QPR's Season in Review: November 2006

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NOVEMBER 2006

Three consecutive wins including a televized win at the League leaders, followed by two defeats. Chief Operating Officer Graham Mackrell was out after three months. Ugo Ukah "returned" after six months. Tim Breacker ended some 300 days of Gardening Leave.

November saw QPR pick up 9 points from 5 games: First winning three in a row (including a televized game at League Leaders, Cardiff which saw QPR Win F&C Investments Performance of the Week Award "Performance of the Week" and moving to within five points of a playoff place. Then the slump returned, with two losses at the end of the month.

On the field: QPR's two Chelsea loan players - Mancienne and Smith -extend their loan for an additional two months. Steffan Moore returned to QPR from his loan at Port Vale. Gianni Paladini declared he would want 10 Million pounds for Lee Cook and spoke about having to sell 18 year old striker Ray Jones, if he didn't sign a contract.

Off the field: Chief Operating Officer, Graham Mackrell departed the club after just three months. Akin Yilmaz replaced Pennington as QPR's New Financial Controller. And the promised response by Chairman Paladini to the fan magazine AKUTRS never occurred as Paladini changed his mind after the apology.

And of course, November was the month which saw the unannounced "return" (or actually never-having-left) of Ugo Ukah.

NOVEMBER RESULTS
04-Nov-06 H Crystal Palace W 4-2 (1-2) Smith 34, 69; Lomas 59; Gallen 66p
11-Nov-06 A Luton Town W 3-2 (1-0) Smith 31; Heikkinen(og) 51; Blackstock 54
17-Nov-06 A Cardiff City W 1-0 (0-0) Jones 88
25-Nov-06 H Coventry City L 0-1 (0-0)
28-Nov-06 H Sunderland L 1-2 (0-1) Jones 73
Results

After QPR's 3-2 win at Luton, QPR were 18th with 21 points from 17 games.
QPR 17 21
Sunderland 17 20
Crystal Palace 17 18
Hull 17 16
Leeds 17 16
Barnsley 17 15
Southend 17 11

After QPR's win at Cardiff, QPR rose to their highest position: 14th and8 Points out of Relegation spot...(5 points from Playoff spot!)
TOP SIX
Cardiff 18 36
Preston 18 36
Birmingham 18 34
Burnley 18 31
Derby 18 31
West Brom 18 29
14th QPR 18 24
BOTTOM FOUR
Hull 18 16
Leeds 18 16
Barnsley 18 15
Southend 18 12

After loss to Sunderland:
QPR had 24 points from 20 games. 5 points ahead of 3rd from bottom Leeds.

November was the month which after the QPR game, Luton manager Mike Newell launched a blistering attack on the role of female officiating

GRAHAM MACKRELL DEPARTURE:

At the end of August, QPR announced: "Mackrell Appointed" - QPR OFFICIAL SITE - GRAHAM MACKRELL APPOINT CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER QPR are delighted to announce the appointment of Graham Mackrell, as Chief Operating Officer.
A qualified accountant, Mackrell will offer assistance to the board, with the focus on improving the Club's off-the-field activities.
"I'm really looking forward to the challenge ahead,'' Mackrell told qpr.co.uk.
"QPR is a club with fantastic tradition and I'm excited about the prospect of working with the strong team we already have in place here.
"I'm here to add professionalism and my aim is to ensure the Club's off-the-field ambitions match those on it.''
Mackrell has worked in professional football for 25 years, including spells at Sheffield Wednesday, Luton Town, AFC Bournemouth and West Ham United.
He is also a Venue Director for UEFA.
Chairman Gianni Paladini is delighted to have Mackrell on board, commenting: "Graham will raise our profile within football thanks to his extensive work with UEFA and the League Managers Association.
"He is extremely well-known and respected within the game and also benefits from being a qualified accountant.
"I would like to wish Graham all the best and welcome him to QPR.''

In November, there were a couple of stories in The Sun and The Mail (very similiarly worded) saying that Mackrell had been sacked by QPR. - The Sun writing "QPR have sacked executive Graham Mackrell in the row over compensation for coach Tim Breacker. Former West Ham ace Breacker, 41, is still on gardening leave nine months after being relieved of his duties at the same time as ex-boss Ian Holloway. Rangers chairman Gianni Paladini has accused Mackrell of bungling pay-off negotiations. Breacker hopes to agree a settlement so he can link up again with Holloway at Plymouth. But Paladini said: “I was unhappy with Graham’s involvement.
“I believe the pay agreement is back in place but I didn’t feel I can work with Mr Mackrell.”
The Daily Mail :" Mackrell sacked by QPR over compensation row
QPR have sacked chief operating officer Graham Mackrell following a row over compensation for former assistant boss Tim Breacker.
Breacker is still on gardening leave nine months after leaving the club at the same time as ex-manager Ian Holloway and chairman Gianni Paladini has accused Mackrell of blundering over pay-off negotiations. Breacker hopes to agree a settlement within 48 hours so he can join Holloway at Plymouth.

QPR subsequently issued a Statement in which Mackrell's departure was announced in passing: "Bank on Us" - QPR are delighted to announce that the club will be teaming up with Barclays Bank and Deloitte & Touche.
Over the next 12 months the club will be working in collaboration with the two financial companies, who will provide professional advice on all financial matters relating to the club.
Deloitte will provide an independent review of the business and aim to work in partnership with the club to provide support and address the key business issues requiring resolution should there be any which need addressing.
Following the departure of Chief Operating Officer, Graham Mackrell, QPR will still have sound financial and business advice from two of the financial world's experts.
QPR would like to thank Graham Mackrell for all of his hard work over the last few months. The club would like to welcome Deloitte on board and look forward to working with them in the future.

RETURN OF UKAH
Six Months after QPR Said Goodbye to Ugo Ukah, Ukah's name suddenly appeared, without any elaboration/clarification on the QPR Reserves team sheet. This occurred some six months after the club had announced Ukah has left QPR.

22-May 2006 Ukah's Departure from QPR - QPR Official Site "UGO A GO-GO"
The Club can confirm that Ugo Ukah has today joined Italian outfit Nourese Calcio on a free transfer. Ukah, who made just two appearances for the R's, has signed a three year contract with the Serie C2 side. Chairman Gianni Paladini confirmed the news to qpr.co.uk: "We've negotiated a fifty per-cent sell-on clause and we wish him all the best.''

November 2006 - QPR Official Site - LIONS ROAR TO WIN
Millwall cantered to a deserved 3-0 victory at Loftus Road, on a night to forget for QPR Reserves.
QPR: Thomas, Ukah, Goode, Milanese, Hislop (Howell 56), Baidoo, Rose (Folkes 78), Donnelly, Watanabe, Czerkas, Jones (O'Brien 60).
Subs: Crowther, Coyne.

After some 300 Days of Paid Gardening Leave, QPR coach Tim Breacker joined Plymouth.
As Ian Holloway was quoted almost three weeks ago before the appointment "Holloway wants to hire him, but an agreement that had almost been reached with the London club seems to have collapsed. "I feel for Tim at the moment," Holloway said. "QPR are being a bunch of idiots. They're still paying him, but they've reneged on certain things that they said they were going to do and there's no deal any more. I can't understand it, to be perfectly honest with you. I don't what QPR are doing. It's absolute madness. I don't think you should treat people like that, and I'm very, very, very disappointed, to say the least." Plymouth

November 15, 2006 - QPR Fan Representatives Set to Meet..."Rebuild QPR"

The FA Writes to QPR "requesting Information with regard to missiles thrown from the crowd"

Complete QPR Report - November 2006 Posts


QPR's 2006-2007 SEASON IN REVIEW

2006-2007 Season in Review - October 2006

2006-2007 Season in Review - September 2007

2006-07 Season in Review - August 2007

2006-2007 Season in Review: #4 - Close Season Ends; Shittu Leaves; Paladini Speaks

2006-2007 Season in Review #3 - July 2006: Italy, Dunga, MK Dons, Ward, Shittu, Holloway, Suits

2006-2007 Season in Review #2 - June 2006: The Pre-Season

2006-2007 Season in Review #1 - May 2006