QPR Want Carr...Shittu Being Loaned Out?...Rehman and Walton Updates: How They Doing? (Not Too Well)

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- Elswhere in general football pieces: Criticizing London Clubs' Football Prices.....Football and Drug Testing.....Football Clubs Could Face Tax Scrutiny.....Andy Cole Retiring....Updated: Footballers and other sportsmen killed during the "Great War".


- Mirror - QPR and Ipswich chase former Newcastle star Steve Carr
Former Newcastle defender Steve Carr, 32, is being chased by QPR and Ipswich. Carr was plagued by injuries last term." Mirror


- Danny Shittu to Derby County? - (Could just be "tabloiditiss!") From BBC Gossip: "Derby are lining up Bolton defender Danny Shittu on a month-long loan deal. (The Sun)" BBC Gossip -- The Sun: "DERBY boss Paul Jewell wants to sign Bolton defender Danny Shittu on a month’s loan. Boss Jewell wants to take Shittu for a month after losing Martin Albrechtsen to a calf injury." The Sun


The Peninsula/Tusdiq Din - Rehman discovers challenging times
- LONDON: After a stop-start career that has now taken him to his sixth club to date, Pakistan football team captain Zesh Rehman (pictured right) would be the first to accept that he has not lived up to his own high expectations.
- Hailed as a pioneer and a trailblazer for British Asian football, Rehman burst onto the English football scene with Premiership side Fulham four years ago and there were huge expectations that more Asian footballers would follow in his path. - - Thus far, sadly that has not been the case, with only fellow Pakistan player Adnan Ahmed at Tranmere worthy of mention. Encouragingly at grass roots level, however, there are good signs for British Asian football, where along with players, referees and coaching courses have seen significant interest from within this community, and Rehman accepts that his involvement in football has been something of a catalyst for the UK’s Asian youth.
Currently on loan from Queens Park Rangers, Rehman has once again had to dig deep into his seemingly huge well of patience as he waits for an opportunity at Blackpool, but encouragingly he revealed exclusively to The Peninsula, that his loanee has his current managers’ full backing and curiously his sympathy in almost equal measure.
- “I knew a lot about him and I spoke to a few people who spoke highly of him,” admits Blackpool boss Simon Grayson who did his homework before taking the twenty-five year old.
- “He is a good footballer who works hard and wants to get better and better. He’s been unlucky however because the team is doing well and I don’t need to change things around at the moment.”
- Grayson has been impressed with Rehman who came to England’s northwest too late to be involved in Blackpool’s pre-season and that did not help him stake a first team place, but Grayson believes that after a few appearance from the substitute’s bench, his chance of a start may not be too far away.
- “It’s difficult when you come to a new club where the players are already playing well, but he has a fantastic attitude and trains well.
- “He’s got to show the right attitude, got to work hard and character to come into the team. Whatever he is asked to do, be it play for the reserves, do weights in the gym, or some running, he has to be big and brave. A player has to be doing well in the reserves first of all, and I know he’ll have be frustrated so far.” Grayson added: “It’s difficult for players who aren’t in the team. If we we’re losing every week you’d make a change but I don’t need to just now.”
- With Rehman at Blackpool, the Championship side has seen more interest from the Asian sub-continent, with the defender still having ambitions of an international nature, but he accepts that firstly, he needs to be settled and playing regularly for his club.
- “All I ever want to do is to play and win. I’ve been given this opportunity by Blackpool, and it’s up to me to make sure I grasp the chance when it arrives. Of course its tough not being involved all the time, but the team is doing well and its up to me to let the manager know I’m raring to go,” says the Birmingham born Rehman.
- Grayson accepts that his club can take a leaf out of Hull City’s good start in the Premiership and he says that he has been impressed with the early form of newly the newly promoted Humberside club. He also interestingly recalls that his Blackpool side took four points the Tigers off last season.
- “ I’m pleased for them. They spent a lot in the summer and they’ve done well.
- “Hopefully that will continue. For Blackpool my ultimate aim is to keep working hard on the training pitch and stay in the Championship.”
- Rehman agrees with those sentiments. He said: “He accepts that football is all about results, and just like Grayson, he is desperate to keep Blackpool heading in the right direction.” The Peninsula


Plymouth Herald - LUGGY TELLS WALTON TO PROVE HIS WORTH
- MANAGER Paul Sturrock has called on Plymouth Argyle midfielder Simon Walton to start showing what he is capable of.
- Walton became a father for the first time on Friday, when his partner, Nicola Tappenden, gave birth to a baby daughter, Poppy.
Sturrock hopes the 21-year-old can now focus on turning around his fortunes at Home Park.
- Walton was signed from Queens Park Rangers in August for what could eventually become a £750,000 transfer fee.
- But, after starting the first, five Championship matches of the season, he fell out of favour with Sturrock. There seemed to be a way back for Walton (pictured right) when he was included among the substitutes for Argyle's 1-0 win away to Sheffield Wednesday on October 28.
- But Walton struggled when he was sent on as substitute in the second half against the Owls.
- And he had a poor game for the reserves when they lost 4-1 to Southampton at Home Park last Tuesday.
- Walton ended the Totesportcasino.com Combination Cup tie by playing at centre-back.
- He was given the weekend off by Sturrock to attend the birth of his daughter in London, which meant he was not considered for Argyle's 2-2 draw at home to Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
- He had been set to line-up for the reserves in their away game against Bournemouth yesterday, but it was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.
Father-of-four Sturrock admitted: "It's a big thing, your first kid.
- "I told him to stay up there at the weekend and then he was going to travel to Bournemouth to play for the reserves."
- Sturrock continued: "Walts is going to have to come to the show now. I want to do bits and pieces with him to clear his mind on what I'm looking for.
= "I think that's important and, hopefully, he will get on with it..." Plymouth Herald


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