Agyemang (Bad News) Injury Update...Sousa: Gradually Building at QPR...Warnock on QPR's "Derogatory" Offer for Watson...QPR Masters Cup

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QPR Official Site TALKING WOUNDED: AGYEMANG UPDATE
- R's front-man Patrick Agyemang is looking at 'months rather than weeks' on the sidelines with the thigh muscle injury he sustained in training 15 days ago.
- The 28 year-old underwent exploratory surgery just under a fortnight ago, but as Head Physio Paul Hunter revealed, the former Preston ace is likely to be on the treatment table until mid-April at best.
Hunter told www.qpr.co.uk: "In terms of recovery time, unfortunately we're talking months rather than weeks - we're hoping it will be around the three-month mark.
"We have already had a review with the surgeon, who is happy with the early progress he is making.
"To be fair to him, Pat has been first class so far, but realistically the earliest comeback for him is mid-April."
*An in-depth interview with R's Head Physio Paul Hunter will be available on QPR World tomorrow (Friday). Hunter speaks openly about long-term injury victims Martin Rowlands and Akos Buzsaky, as well as providing some good news on the progress of Rowan Vine. QPR

Football League - BASE BUILDING AT QPR
- Restoring Queens Park Rangers to the Premiership is the aim of recently appointed manager Paulo Sousa, but despite his attacking instincts the former Portugal midfielder is intent on building steadily rather than taking a gung-ho approach to promotion.- Two months after Sousa's arrival at what is one of the richest clubs in the world following the 2007 take-over led by Formula 1 millionaire Flavio Briatore, QPR sit eighth in the Coca-Cola Championship table, three points below the Play-Off places.
- And that position, for the time being at least reckons the manager, is okay as long as progress is being made. "It's good to stay close to the Play-Offs," says Sousa, "because you can look at targets and that gives more motivation and ambition.
- "But the most important thing is to create a good base to achieve those targets - to build a team that can compete in each stadium we have to play at and to create a good style of play for the fans to enjoy."
- "I believe in playing positive, attacking football, but to achieve positive results you have to maintain a focused outlook and my team will aim to do this, both for ourselves and for the fans as well."
-Sousa knows all about good styles of play having been a classy midfielder who earned 51 international caps and twice won the Champions League - with Juventus and Borussia Dortmund - as well as starring for Benfica and Inter Milan.
- After his playing career was prematurely ended through injury he was appointed to the coaching staff of the Portuguese national team under the then head coach - and now Chelsea manager - Luiz Felipe Scolari.
- So it was with quite a pedigree that Sousa started his first managerial job last November. Results to date have been mixed, but his first away win - at Derby County last Saturday - brought delight as well as encouragement for the manager.
- Four days earlier the Hoops had lost their FA Cup third round replay at Burnley, whose winner arrived in the last minute of extra time, so to bounce back with what could be a crucial away win was very important says Sousa.
- "When you lose a game over 120 minutes, creating a lot of opportunities and deserving to win but then not winning, psychology comes in - players can get down and it's not easy to handle this," notes Sousa.
- "But my players told me they would give me their answer and they showed big personality to win (at Derby). To play so well and to get the result means that all the hard work we've been doing for the last two months is beginning to pay off." Football League


- Crystal Palace's Neil Warnock "“We had such a derogatory offer of £500,000 from QPR and early on in the season it was unsettling for Ben. “£2m is more realistic for someone of Ben’s quality.”

Streatham Guardian/Graham Moody - Palace unlikely to replace Watson- Neil Warnock will not be targeting a replacement for Ben Watson should the midfielder complete a £2m move to the Premier League this month.
- The 23-year-old is currently discussing personal terms with Middlesbrough after the Teesside club had a bid accepted yesterday, but two more top flight clubs are also understood to have entered the race for this signature.
- “I don’t think we will be able to get anyone on a free transfer any better than that on our wage structure. For me the only chance we have of bringing a player in on decent money is if we sign a striker.“
- Neil Warnock is not planning on replacing Ben WatsonWarnock refused to name the side’s involved but denied reports they were london duo Fulham and West Ham.
“There is a couple of clubs that have made enquiries and we’ve agreed fees with,” he said.
“I can tell you West Ham and Fulham it is not.
“I don’t know whether Ben is going to speak to anyone else but he is up in Middlesbrough discussing terms now. “I will be sad personally, I think all the lads will be, he is part of the furniture here but he is going to be a very exciting player.
“I’m pleased for him and the club, especially the chairman.
“We had such a derogatory offer of £500,000 from QPR and early on in the season it was unsettling for Ben.
“£2m is more realistic for someone of Ben’s quality.” Watson’s departure would leave Palace with Shaun Derry, Neil Danns, John Oster, Nick Carle and Carl Fletcher as experienced midfielders and Warnock does not see himself adding to that number.
He said: “It’s what you get for no money, do you get any better than what we have?
“For me we’ve got Neil Danns who is like a new player, you’ve got Fletcher if he doesn’t go and young James Comley.
“I don’t think we will be able to get anyone on a free transfer any better than that on our wage structure. For me the only chance we have of bringing a player in on decent money is if we sign a striker.“ Streatham Guardian


QPR Official Site MASTERS Cup 2009
QPR have been selected as one of six teams to contest Heat Three of the 2009 Masters Cup, televised live on Sky Sports, on Saturday 20th June at Wembley Arena.
QPR Masters will play fellow legends from Chelsea, West Ham, Spurs, Fulham and Arsenal, with the winners going through to compete in the 2009 Masters Cup Grand Final on Sunday 6th September Further details will follow in the build-up to the event, but in the meantime click here for more information.QPR