Club's newly achieved Premier League status. With over 90% of QPR Season Tickets being sold in Gold and Silver areas, the year-on-year increase in the standard price of a Season Ticket for the majority of fans is between 22%-27%, or 16%-21% when taking account of inflation and the increase in VAT. Ecclestone and Briatore believe that although price increases have been necessary, they are not unduly high and initial sales have so far been encouraging, with four times as many tickets being sold in the first 48 hours when compared with last season. In fact, QPR's website has spoken to a number of fans who have already renewed their tickets.

"My ticket has gone up in price, but - personally - I think it represents good value for money."

"The owners have put their money in and as a supporter of the Club, I've done the same, because it's my team."

"The buzz of coming along to Loftus Road on a matchday is special. The whole experience is great."

As both Ecclestone and Briatore have stated in recent days, Neil Warnock's post as Manager remains secure and Neil has the full support of the Board. Discussions have already taken place between Neil and the Board, in which Neil outlined his thoughts on player acquisitions ahead of the new Premier League season and was assured that he will be able to keep his best players for QPR's return to the Premier League.
http://www.wearetherangersboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102226


MEANWHILE HAPPY QPR FANS BUYING SEASON TICKETS

QPR Official Site - FAN ZONEPosted on: Fri 27 May 2011

R's fan Richard Lewis was amongst the first QPR supporters to renew his Season Ticket for the 2011/12 Premier League campaign when they went on sale on Tuesday lunchtime.

Lewis, a lifelong Rangers supporter, renewed his Season Ticket in Block F of the South Africa Road stand.

The 59 year-old told www.qpr.co.uk: "It's great to hear I was amongst the first to renew my Season Ticket!

"I just had to renew it as soon as possible, because next season is going to be one to remember for the Club. I knew demand would be huge on our return to the Premier League and I was determined to keep my aisle seat.

"My ticket has gone up in price, but - personally - I think it represents good value for money."

The feel-good factor ahead of the new campaign is already building in W12 and Lewis added: "I can't wait for the season to start in mid-August," he said.

"I've been coming here since I was eight years-old and this is the place to be now.

"The owners have put their money in and as a supporter of the Club, I've done the same, because it's my team."

Demand for Season Tickets at Loftus Road is already outweighing last year's statistics at this stage, with Hoops fans eager to seal their ticket for the R's eagerly-anticipated return to the top table of English football.

Fellow R's fan Michael Prodromou, who also sits in Block F, added: "I've been a supporter for 40 odd years.

"It's been a long time coming since we were in the Premier League.

"We're back in the big time and I was determined to clinch my seat as soon as possible.

"The buzz of coming along to Loftus Road on a matchday is special. The whole experience is great.

"I'm confident that if Neil Warnock is able to bring in the players he wants, we'll be able to hold our own next season." QPR


QPR1st STATEMENT

QPR1st Supporters Trust: Amit Bhatia


The QPR1st Supporters Trust wishes to express our sadness at the news of Amit Bhatia's resignation. Amit had a very clear vision of QPR as a Club that should respect and listen to supporters' views. He was keen to work in partnership with independent supporters groups and sought to ensure that the views and aspirations of the fans were taken into account by the Board of Directors.

Amit also had a passionate belief that QPR should have a strong role within the local community. As Chairman of the QPR in the Community Trust he played a major role in ensuring that QPR in the Community went from strength to strength.

Amit fully appreciated the harm done to the relationship between the Club and the fans by the ticket pricing system introduced for the 2008-09 Season, in particular the removal of a discount for existing season ticket holders and the extent of the increase. He would have been determined that the Club did not repeat these mistakes but unfortunately failed to convince his fellow Board members. Unable to publically support the Club's pricing policy and concerned at the treatment of his friend and colleague Ishan Sakensa, his sense of honour left him with no choice but to resign.

In his open letter, Amit comments that his vision, strategy and direction for QPR is 'very different' from that of the other shareholders. That begs the question as to what exactly their plans are. Mr Ecclestone and Mr Briatore have so far not been willing to meet with QPR1st and therefore our only clues as to what they have in mind comes the interviews they have given to journalists which offer scant comfort to the fans. Despite their previous lack of enthusiasm to meet face to face with us and other independent supporters groups, we will nevertheless write to them to request a meeting in the hope that they will sooner or later begin to see the value of working in partnership with the fans rather than in opposition.

QPR 1st has always sought to work with the club to promote on field success and financial viability. We share the delight of everyone in the QPR community at a successful season and a return to the FA Premier League. We now want to see the club grow and develop. The way we see this being achieved is by having stable management at all levels of the club. We hope the owners use their financial and business skills to ensure the club remains financially secure. We hope the football management, staff and players will be given the appropriate environment to deliver success. Most of all we want to see mutual respect between all parts of the QPR community that will allow every-one of us to make our club successful.

QPR1st wishes to offer the LSA our support in their decision to host an open meeting for fans at the Barley Mow Public House 82 Duke Street W1K 6JG to which they have asked the Club to send a representative. We hope that this meeting will provide an opportunity to canvass fans views about a possible campaign of protest. We would also welcome hearing your views by emailing us at info@qpr1st.com to help inform our own response.


- QPR Summer Calendar

- Flashback Nine Years: QPR Exit Administration (and with the ABC Loan!)

The full 86-page FA report on "FA vs QPR and Giannia Paladini" can be read here..Selected Excerpts from the FA Report Can be Read Here

- Flashback to the Briatore/Ecclestone Takeover

- Any American or Canadian Readers of QPR Report/QPR Report Messageboard? (Or any QPR Fans from Central or South America?)

Friday, May 27, 2011

Joint Statement from Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore

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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
____________________________________________________________________________________

JOINT STATEMENT FROM FLAVIO BRIATORE & BERNIE ECCLESTONE

Originally posted by Scott on the WATRB site from a reported QPR email

Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore have today (Friday 27th May 2011) clarified the following points in the wake of recent press reports regarding Queens Park Rangers Football Club.

Bernie Ecclestone and the Flavio Briatore Trust (FB Trust) saved QPR from administration when they acquired the Club in 2007. When the Mittals joined them, FB Trust and Ecclestone maintained an 80% interest in the Club and provided 80% of the funding needed to run QPR.

In 2009 when Briatore took a backseat at QPR, FB Trust passed a 13% shareholding in QPR to the Mittals free of charge. This took Ecclestone and the FB Trust's combined shareholding to 67% and they have continued to fund 67% of the Club's financial need, with the Mittals contributing 33%.

When Ecclestone and Briatore took over at QPR, they were clear about their vision to take the Club into the Premier League within four years and this plan has now been achieved, with QPR set to grace the top-flight of English football in the 2011/12 season.

Both Ecclestone and Briatore believe that Amit Bhatia's recent comments and the subsequent press coverage have been damaging to QPR and do not fairly reflect the reality of the situation. They have not received a written offer from the Mittals for their QPR shares and feel strongly that the verbal offer made to them was insultingly low. Bhatia appears to be using the press to try to force the price of any deal down, which is disrespectful to both the Club and its fans.

Despite the assertions from both Bhatia and Lakshmi Mittal that they were prepared to invest heavily in QPR to allow Neil Warnock to spend money on new players ahead of the new season, a recent request for shareholder funding was rejected by Bhatia, whereas Ecclestone and FB Trust have met and will continue to meet their funding commitments to the Club.

Ishan Saksena has parted company with QPR as a result of managerial changes that the Board felt were appropriate after the way in which the FA Hearing was handled. This was a decision made by the Board for the best interests of QPR.

QPR's Season Ticket prices for the 2011/12 season are in line with other London-based Premier League Clubs and are reflective of the Club's newly achieved Premier League status. With over 90% of QPR Season Tickets being sold in Gold and Silver areas, the year-on-year increase in the standard price of a Season Ticket for the majority of fans is between 22%-27%, or 16%-21% when taking account of inflation and the increase in VAT. Ecclestone and Briatore believe that although price increases have been necessary, they are not unduly high and initial sales have so far been encouraging, with four times as many tickets being sold in the first 48 hours when compared with last season. In fact, QPR's website has spoken to a number of fans who have already renewed their tickets.

"My ticket has gone up in price, but - personally - I think it represents good value for money."

"The owners have put their money in and as a supporter of the Club, I've done the same, because it's my team."

"The buzz of coming along to Loftus Road on a matchday is special. The whole experience is great."

As both Ecclestone and Briatore have stated in recent days, Neil Warnock's post as Manager remains secure and Neil has the full support of the Board. Discussions have already taken place between Neil and the Board, in which Neil outlined his thoughts on player acquisitions ahead of the new Premier League season and was assured that he will be able to keep his best players for QPR's return to the Premier League.
http://www.wearetherangersboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102226


MEANWHILE HAPPY QPR FANS BUYING SEASON TICKETS

QPR Official Site - FAN ZONEPosted on: Fri 27 May 2011

R's fan Richard Lewis was amongst the first QPR supporters to renew his Season Ticket for the 2011/12 Premier League campaign when they went on sale on Tuesday lunchtime.

Lewis, a lifelong Rangers supporter, renewed his Season Ticket in Block F of the South Africa Road stand.

The 59 year-old told www.qpr.co.uk: "It's great to hear I was amongst the first to renew my Season Ticket!

"I just had to renew it as soon as possible, because next season is going to be one to remember for the Club. I knew demand would be huge on our return to the Premier League and I was determined to keep my aisle seat.

"My ticket has gone up in price, but - personally - I think it represents good value for money."

The feel-good factor ahead of the new campaign is already building in W12 and Lewis added: "I can't wait for the season to start in mid-August," he said.

"I've been coming here since I was eight years-old and this is the place to be now.

"The owners have put their money in and as a supporter of the Club, I've done the same, because it's my team."

Demand for Season Tickets at Loftus Road is already outweighing last year's statistics at this stage, with Hoops fans eager to seal their ticket for the R's eagerly-anticipated return to the top table of English football.

Fellow R's fan Michael Prodromou, who also sits in Block F, added: "I've been a supporter for 40 odd years.

"It's been a long time coming since we were in the Premier League.

"We're back in the big time and I was determined to clinch my seat as soon as possible.

"The buzz of coming along to Loftus Road on a matchday is special. The whole experience is great.

"I'm confident that if Neil Warnock is able to bring in the players he wants, we'll be able to hold our own next season." QPR


QPR1st STATEMENT

QPR1st Supporters Trust: Amit Bhatia


The QPR1st Supporters Trust wishes to express our sadness at the news of Amit Bhatia's resignation. Amit had a very clear vision of QPR as a Club that should respect and listen to supporters' views. He was keen to work in partnership with independent supporters groups and sought to ensure that the views and aspirations of the fans were taken into account by the Board of Directors.

Amit also had a passionate belief that QPR should have a strong role within the local community. As Chairman of the QPR in the Community Trust he played a major role in ensuring that QPR in the Community went from strength to strength.

Amit fully appreciated the harm done to the relationship between the Club and the fans by the ticket pricing system introduced for the 2008-09 Season, in particular the removal of a discount for existing season ticket holders and the extent of the increase. He would have been determined that the Club did not repeat these mistakes but unfortunately failed to convince his fellow Board members. Unable to publically support the Club's pricing policy and concerned at the treatment of his friend and colleague Ishan Sakensa, his sense of honour left him with no choice but to resign.

In his open letter, Amit comments that his vision, strategy and direction for QPR is 'very different' from that of the other shareholders. That begs the question as to what exactly their plans are. Mr Ecclestone and Mr Briatore have so far not been willing to meet with QPR1st and therefore our only clues as to what they have in mind comes the interviews they have given to journalists which offer scant comfort to the fans. Despite their previous lack of enthusiasm to meet face to face with us and other independent supporters groups, we will nevertheless write to them to request a meeting in the hope that they will sooner or later begin to see the value of working in partnership with the fans rather than in opposition.

QPR 1st has always sought to work with the club to promote on field success and financial viability. We share the delight of everyone in the QPR community at a successful season and a return to the FA Premier League. We now want to see the club grow and develop. The way we see this being achieved is by having stable management at all levels of the club. We hope the owners use their financial and business skills to ensure the club remains financially secure. We hope the football management, staff and players will be given the appropriate environment to deliver success. Most of all we want to see mutual respect between all parts of the QPR community that will allow every-one of us to make our club successful.

QPR1st wishes to offer the LSA our support in their decision to host an open meeting for fans at the Barley Mow Public House 82 Duke Street W1K 6JG to which they have asked the Club to send a representative. We hope that this meeting will provide an opportunity to canvass fans views about a possible campaign of protest. We would also welcome hearing your views by emailing us at info@qpr1st.com to help inform our own response.

QPR Report Friday: Chasing Fans With Money...Players Linked to QPR...Marc Bircham Q&A...Flashback: QPR Exit Administration...Faurlin Profiled

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- From Bushman's Updated Memories and Photos of 1968/69 Season

- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
_____________________________________________________________________________________

- QPR Report Their Phones Still Experiencing Difficulty

- Flashback Nine Years: QPR Exit Administration (and with the ABC Loan!)

- Twenty-Nine Year Flashback: QPR's FA Cup Replay Loss

- Year Flashback: Crystal Palace's Derry Set for QPR!

- Mikele Leigertwood Signs for Reading on a permanent deal.

The full 86-page FA report on "FA vs QPR and Giannia Paladini" can be read here..Selected Excerpts from the FA Report Can be Read Here

- Flashback to the Briatore/Ecclestone Takeover


Metro - Arsenal and QPR continuing to chase fans with deepest pockets - Final Third

Champions League final-goers aren't the only fans feeling the pinch this week, with QPR and Arsenal also upping their prices as the money men continue to chase those supporters with the deepest pockets.

Tomorrow night the best teams in Europe, stacked with the best footballers in the world, will compete for the biggest prize in club football. The quality will be reflected in the price, with fans asked to pay a minimum of £150 to get into Wembley, plus the outrageous £26 booking fee.

Uefa have admitted the prices are too high and, as the only people who can do anything about it they have, well, done nothing about it.

But Champions League final-goers aren’t the only fans feeling the pinch this week. One of the Premier League’s new members, QPR, have announced ticket prices for next year. Season tickets are up 40 per cent, despite there being four less games.

In a statement, the club justified the rises by arguing they are ‘in line with other London-based Premier League clubs’.

No mention about whether they’ve considered if their fanbase have a similar financial demographic to the likes of Chelsea. Or whether watching Shaun Derry is worth the same price as admiring Cesc Fabregas.

Talking of Arsenal, Gunners fans who once cautiously welcomed Stan Kroenke’s takeover were quickly up in arms when the American reacted to a sixth trophyless season by cranking up prices by 6.5 per cent.

For years now there have been warnings the Premier League will reach a tipping point, with a golden-egg scenario where fans are squeezed so tight by rising prices they have nothing left to give, and stop giving.

Yet, despite the odd club embarrassing the Premier League with swathes of empty seats, this shows no real sign of happening. Certainly not in London.

The prices at tomorrow’s Champions League final – and at Loftus Road next season – may cause, or reflect, a disconnect between football and its traditional fanbase.

But the men with the calculators aren’t silly. They know there are many able, and willing, to pay inflated prices. It’s not they don’t care who their customers are. On the contrary, they care very much.

They’re chasing the ones with the deepest pockets, as seen by accusations Flavio Briatore wants to turn QPR into a ‘boutique’ football club for London’s super-rich.

If we’re lucky, tomorrow night the likes of Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney will produce football from another planet. For the average working fan in the street, they might as well play it there. Metro




Marc Bircham: Euro Football Zone Big Interview -Chris Atkins

This weeks big interview is ex-Millwall, Yeovil and QPR player, Marc Bircham. Marc talks to Euro Football Zone about his playing career, his idols, coaching and the future. Thanks go to Marc and hope you all enjoy!

EFZ: So, Marc. First up, you ended your playing career at Yeovil a couple of years ago and you have now moved on to become the Assistant Manager of the QPR Centre of Excellence. How are you finding the move to a coaching role?

Marc: Really enjoying it. What you have to realise is that it is like being a youth player again! To be a player you have to learn the ropes as a youth player, then it comes full cycle and you have to learn to be a coach. I was quite lucky that I started my badge at quite a young age, when I was 25 and then fully qualified last year. So now, I am on the Pro-licence which is the top award for coaches.

Last season of course, following the dismissal of Jim Magilton, you and Steve Gallen took the helm for one game. Do you have any future management ambitions?

Yeah, of course and that is why I started to coach. It is just a progression, you start off with the youth teams, maybe become an Assistant Manager one day, then move on to become a Manager further on down the line. So, hopefully, it is just the beginning on a long road to management.

You played for quite some time at QPR and where somewhat of a fan favourite at Loftus Road? What was your highlight of your playing days at the club?

I have a number of highlights, I suppose. The biggest highlight would have to be getting promoted on the last day of the season at Hillsborough, seeing eight thousand QPR fans there in a game we needed to win. I'd been told a couple of weeks before that if we didn't go up, the club couldn't afford to keep me. It was pressure time, we had Swindon at home and I think we were fourth in the league at that point, then Sheffield Wednesday away and we had to win them both to go up and we did! It was just a mixture of relief and euphoria. There was that and then there was the time I scored a last minute goal at Brentford the year before and I think there were three games to go in the season. Tranmere had been pushing us all the way to get to the play-offs. I remember being told that Tranmere were winning 2-1 just as we got a corner. The corner came out to me at the edge of the box and I volleyed it in the top corner. I think that was the most celebrated QPR goal since Clive Allen's in the 1982 FA Cup semi-final, it was mayhem! You can see it on Youtube, there were fans running on the pitch!

Agony: Play-off defeat to Cardiff
What about on the other side of things? What was the toughest moment of your QPR career? The play-off loss to Cardiff?

The play-off loss to Cardiff was one. We did fantastically to get into the play-offs, I think we won seven of the last eight games to get in there. So that was magnificent but, it was devastating. I needed an ankle operation and managed to keep it off. I was booked in to have it on the Tuesday and we played on the Sunday, so I remember battling on in the last couple of minutes and I took a whack on my ankle, it was killing! So I literally just played on to take the penalty and they then scored in the last minute. So, it was bad, but the Chairman told us afterwards that it was good we didn't go up, because we would have gone bankrupt. With the bonuses that would have been owed to other clubs, he just said it would have been a nightmare! But, for me the biggest disappointment was the injuries I suffered. I was battling hamstring injuries and in the last season or two at the club, I missed quite a lot of games through injury. It was terrible, we were in a relegation battle and I just couldn't get fit. The injuries were definitely the worst part.

As a player, just how tough is it mentally when you are suffering with injuries?

It is tough. But, you are better off knowing you will be back in say four months, then it is four months. Whereas I think with the hamstring injury I was out 2-3 months and kept trying to come back and breaking down. Breaking down is the worst feeling to have as a player because, when you can't even do the job that you love, but you still have to come in everyday, not being able to play, it is terrible. But, I had a back operation and they said I should have been out six months and I ended up coming back within four and I managed to play the last game of the season, my last game for QPR against Stoke at home. I was just so glad I made that or I would never have played another game for QPR.

Obviously, this season has gone very well for the club. How has the atmosphere been around the place?

The atmosphere has been fantastic. The Under-18's, [we] won our league and the first eleven one their league. It's the first time they have one both ever I think, or in years at least. So there is a feel-good factor around the place. There was a little bit of a dampener with the FA case, but now we can enjoy being champions of the division. The atmosphere around the training ground is solely dependant on the first-team. There is no point the youth team winning most weeks if the first team are down the bottom of the league, because the atmosphere is not going to be good. The atmosphere has been really good, the first team is doing well and the manager is interested in bringing youth players through so it really is fantastic at the moment.

Here at Euro Football Zone we have written a couple of pieces on the talents of Adel Taarabt and Alejandro Faurlín as two of QPR's star players. How highly do you rate the pair of them?

I rate them really highly and next year they will be playing at the standard they should be and that is in the Premier League. But, they were at the club last year when form was a bit up and down. I think the difference this year is that we have some solid men in the team that are going to be your 7/10 players every week. Paddy Kenny, Clint Hill and Shaun Derry have come in, giving a good spine to the team that the flair players can feed off as well. Paddy Kenny won Player of the Season and I think that shows you. I think we had 23 clean sheets this year, so a lot of credit must go to the goalkeeper. As a player, you know the longer the game stays 0-0, if your team has the players who can create something out of nothing, then you can win 1-0. Whereas, last year we were having to score four goals to win.

Who would you say were the best players you played with and against in your career?

For my team I would say, Ray Wilkins. I was a massive fan of Ray and then he came down to Millwall from QPR and I made my debut alongside him. Just to see his enthusiasm and ability at that age, he didn't let me down! I grew up a massive QPR fan, watching them week-in week-out and I think if you speak to Ray he would tell you some of the best football of his career was played at QPR, so then to make my debut alongside him was fantastic. The best player I played against...I played against Hidetoshi Nakata for Japan, he was very good, when I was playing for Canada. Then Rafael Marquez who played for Barcelona, was playing for Mexico. He played in Midfield in that game and everything was very easy for him.

Idol: QPR #10 John Byrne
Who was your football idol growing up?

My footballing idol was John Byrne. I suppose a lot of people will know him from his Sunderland days when they went on a cup run and beat Liverpool. I remember I had my hair like him. He was a typical QPR number 10, he had bags of ability. Him and Terry Fenwick were idols and then when I got a little bit older you had Ray Wilkins and Les Ferdinand. But my first idol was John Byrne, that was about 86/87 when I was just a football fanatic. He was the player that when I scored, I would take my top off and have a retro-QPR shirt with a number 10 on the back. Then I guess the only two non-QPR heroes were Maradona and Gazza.

And of course, whilst at QPR, you had quite an interesting hairstyle. What influenced the blue and white mohican?

When I fist started at Millwall, I had quite long hair, but then when I joined QPR, me and Kevin Gallen had a bet. A drunken bet in fact, about who was the biggest QPR fan and I bet that I would dye my hair blue and white for my first game. It was something that my brother had always said when we were young, if you ever play for QPR, you have to dye your hair blue and white. So I said I will bet you £250 that I will do it and I did it for my first game. Then I got sponsored for two years. Schwarzkopf sponsored me for a year and then --- sponsored me for the next year. So, it was financially worth keeping it!

Finally, if you had to tip one future star of the game, who would it be?

I suppose it would have to be Raheem Stirling because we worked with him at QPR and now he has come to people's attention in the last six months at Liverpool. A fantastic talent, who if they can keep him on the straight-and-narrow and concentrating on his football, I expect big things from him. Chris Atkins/EFZ Interview


TRANSFER RUMOURS
Daily Mail - Newly-promoted QPR eye double swoop for Zenden and Mensah
- Bolo Zenden is a target for QPR. The former Holland midfielder is out of contract at Sunderland.
- The London club are leading the chase for Ghana captain John Mensah, who has been released from a loan deal at Sunderland. He will return to Lyon. Daily Mail


Jacob Murtagh/Fulham Chronicle - QPR target Nottingham Forest star
- QPR are weighing up a move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Guy Moussi.
- Rangers boss Neil Warnock wants to add some steel to the engine room ahead of their return to the Premier League, and is keen to pinch the powerful Frenchman for free when his contract expires next month.
- However, Wigan and Everton are also believed to be interested in the 26-year-old, who has made 73 appearances for Forest since his switch from Angers three years ago.
- Warnock has other options on his shopping list, with Hull City's Seyi Olofinjana also on his radar, as exclusively revealed by Chronicle sport last month.
- The Nigerian international, who spent last season on loan at Cardiff City, only has a year to run on his deal at the KC Stadium. Fulham Chronicle


Croydon Today/Daniel Jones - Rangers are the latest top flight club interested in Clyne
QUEENS Park Rangers are the latest club to show an interest in the Eagles' talented full-back Nathaniel Clyne.

The 20-year-old is being tracked by several Premier League teams after starring for Palace this season.

Clyne has been subject to bids from Birmingham and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the past, but decided to stay at Selhurst Park and play first team football rather than warm the bench in the top flight.

However, the Advertiser has been told that a "whole host of clubs" are now after the defender, and he is widely expected to leave this summer.

Neil Warnock's Hoops are just the latest to be considering a move. Warnock knows Clyne well from his time at Palace and feels he could be an excellent addition to the Rangers squad as they prepare for life in the Premier League.

But QPR look certain to face stiff competition for the right-back's signature. Fulham, Tottenham and Arsenal are also reported to be monitoring the situation.

According to sources close to the player, Clyne has no intention of signing a new deal at Palace, that has been on the table since last year, despite his current package making him one of the lowest earners in the first team squad.

Clyne was named the Eagles Player of the Year at the club's awards evening last Saturday, but failed to turn up to collect his trophy.

His absence only added fuel to the speculation that the young defender is determined to leave.

Co-chairman Steve Parish said Clyne's no show was merely a "misunderstanding", but admitted that it would be difficult for the Eagles to hold onto the highly sought after defender much longer.

He insisted no offers have come in for the teenager but knows top flight football would be hard to resist.

"He is a fantastic player and definitely has the potential to play in the Premier League, there is no point denying it," he said. "No one has come in for him yet.

"If they do, the manager will consider the offer and do what's best for the football club." Croydon Today


Argentina Football World/Chris Atkins: Player Profile: QPR's Alejandro Faurlín26 May 2011

English football has been notoriously hard for many South American players to adapt to over the years, and below the top flight the challenge is harder still. Yet, in the tough, battle-scarred world of Championship football, an Argentine midfielder has demonstrated that subtlety and craft are just as important commodities as anywhere else in the footballing world.

Now at the end of his second year in England, Queens Park Rangers' Alejandro Faurlín has achieved a moderate level of fame in football fan circles. However, unfortunately for the player nicknamed 'El Mago – The Magician' at Instituto, this is more as a result of the recent FA Disciplinary Hearing regarding his transfer from Instituto de Córdoba in 2009. (It must be stressed that the hearing was with regards to the conduct of the Club and it's Director of Football, rather than any fault of the player).

From day one, it was clear for all to see that Faurlín was a step above this level of football in terms of basic technical ability and reading of the game. QPR supporters from very early on were aware that they had quite some talent on their hands, however the midfielder's first season in England was not all plain sailing. Until the arrival of Boss Neil Warnock mid-season in March 2010, QPR were hovering within touching distance of the relegation zone and Faurlín's form consequently suffered. But, after a season to settle in to the new environment and aided by the confidence that has spread throughout the team this season, the Argentine has delivered on a regular basis for the Loftus Road outfit.

Creative Lynchpin

Not surprisingly for a 'magician', Faurlín's left foot is a wand. He often plays the simple pass and retains possession for his team, always thinking ahead, as if playing a game of chess. The mercurial Moroccan Adel Taarabt has grabbed the majority of the headlines this season for QPR, but the efforts of Faurlín and Shaun Derry in midfield have afforded the playmaker the freedom to strut his stuff in attack. The Argentine has admitted in interviews with the QPR 'Hoops' programme that he struggled early on with the physicality of the English game, but those who have watched Rangers on a regular basis this season will have noted that the player is much improved in this regard, battling away manfully alongside the rugged Derry.

This has been the key to QPR's successful campaign. Workmanlike players such as Derry, Clint Hill, Kaspars Gorkss and Tommy Smith do the hard-graft week-in-week-out, whilst Taarabt, Faurlín and Wayne Routledge are expected to provide the quality to unlock the defence. Rangers led the league continuously from the first weeks of the season and never really looked like surrendering their advantage. Faurlín's role is crucial to the team, he is the lynchpin around which the team plays. Whilst Derry sits, Faurlin is both expected to be workmanlike in defence, but also to anchor the attacks from deep. Routledge, Taarabt and Smith in particular have thrived upon his ability to spread the play like few others in the division are able to. Whilst Faurlin may often play the simple ball to Derry or Taarabt, he is always alert and looking for the run of wide players, or on occasions a full back galloping forward.

A Tough Start

Faurlín, at the relatively young age of 24, has already experienced much in his career. Once a member of the famous River Plate youth system, the player affectionately known as 'Ali' at Rangers lost his way somewhat and ended up at hometown club Rosario Central, where he would make his professional debut. But, once more, things did not fall into place smoothly for the young midfielder and he was forced to slip down to the Argentinian Second Division, first with Atlético de Rafaela, then with Instituto. It was at Instituto where Faurlín turned his career around, with good performances supposedly drawing attention from amongst others in Europe, Inter Milan. Without going into the intricacies of his eventual move to Loftus Road, it was then in the summer of 2009 that Faurlín made his expected move into the European football scene, with QPR the unlikely destination.

The move has since paid dividends for the Rangers' number 11, with a place in the Premier League now assured for next season. With Faurlín already attracting the interest of Scottish giants Celtic, QPR will fight desperately to hold onto their potential star. Manager Neil Warnock is one person who certainly believes that Faurlín has the ability to make an impact at the highest level next season. When interviewed after Rangers final league game, Warnock showered his man with praise, stating amongst other things that Faurlín will 'set the Premier League alight.'

The Future

So, what of the man himself, how does he see the future for Alejandro Faurlín developing? In a recent interview for Argentine website Día a Día, Faurlín demonstrated the grounded nature that got him through early adversity.

"I came to England and took a big risk. My career had started off really well. I was playing for River Plate, playing for the National Youth Team and then everything fell apart."

"I'm a fighter and I have fought for a lot for things. I will never forget that I was playing Second Division football in Argentina and I won't forget all the people that helped me during that time. This is a reward for all the hard work I put in. This must be a message for all those players in the lower leagues in Argentina. You can achieve important things."

"Life is about taking decisions. I'm living through an incredible moment right now, but I want to stay the same. I want to always be the same guy."

"To reach [the Premiership], [to play] against these players and in those grounds has always been my dream and I made it. But, I will keep dreaming and I will keep fighting".

International Ambitions

Faurlín's approach and down to earth attitude are refreshing in this age of superstar footballers. He shows his fighting spirit each week and is never content to accept his current situation. At 24, there are many more years of football ahead of him and starting with this season in the Premier League, there is no doubt the young man from Rosario will be aiming high. But, what of possible international selection? It is believed Argentina boss Sergio Batista has been alerted to Faurlín's continuous progress in England and has scouted the player on several occasions.

"I heard about it and it is something that really makes me happy." says Faurlín. "Now, playing in the Premier League, I'm sure they will be able to watch me more often and more closely, playing in important matches. I'm sure that will help."

"My goal is to be consistently playing in the Premier League, but I dream of a call up to the national team. Who knows..."

by Christopher Atkins - Editor (Euro Football Zone). Contact me via www.eurofootballzone.com or Twitter @efzeditor - Argentina Football World


- Any American or Canadian Readers of QPR Report/QPR Report Messageboard? (Or any QPR Fans from Central or South America?)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

QPR Update: Flavio Briatore Speaks about His QPR Role, Warnock and Paladini

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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER

- Any American or Canadian Readers of QPR Report/QPR Report Messageboard? (Or any QPR Fans from Central or South America?)
_____________________________________________________________________________________

- Mikele Leigertwood Signs for Reading on a permanent deal.
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The full 86-page report can be read here


Reuters - Queens Park Rangers co-owner Flavio Briatore on Thursday ruled out taking a more hands-on role at the west London club now that they are back in the Premier League.
The former Renault Formula One team boss, making an appearance at the Monaco Grand Prix, also told Reuters that he and Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone had no plans to sell the club and had complete confidence in manager Neil Warnock making the right moves in the transfer market.

"No, I don't want to (get more involved), absolutely not," said the Italian.

"The coach and (chairman) Gianni Paladini are the ones involved right now. Nothing has changed, absolutely nothing. I don't want to be involved at all."

Briatore stepped down as QPR chairman in February last year after being barred from Formula One activities as a result of a race-fixing scandal.

He, Ecclestone and Indian steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal bought QPR, who secured promotion as Championship (second division) winners last month, in 2007.

The club's vice-chairman Amit Bhatia, Mittal's son-in-law, resigned on Wednesday after saying in a statement that his "vision, strategy and direction for the club is very different from that of the other shareholders and board members."

GOOD PLAYERS

Mittal was quoted as saying last week that he would be making a bid for full control of the club, but he was rebuffed by Ecclestone who said he had not been consulted. Briatore said there would be no change of ownership.

"Forget about selling, Bernie and I we are together and we own 70 percent of the club. This is what we have," said the Italian. "We go ahead like we have from day one.

"The plan for QPR is...to make sure next season we are competitive, we keep all the good players we have in the squad at the moment and the coach is now looking to set up a very good club for next season," said Briatore.

Asked about spending and the club's possible budget for players, he replied: "This is the coach's decision. We have complete trust in Neil. We try to help him have the best squad for next year to be competitive."

With speculation continuing about the manager's future, Briatore was adamant that Warnock would be staying. "Not for one minute was there any doubt about Neil," he said.

Briatore, a regular at Monaco Grand Prix time, remains banned from active involvement in Formula One until 2013 and he said he had no plans to return.

"I am just here now. I think it would be nice to be here at lunchtime," he quipped, standing outside Ecclestone's motorhome in the paddock.

"Formula One is a really great situation, great sport and I love a lot to be part like a big fan of Formula One. But in this moment I don't have any plans to come back.

"It's much better if you stay out and watch on TV. This year we've had fantastic races, I enjoy it very much, I think it's super." QPR


EVENING STANDARD/Simon Johnson - Queens Park Rangers in turmoil

Queens Park Rangers were today plunged into fresh turmoil after vice-chairman Amit Bhatia resigned from the club's board.

Bhatia, who along with his father-in-law, billionaire steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, own 33 per cent of the club, were looking to buy out fellow co-owners Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore. But Formula One supremo Ecclestone turned down the Mittal's £50million offer this week for his majority shareholding.

This, plus the decision to sack Bhatia's close friend and ally, Ishan Saksena, as chairman and the announcement that season-ticket prices will rise by as much as 40 per cent next season, have led to a breakdown between the owners.

Ecclestone is believed to have taken a more hands-on role at Loftus Road since Neil Warnock's side earned promotion to the Premier League.

The manager's position is now under threat again, as Bhatia and Saksena were Warnock's two biggest allies in the boardroom, with Ecclestone and Briatore both known to favour appointing a continental coach.

Standard Sport understands, though, that Bhatia will continue his fight to gain overall control of the club. His next move will be to nominate Saksena for a seat on the board as a director.

This will be of some comfort to Warnock, who has forged a successful close working relationship with the Mittals.

Bhatia could not hide his frustration at the developments in a statement. He said: "It is clear from recent board meetings that my vision, strategy and direction for the club is very different from that of the other shareholders and board members.

"The recent decisions to sack club CEO and chairman Ishan Saksena and significantly increase season ticket prices are just two of the decisions I disagree with.

"While it saddens me to leave QPR, I do not wish to be associated with decisions made by the board and with which I disagree so strongly.

"The Mittal family had been in discussions concerning the possible acquisition of the club. However, we have been unable to reach agreement on this matter and therefore those discussions have now come to an end.

"Although no longer a decision-maker at QPR, I shall continue to be a 33 per cent owner and a fan of the club. In due course, we will appoint a board representative to monitor my family's investment in the club." Standard

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Another Warnock to Be Replaced Story: "QPR Want Ancelotti"

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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER

- Any American or Canadian Readers of QPR Report/QPR Report Messageboard? (Or any QPR Fans from Central or South America?)
______________________________________________________________________________________

- The full 86-page report can be read here


MIRROR/Martin Lipton - EXCLUSIVE: QPR want Ancelotti as bossPublished

Carlo Ancelotti is set to be offered an immediate Premier League return with QPR.

Rangers boss Neil Warnock's leading boardroom ally vice-chairman Amit Bhatia walked out of the Loftus Road outfit yesterday after his bid to buy the club was rejected.

That left Warnock exposed, despite his superb achievement in steering the Rs from the foot of the Championship to Premier League status in the space of 15 months.

Now chairman and former Formula One magnate Flavio Briatore, who has looked at one sacked former Chelsea boss in Claudio Ranieri, is poised to make a move for Ancelotti, who was axed by Blues an hour after the Premier League season finished.

Bhatia's abrupt departure came as the club announced an effective season ticket price rise of 67 per cent for next season.

The former vice-chairman, son-in-law on Indian billionaire and minority Rangers shareholder Lakshmi Mittal, walked out after revealing his efforts to take over full control had been stymied by the board.

Bhatia said: "My vision and strategy for the club is very different from other shareholders and other board members.

"The recent decisions to sack club CEO and chairman Ishan Saksena and significantly increase season-ticket prices are just two of the decisions I disagree with.

"While it saddens me to leave QPR after such a successful season and at the beginning of an exciting new phase, I do not wish to be associated with or take responsibility for decisions made by the board and with which I disagree so strongly.

"I shall look forward to supporting the club as a fan next season and would like to thank Neil Warnock for his leadership and friendship over the past 14 months.

"It has been my pleasure to work with him and be part of the club's recent success and wish the club every success in the Premiership."

Fans groups were angered by Bhatia's departure, with Briatore and partner Bernie Ecclestone branded "an absolute disgrace" who had shown "total contempt" towards supporters.

But public promises about Warnock's future now appear less credible, with Briatore having his London base close to Ancelotti's home in Chelsea.

While it is thought the former Juventus and Milan manager has his targets elsewhere, his departure terms from Chelsea saw the previous clause preventing him from joining another Premier League club within 12 months rescinded. Mirror.

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