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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

QPR Director & Major Investor Dunga's QPR Departure Six Months Ago

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Brazilian coach Carlos Dunga this week announced his Brazilian squad for the February Friendly against Portugal at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. Team
It's six months ago, that the announcement was made (while QPR was on their Italian tour) that QPR Director and major investor, Dunga had been appointed Brazil's new coach. This necessitated Dunga's resignation from the QPR board. It was reported that his investments would remain.
Over the next couple of days after his appointment was made, QPR issued a couple of statements.

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - CARLOS DUNGA
New Brazil boss Carlos Dunga has tendered his resignation as non-executive director of the R's. Dunga - who joined QPR in September 2004 - was named as Brazil's new boss on Monday evening....Speaking from the Club's first team training camp in Italy, R's Chairman Gianni Paladini said: "Dunga has resigned with immediate effect.'' Paladini continued: "I'd like to wish him all the best and thank him for everything he has done for Queens Park Rangers Football Club.'' Dunga will continue to be a QPR shareholder for the time being. QPR

BBC - Brazil appoint Dunga as new coach
Dunga was skipper of Brazil's 1994 world championsFormer captain Dunga has been named as the new coach of Brazil.
The skipper of Brazil's 1994 World Cup winners replaces Carlos Alberto Parreira, who quit after Brazil lost to France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Ricardo Teixeira, president of Brazil's football federation (CBF), said: "The choice of Dunga will fully satisfy the desires of Brazilian fans."
Dunga, who is on the board of directors at QPR, has no previous coaching experience in the game.
But the 42-year-old said: "I want to bring the same determination I had as a player.
"Motivation and will to win are fundamental for anyone who wants to wear the shirt of the Brazilian national team."
His first game will be a friendly with Norway on 16 August in Oslo.
Brazil are not due to play any competitive games until next year's Copa America in Venezuela.
As well as leading Brazil to victory in 1994, Dunga also played in the 1990 and 1998 World Cups. He made 116 appearances for Brazil and also won the Confederations Cup in 1997 and the Copa America in 1989 and 1997.
Former national team coaches Wanderley Luxemburgo and Luiz Felipe Scolari had been linked with the job, along with Paulo Autuori, who took Sao Paulo to the Copa Libertadores and World Club Championship last year BBC

After missing QPR targets, Dunga has switched tribes
Evening Standard (London), Jul 26, 2006 by WAYNE VEYSEY

FROM director of Queens Park Rangers to manager of Brazil.
That is some quantum leap for Carlos Dunga, the midfield footsoldier who lifted the 1994 World Cup and has now been trusted with guiding Brazil to the top of the tree in South Africa in 2010.

It is an extraordinary show of faith from the five-times winners, given that Dunga has no managerial experience and has turned down dozens of offers to move into coaching since retiring seven years ago.

A knock-on effect of the 42-year-old's appointment is that he has resigned as a non-executive director at QPR - even though he was not required to do so under FIFA rules.

Rangers say Dunga will continue to be a shareholder "for the time being" but it seems only a matter of the i's being dotted and t's being crossed before the final whistle is blown on one of English football's most bizarre relationships.

The Brazilian icon became involved with QPR 22 months ago when he emerged as the figurehead for two mysterious Monaco-based consortia, Barnaby and Wanlock, who had invested Pounds 1.7million for a 30 per cent stake in the club. But what exactly has he contributed to the Super Hoops?
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Still instantly recognisable with the buzz-cut hairstyle that he paraded as one of football's most reliable midfield enforcers, Dunga was greeted with enthusiasm by supporters when he first arrived at Shepherds Bush.

He explained he had been persuaded to come on board by his friends at Barnaby, who included QPR kingpin Antonio Caliendo, a former football agent, and looked forward to being an ambassador for the club, promoting their name across the globe and using his South American contacts to alert them of any top young talent. In an interview with Standard Sport, Dunga displayed a deft touch in public relations by naming all the Loftus Road heroes of the 1970s, 80s and early 90s.

Some were sceptical of his involvement but others appreciated the muchneeded glitz and glamour he brought to Loftus Road, qualities which had been absent in the post-administration era.

There were fears that Dunga had been recruited to unseat manager Ian Holloway but the multilingual Brazilian stressed he had no ambitions in that field, ironic as that now appears.

"I've got no intention of being a football manager," he explained. "I get phone calls every week from clubs asking me to be their manager. In Brazil, I've been asked three or four time this season to manage Flamengo."

However, Dunga was to have little time for QPR in a hectic schedule that centred on his work as an ambassador for the Brazilian national team and consultant to one of his former clubs, Jubilo Iwata in Japan.

He went to only a handful of Rangers games in two years and failed to bring in any South American talent, blaming work permit restrictions on the players.

When quizzed by one supporter at last year's AGM what he actually brought to the Loftus Road plate, Dunga was evasive before chairman Gianni Paladini leapt to his defence, claiming: "He brought in money to save this club, that's what he has helped with."

The former Fiorentina and Stuttgart star was one of five men said to have invested equal sums of around Pounds 500,000 in QPR, a shareholding that now stands at 49 per cent.

Yet it would appear not to be a match made in heaven for Dunga, who cynics suggest may have been recruited by the Monaco consortia as a frontman to appease supporters dubious of investment from unknown foreigners.

Apart from the cash and the publicity, it seems his legacy to Rangers will prove to be the role he played in ousting Bill Power and Mark Devlin, the former chairman and chief executive, from the board last summer.

This dramatic coup ultimately paved the way for Paladini and Caliendo, now a director, to assume full control at the cash- strapped club.

Dunga had not attended any of the previous six board meetings before he flew into London to use his casting vote to axe Devlin and Power. Maybe it was that kind of ruthlessness which so impressed the powerbrokers at the Brazil Football Federation.
Standard

Thursday, July 27, 2006 - QPR Holding Chairman, Antonio Caliendo Statement re QPR Post-Dunga-
In the wake of widespread and further inaccurate reporting, Chairman of QPR Holdings Ltd, Antonio Caliendo, would like to issue the following statement:
"Despite Carlos Dunga tendering his resignation as a non-executive director on Tuesday, he will continue to support the Club financially.
"The Board's objective remains the same as it always has been - to get QPR back on a sound financial footing and in time, a return to the Premiership.
"I want to reassure the shareholders and supporters that we are doing everything possible to achieve that goal.
"We have invested wisely in the squad this summer and I believe we are in a fantastic position to challenge in the top half of the Championship.
"Last season was a very difficult time for the Board. Since September, we've put in over £4million to ensure the Club's finances are in a stable position to build for the future.
"As a Board, we aim to keep our promise of not selling our best players. Obviously there are certain clauses in players' contracts which means we have to allow them to speak to other Clubs, but our aim is the Premiership and to achieve this we need to keep all our best players.
"The Dan Shittu situation is a perfect example. The bottom line is that we want to keep Danny at the Club. He's a fantastic professional and a tremendous player, but if we receive a £3million bid then he has the freedom to talk to whoever comes in for him.
"We love Queens Park Rangers and we are doing everything possible to safeguard the prestige of this wonderful Club.
"Together, there is only one voice - We Are QPR.'' QPR

Post Dunga Departure Story:
BBC -Power challenged to buy back QPR
Gianni Paladini has challenged the man he ousted as QPR chairman to come up with a bid to buy back the club.
Bill Power, a lifelong R's fan, has invested in Swindon Town since leaving Loftus Road after losing a bitter struggle for control last year.

But Paladini has hinted that ex-agent Antonio Caliendo, the London club's current main investor, could quit.

"I keep hearing people didn't want Bill to go and think he should come back. This is their chance," said Paladini.

"Let him or anyone else who thinks they can do a better job come forward and let's hear what they have to say."

After a series of behind-the-scenes problems, Power was forced out when former Brazil captain Carlos Dunga attended an all-important board meeting and voted with Paladini to remove him.

Power had sought to gain a controlling interest in the club but Dunga's unexpected appearance tipped the balance against him.
We will listen to anyone that wants to make an offer
Gianni Paladini

Paladini and Caliendo seized control and chief executive Mark Devlin was then sacked.

Dunga had previously not attended any board meetings having become a director as part of the Caliendo-led Monaco-based group that bought a stake in 2005 and now effectively own the club.

Dunga stood down as a director this week after landing the job of Brazil coach.

And Paladini has suggested that Caliendo and another board member, Italian businessman Franco Zanotti, may also now quit.

But Paladini insists they expect to recoup the money they have put into the club and has previously said it would take an offer of over £8m for them to relinquish control.
Any would-be buyer would also then have to tackle Rangers' sizeable debts.
"If Caliendo and Zanotti pull out it would make it difficult for me to carry on because I don't have that kind of money," Paladini admitted.
"If Antonio doesn't want to carry on I don't know what will happen. We will talk on Tuesday and discuss the way forward."
But he added: "We will listen to anyone that wants to make an offer but it will not come cheap, that's for sure.
"Bill Power got 6.5p-a-share when he sold his stake and the same would have to apply here.BBC

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