Sousa Running Out of Time?

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Daily Mail/Neil Hallam - Give Sousa a chance, pleads Delaney
- Paulo Sousa's chances of a long managerial reign at QPR can hardly have been enhanced by a barren run that has produced only two wins in 11 League games, but his players are adamant he should be given time to 'get his message across'.
- Half a dozen managers have come and gone at QPR in the last 14 months but Republic of Ireland full back Damien Delaney, who headed in their first-half equaliser, insists he speaks for all the players in hoping the former Portugal star is not added to the disruptive procession of casualties.
- 'All the lads like and respect the manager and want him to be given time to put his ideas and methods into practice,' he said.
- Losing battle: Paulo Sousa is running out of time to convince QPR's bosses that he is the right man to guide them towards the Premier League after another loss
- 'He arrived in mid-season, which is always difficult, and he has had the job of trying to create stability after a lot of upheaval.
- 'This was only our second league defeat since early December and we all feel we are starting to get there as a team.'
- Sousa said he was instructed to build solid foundations in order to challenge for promotion next season but he added:
- 'We still have a chance of the play-offs this year. We have to go for it but it's difficult to be consistent while we are still building for the future.'
Goals from Maltese international Peter Bogdanovic and Brazilian Anderson de Silva eased relegation fears for a cosmopolitan Barnsley side that included seven imports, but it was a Liverpool loan signing, 20-year-old Adam Hammill, who made the biggest impression.
- The youngster, whose pace and searching crosses kept Rangers under pressure, has now played 70 games on loan at Dunfermline, Southampton, Blackpool and Barnsley while trying to persuade Liverpool he is worth a Premier League chance.
- 'I have always dreamed of getting a standing ovation after running myself to a standstill in a red shirt and now it has come true, albeit at Barnsley rather than Anfield,' said Hammill. Daily Mail


The Times - Coca-Cola Championship round-up
Barnsley 2 Queens Park Rangers 1
- Barnsley pulled farther away from the relegation zone at the expense of Queens Park Rangers with victory at Oakwell. Anderson De Silva put the home side ahead just before the interval after Damien Delaney’s header had cancelled out Daniel Bogdanovic’s opening goal. Barnsley have now taken seven points from their past three games, while QPR, whose chances of a play-off place are fading, have not won in five.
- “It was a good performance and I thought we thoroughly deserved the win,” Simon Davey, the Barnsley manager, said. “There was only one team in it in the second half and we were winning every challenge and gave them everything they could handle.” Paulo Sousa, the QPR manager, said: “It’s always disappointing when you want the three points but I’m glad because my players showed a lot of effort to win the game.” The Times


The Mirror/Michael Morgan - Malta magic has Rangers on the rocks
- Barnsley and Rangers paraded their fancy foreign goods, but it was a couple of 'Maltese geezers' who stole the show.
Both these Championship rivals truly are League of Nations outfits, although their collection of imports do not seem to be doing them many favours at the moment.
Only eight of the 22 starters at Oakwell yesterday were English. And it was Maltese duo Michael Mifsud and his co-striker Daniel Bogdanovic who lit upthis largely disappointing showdown.
Mifsud, hired on loan from Coventry until the endof the season, and Bogdanovic, recruited from Lokomativ Sofia, linked up superbly and showed the kind of understanding you would expect from a pair who play so often together for their country.
Bogdanovic, until he tired and was replaced by Jon Macken on 66 minutes, promises to be a top-class capture for Simon Davey.
The busy little Mifsud looks certain to carry on doingwhathehasbeen doing for a few years now in English football - making a realpest of himself to opposition defenders.
So it was no surprise when Mifsud and Bogdanovic combined to give the Tykes the lead after 26 minutes.
Davey's boys burst quickly out of defence before Mifsud received the ball wide out on the left flank.
He spotted Bogdanovic at the farpost and picked out his fellow countryman with a delightful cross.
Bogdanovic rose imperiouslyabove his markers to flick home a fine header from eight yards.
Barnsley's winner arrived two minutes before half time and was clinically put away by Brazilian aceAnderson de Silva. Rob Kozluk aimed a well-flighted free-kick deep into the Rangers area, and their defenders woefully failed to deal with the situation.
Anderson pounced but saw his effort blocked. But De Silva reacted instantly and drilled home.
Sandwiched in between the Tykes' goals was a consolation effort from a largely disappointing Rangers side. Itcameon35minutes when Matteo Alberti crossed and left-back Damien Delaney headed beyond Heinz Muller.
Barnsley boss Davey said: "It was a good, entertaining game and I thought wethoroughly deserved to win it."
Rangers chief Paulo Sousa said: "Of course I am very disappointed but I do not believe this has damaged our play-off hopes - a lot of the teams around us have also lost today." The Mirror


- See Also: Earlier Match Reports and Managerial Comments on Barnsley 2 QPR 1