Nick Ward on Playing *and Needing to learn a little bit more about London Clubs in the Lower Divisions)

-
QPR's Ward cools Fulham talk
tribalfooball.com - September 04, 2006

QPR midfielder Nick Ward has played down talk of a move to Fulham.

Fulham boss Chris Coleman is already tracking the young Aussie after he only joined QPR over the summer.

"I haven't heard anything official so I've just got to keep playing well," he told the Daily Telegraph."If I was in a little town it would be a bit harder to adjust, I think it's good being in London it's not too lonely, there's always something to do to keep yourself busy and you're in a shop window.

"Us and Luton Town are the only London clubs that aren't in the EPL."
Tribal Football


Ward's got no regrets
By David Davutovic - Australian Telegraph September 05, 2006
NICK Ward is a test case dummy for Australian football.

Perth's midfield player won the A-League's first under-21 player of the year award but soon headed overseas.

Ward put a few local noses out of joint with his move to English Championship club Queens Park Rangers after his Glory contract was beefed up and FFA took control of the club.

But the words of Graham Arnold were still ringing in Ward's ears.

On the cusp of joining the World Cup train-on squad, Ward was told that he was unfit and overweight.

In Ward's view, 21 domestic games are not enough and after netting a goal in one of four QPR starts, he believes selection in this week's Socceroo squad vindicates his move abroad.

"I need to be playing lots of games and I felt it hampered me with Australian selection because I was told I wasn't match fit," Ward said.

"When I get back from this tour of Kuwait I've got five games in two weeks. I'm a midfielder so I need match fitness."

Ward's Olyroo teammates, Kristian Sarkies, Stuart Musialik and Adrian Leijer, were called up to the train-on squad to experience training with senior Socceroos stars.

Johan Neeskens was a big fan of the versatile goalscoring midfield player, so much so Ward was even considered to be an outside chance to make the 23-man squad.

But he and fellow Australian officials felt Ward had not done enough to stay fit.

"I was pretty realistic about it. With Cahill, Bresciano and that in the midfield I wasn't expecting to get into the 23 but I thought I had done enough to warrant getting into the train-on squad and that was disappointing," he said.

Ward is now hoping Kuwait City will mark his Socceroo debut.

"I'm very keen to play, with the Asian Cup coming up and the under-23 camps. It's always good to play for your country," he said.
Telegraph (Australia)