Lee Cook on Gregory's Way of Motivating: Letting Players Know Which Teams Are Watching Players

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Telegraph - Those were the days - By Oliver Brown
It was a day when the old mixed uncomfortably with the new at Loftus Road. The class of 1967, paraded at half-time to honour the 40th anniversary of QPR's League Cup triumph, formed a glaring contrast with a side struggling to arrest a slide towards League One.

In light of victories for Leeds and Southend, the perils for QPR in the relegation scrap were rendered more acute by a mere draw. A run-in that includes visits to Derby and Sunderland signals their probable doom, although John Gregory, their ebullient manager, does not buy into such pessimism.

According to midfielder Lee Cook, Gregory has kept a list of those teams who are monitoring QPR's home games, and has taken to posting it on the dressing-room wall. "It's his way of showing that people are coming here to watch us because they know we are playing some decent football."

Gregory's team espouse a direct line of attack above any deft build-up play - Wednesday manager Brian Laws counted 40 balls that were launched into his side's box - but still it took Martin Rowlands' 72nd-minute penalty to salvage any reward after Chris Brunt's opener.

Cook, however, seemed to grasp the central contradiction in QPR's season. "We have a tough run-in, but that suits us," he explained. "We have always liked playing the big teams, whereas we went to Southend and lost 5-0. That says it all about us." Telegraph

DAILY MAIL - Rowlands to the rescue on QPR'S big day by SIMON CASS
With only goal difference keeping them out of the drop zone and a run-in which will see them take on six of the Championship's top ten, Queens Park Rangers' failure to take maximum points against Sheffield Wednesday will be brought into sharp focus in the ensuing weeks.

But star attraction Lee Cook is only too happy for the struggling West London club's survival to depend on getting results against the best the division has to offer.

Victory away to second-placed Derby tomorrow night would go some way to atoning for the lapse in concentration which allowed Wednesday to leave Loftus Road with a point from a game Rangers, on the number of chances created, should have wrapped up by half-time.

And Cook, whose performances for Rangers this season prompted Steve Coppell, Alan Curbishley and Alan Pardew to spend their Saturday afternoon at Loftus Road, is adamant Rangers have what it takes to beat the division's best on their day.

Discussing the race to the finish line, Cook insisted: "We’re the type of side that will go to Derby and beat them. We’ve got no fears about meeting anyone. It’s the tightest division in the country, anyone can beat anyone else.

"We have a tough run-in, but that suits us. We’ve always liked playing the big teams, whereas we went to Southend and lost 5-0. That says it all about us.

"We like the run-in we’ve got, we’re excited about it and we feel we’re going to stay up.Although we are out of the relegation zone at the minute we know that it will probably go to the last two or three games of the season and we have to start winning. It’s going to be exciting."

Excitement is certainly something Cook's dynamic left wing performances offer the Rangers faithful. Linked with Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton, the likelihood is the 24-year-old winger, who began his career in non-league football with Aylesbury United, will be on his way come the summer.

Wisely, QPR boss John Gregory is using the top-flight interest in Cook as a motivational tool, rather than issue any hands-off warnings.

"Every week the gaffer puts a sheet up on the wall with the names of the clubs that are coming to watch us," revealed Cook.

"It’s his way of showing that people are coming here to watch us because they know we are a good team who are playing some decent football even thought the results are not happening for us. Am I ready for the Premiership? I’d like to think so."

Wednesday boss Brian Laws is of the opinion his own left winger, Chris Brunt, will certainly be plying his trade in the Premiership sooner or later.

Brunt handed Wednesday their opener on 56 minutes, stealing in at the far-post after QPR's defence failed to deal with a routine long throw, and could have had another but not for a terrific save by Lee Camp.

The home-side then earned their deserved point from the penalty spot when Kevin Rowlands converted the spot kick after Marc Nygaard had been pulled back by Richard Wood.

Brunt's 11 goals this season, despite his laid-back style, drew comparisons from Laws with Wednesday legend Chris Waddle - praise the former Middlesbrough trainee was happy to accept.

"It is very nice to be talked about in that manner," admitted Brunt. "It is flattering to be compared to Chris Waddle because he was such a great player for Sheffield Wednesday. If I have half the career he had I would be more than happy." Mail

Mirror - By Michael Martin

FORGET all the pious talk about professional pride and playing for the jersey.
John Gregory knows what drives footballers, above all else - self-interest. And the job of a manager is to harness that self-interest for the good of the club.
So when the Loftus Road fax machine starts churning out ticket requests from Premiership scouts, Gregory does not feed them to the shredder - he pins them up on the dressing room.
On Saturday the likes of Alan Curbishley, Alan Pardew and Steve Coppell decided to go window shopping in Shepherd's Bush rather than Bluewater. One of the tempting items on display was Rangers star Lee Cook.
The twinkled-toed winger, who has attracted strong interest from Tottenham, said: "Every week the gaffer puts a sheet up on the wall with the names of the clubs that are coming to watch us.
"It's his way of showing that people are coming here to have a look because they know we are a good team that are playing some decent football even thought the results are not happening for us. If asked personally if I am ready for the Premiership, I'd like to think so."
While Cook's talent will almost certainly see him leaving Rangers in the summer, there can be no doubting his commitment to the cause.
A Hammersmith-born, dyed-in-the-wool R's fan, Cook ran his heart out against Wednesday and his silver service deserved better finishing from strikers Dexter Blackstock and Paul Furlong.

It was left to Chris Brunt to show them the way to goal, opening the scoring for Wednesday 11 minutes into the second half.

R's levelled from the spot, Martin Rowlands converting after Richard Wood threw a not-so-friendly arm around Marc Nygaard's neck.

Northern Ireland midfield star Brunt, another left-footer who is not short of admirers, said: "That was my 10th of the season, the best return of my career. I'd love to play in the Premiership but right now I'm just disappointed we did not hold on for a win." Mirror