In the Aftermath of The Axe - Paladini Speaks...Other Reports and Comments

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SkySport - Paladini in plea to fans - QPR standing by decision to dismiss Sousa
- Queens Park Rangers sporting director Gianni Paladini has urged supporters to 'stay behind' the club after the sacking of Paulo Sousa.
- Former Portugal international Sousa was dismissed by the Championship club on Thursday evening, just five months after taking on the job.
- Sousa was sacked by the Rs for 'divulging confidential and sensitive information' without authority following the recent board decision which saw Dexter Blackstock join Nottingham Forest on loan.
- Sky Sports News understands that Sousa 'strenuously denies' the allegations, but Paladini insists the club are standing by their decision.
- In a statement released to Sky Sports News, Paladini called on the fans to put their trust in the club's board.
- "Paulo Sousa has parted company with the club and the club is sticking with the decision made," said Paladini.
- "The people running the club want it to go forward.
- "Supporters must stay behind the club and those who are running it. I ask them to do that. Skysport


QPR 1st QPR1st annoucement
- QPR1st appreciate that the Club feels unable to comment further on the reasons for terminating Paulo de Sousa’s employment .Yet we are dismayed that yet again the Club has proved unable to retain a manager long enough for him to build the foundations for future success and yet again the Club has been plunged into a period of uncertainty and instability.
- Four managers and two caretakers in a year and a half is an appalling record and increasing evidence that managers are not being allowed the autonomy and support they require in order to carry out their role raises serious questions about the way this Club is being run. It is difficult to envisage that any managers or players would wish to work under such a regime.
- We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr de Sousa and wish him the best for the future. - www.qpr1st.com [Posted on LoftforWords


BBC - QPR axe Sousa after just 26 games
- Sousa leaves QPR nine points adrift of the play-offs
Queens Park Rangers have sacked Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa after just 26 games in charge claiming he divulged sensitive information.
- In a club statement, QPR said they took legal advice before acting to "protect its position".
- Sousa, 38, took charge in November, but won just seven games as the side have idled to 10th in the Championship.
- QPR chairman and co-owner Flavio Briatore has now had four managers and two caretakers in a year and a half.
- Sousa's departure comes after coach Bruno Oliveira had his contract at Loftus Road terminated on Monday.
- Player coach Garth Ainsworth will take charge of the side for the rest of the season, starting with a visit to Burnley on Saturday.
- Sousa revealed at the weekend that top-scorer Dexter Blackstock's loan move to Nottingham Forest had been agreed without his knowledge.
- "It is a decision for the board and only they can answer it. I'm not frustrated, I said from the first day I have to adapt and try to do my best with the players I have," he said after his side's goalless draw with Crystal Palace
- Sousa's predecessor Iain Dowie's 15-match spell with the west London side came to an end after he clashed with Briatore, who is also Renault's Formula 1 boss, over team selection.
- John Gregory and Luigi De Canio have had short-lived managerial stints during Briatore's 18 months at the helm after the Italian bought the club with a group of friends, including F1's billionaire supremo Bernie Ecclestone in September 2007.
- Ainsworth and Mick Harford have also failed to persuade the Italian to promote them to full-time roles whilst filling caretaker positions.
BBC


Ealing Gazette/Yann Tear - Sousa axed by Rangers
- Paulo Sousa has become the latest victim of QPR's managerial Tourette's - having been shown the door after just 26 games in charge at Loftus Road.
- Although the Portuguese coach took charge of training this morning (Thursday), he was later told his services would no longer be required and Gareth Ainsworth has been entrusted with first team affairs for the rest of the season.
- The increasing impatience of the owners to hit on a winning formula has now led them to show the door to John Gregory, Luigi Di Canio, Iain Dowie and Sousa in the two and a bit years they have been in control – not to mention caretaker bosses Mick Harford last season and Ainsworth five months ago when he had his first spell in charge as caretaker.
- Although Sousa recently brought an end to a winless streak of nine games with back-to-back home wins over Swansea City and Bristol City, the damage had been done to the team's play-off hopes. Hailed as a bright young prospect when he was first unveiled by chairman Flavio Briatore, he was no longer in favour.
- A run of one goal in six games along with home defeats by Ipswich Town in front of Sky cameras and then by Norwich City may have embarrassed Briatore into looking for a way out.
- And they found one when Sousa made it clear he had nothing to do with the departure of top scorer Dexter Blackstock to Nottingham Forest two weeks ago.
- By hinting he had been undermined, he would have infuriated the hands-on owner, who may also have picked up on internet message board claims that Sousa was allegedly indiscreet in telling a fan that the players at his disposal were not quite up to the task.
- But equally, his attempts at educating the players to formations alien to their English footballing habits may have made his task harder.
- This morning, sporting director Gianni Paladini was claiming he knew nothing of an imminent departure of the two-times European cup winner, but behind the scenes, the axe was ready to drop.
- Rangers planned to review Sousa’s position at the end of the season and decided that his right-hand man, Bruno Oliveira, should initially carry the can for the club’s failure to reach the play-offs.
- But having been given that stay of execution, Sousa was left to decide whether he wanted to carry on in light of Oliveira’s sacking.
- Sousa's reign was not helped by ill fortune on the injury front. Several key players have not been at his disposal at various times since his arrival in November last year. Akos Buzsaky, Rowan Vine, Martin Rowlands and Patrick Agyemang have all been sidelined.
- But in all probability, only reaching the play-offs would have spared him a similar fate to his predecessors. Ealing GAzette


Telegraph - Queen's Park Rangers sack Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa
- AMBITIOUS English Championship side Queen's Park Rangers sacked Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa today, the seventh manager to leave the London club in the last 18 months.
- A club statement said: "Queen's Park Rangers Football Club has today had to terminate Paulo Sousa's employment with the club with immediate effect.
- "It came to the club's attention that Mr Sousa had, without authority, divulged highly confidential and sensitive information. The club, with legal advice, responded in this way to protect its position."
- Sousa, who replaced Iain Dowie in November, won just seven of his 26 games in charge and his future with the club looked in doubt after top scorer Dexter Blackstock was loaned to rivals Nottingham Forest without his knowledge.
- Dowie lasted just 15 games before he was dismissed after clashing with club owner Flavio Briatore, the Renault Formula One team boss.
- The next manager will be the eighth man in charge since Briatore took over the club 18 months ago. Telegraph