QPR & Ex-QPR Snippets

-
QPR's next friendly is tonight: Away to non-league Harrow Borough. - Harrow's site See also QPR Rivals' Clive Whittingham interview with Harrow manager

Hard to Replace Lee Cook? Despite receiving 2.5 million pounds (initial up front payment) for Lee Cook, and having spent just 500,000 pounds on players, John Gregory is suggesting no money left for a replacement. (Hopefully an exageration!) and that anyway, will be difficult "For us to replace Lee Cook is an enormous task. "It will be extremely difficult, and we don't have any money left. "Forward players are always more expensive, and forward players who win games are more expensive still." Teamtalk

(Transfer Embargo? Although Chairman Paladini last night reportedly said that the reports of a transfer embargo were incorrect, he did apparently suggest that there HAD in fact been an embargo but it was now lifted. - See Report on Paladini's comments

QPR youth defender, Jon Munday, released in January signed for Harriers - Signing See also Express and Star

Ex-QPR Forward Paul Furlong, now with Luton faced up against ex-QPR defender, Arthur Gnohre trialing with non-league Oxford. Luton won 2-1. Oxford Reportand Luton Report

The former on-loan midfielder, now at Norwich is out for six weeks with an injury.

Paul Murray now playing for Gretna, profiled - Gretna

And one time, nearly QPR, Paolo Wanchope set to make his debut for Chicago Fire in the MLS.

Chicago Fire - Chicago Fire sign forward Wanchope
BRIDGEVIEW, IL - Chicago Fire Soccer announced today the signing of Costa Rican international Paulo Wanchope (pronounced wahn-CHO-pay) and as a result of the signing, the Fire have now filled all four Senior International slots on the team's 28-man full roster. Per Major League Soccer (MLS) and team policy, specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"I think the Paulo Wanchope can only be good news for everyone involved with the club," said Fire head coach Juan Carlos Osorio. "Paulo is a very experienced striker, and has scored goals at all levels. I think he will improve our attacking force and hopefully he will be someone challenging the rest of the strikers on the starting line, helping us score more goals, winning more matches, and achieving our goal of making the playoffs."

Wanchope began his career with Club Sport Herediano (1994-97), before moving on to England to play with Derby County (1997-1999), West Ham United (1999-00), and Manchester City (2000-04), where he played under Osorio. Wanchope has since seen stints with Malaga CF (2004-05), Al-Gharrafa Sports Club (2005), CS Herediano (2006), Rosario Central (2006), and most recently FC Tokyo (2007). The Costa Rican international is his country's second all-time leading goal scorer and has played in the 2000 and 2002 Gold Cups, as well as the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.

"Paulo Wanchope is a proven goal-scorer, and his presence on the field will have an immediate impact as we enter the second half of the season," said Fire President/CEO John Guppy. "I'm sure he will gel very well with the rest of the team on the field and in the locker-room and we welcome him to the Chicago Fire."

"I'm very happy to make the decision to come here," said Wanchope. "I know Juan Carlos from a long time ago, so I know he's a very good professional and a very good coach. The setup here in Chicago will help me regain my level of the game. The interest to come here was to have a new experience, and I have to be honest, I saw the connection with Juan Carlos and that was the key."

Wanchope League Record

Club Season Matches Goals
FC Tokyo 2007 12 2
Rosario Central Apertura 2006 14 6
Club Sport Herediano 2006 10 3
Al-Gharrafa 2005-2006 6 2
Malaga CF 2004-2005 25 6
Manchester City 2003-2004 22 6
Manchester City 2002-2003 0 0
Manchester City 2001-2002 15 12
Manchester City 2000-2001 27 9
West Ham United 1999-2000 35 12
Derby County 1998-1999 35 9
Derby County 1997-1998 32 13
Derby County 1996-1997 5 1
Club Sport Herediano 1996-1997 -- 11
Club Sport Herediano 1995-1996 -- 9
Club Sport Herediano 1994-1995 -- 0

TRANSACTION: CHICAGO FIRE sign Costa Rica forward Paulo Wanchope. CHicago Fire


CBS Sports - Wanchope looking forward to challenge of playing with Fire
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Costa Rican forward Paulo Wanchope expects to make his MLS debut for the Chicago Fire on Saturday against the Columbus Crew.
"This is a great, great challenge for me," he told reporters in Chicago after a training session Monday. "Coming here gives me confidence. ... I know I can improve. I know I can recover my level of game and hopefully score a lot of goals for Chicago."
Wanchope's new coach shares that optimism.
"He is a proven goal scorer, who has scored goals at the top level," Juan Carlos Osorio said. "I've seen it in the premiership and at the World Cup. He will be a great attribute for us."
Wanchope, who signed Friday with the Fire, worked out with the team last week but did not play in Sunday's game at Toronto FC.
He's the second top international player the Fire has added in July. Cuauhtemoc Blanco of Mexico made his debut for Chicago against Toronto.
The striker has seen action in 72 games for the Costa Rican national team, scoring 45 goals -- the second most in Costa Rican history. He played most recently with FC Tokyo, scoring three goals in 11 games.
Wanchope, who turns 31 Tuesday, began his professional career in 1994, playing for CS Herediano until 1996. He then went on to play for Derby County, West Ham United, Manchester City, Malaga CF, Al-Gharrafa Sports Club, Rosario Central and FC Tokyo - News

[Over the weekend, Chicago Fire defeated Danny Dichio's Toronto 3-0 - Match Report