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Sunday, November 23, 2008

ALLEGEDLY: Chairman Briatore Tried to Pick a 13 Man Team

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According to the not always 100% correct, Sunday People

Sunday People/David Kidd- 23 November 2008 - FLAVIO'S 13-MAN LINE-UP
EXCLUSIVE
- Flavio Briatore's attempts at picking the QPR team descended into farce - when he named THIRTEEN players in the side.
- The clueless F1 mogul, one of three wealthy owners at Loftus Road, has insisted on a hands-on role in team selection since Iain Dowie's sacking last month.
- And People Sport can reveal that before last week's Carling Cup tie against Manchester United, Briatore handed caretaker boss Gareth Ainsworth a team list with 13 names on it. Ainsworth has since been replaced by first-team coach Paulo Sousa, who saw his new side thumped 3-0 at Watford yesterday - with Fitz hall sent off.
-It was believed that Ainsworth was the first choice of Briatore and co - owners Bernie Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal to take the coach's role.
- But the Old Trafford teamsheet incident led both parties to believe that the arrangement was no longer workable.
- A qpr insider said: "The players did not know whether to laugh or cry when we heard Briatore had wanted to pick 13 players.
- "Maybe he thought in a cup competition, lower division sides are allowed to pick extra players against Premier League clubs!" The People