One Winner! Two Ex-QPR Youth Stars: Liam O'Brien (Portsmouth) Vs Dean Parrett (Spurs)

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LIAM O'BRIEN AND DEAN PARRETT

Congratulations to Liam O'Brien and Portsmouth who beat Spurs 1-0 at White Hart Lane tonigh A major shame that QPR couldn't hold on to either of them.
- Spurs vs Portsmouth Match Report: Minute-by-Minute
- Spurs Match Report



LIAM O'BRIEN FLASHBACK

Thursday, February 28, 2008
Ex-QPR's Liam O'Brien Explains Why He Joined Portsmouth - And How He Became a Goalie
-This is Local London/Simon Mail - Teenage star earns move to Premiership

A 16-year-old Ruislip teenager who has landed a dream move to Premiership outfit Portsmouth admitted he only became a goalkeeper by accident.

Liam O'Brien, who went to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in Ruislip, turned down the opportunity of joining Premiership champions Manchester United and Arsenal for a three-year deal on the South Coast.

The goalkeeper has completed a move from QPR to Pompey for an undisclosed fee. But the 6ft 2in shotstopper started life as a striker and only a stroke of luck handed him the chance to shine in goal.

The St Joan of Arc Catholic School pupil said: "I started off as a pretty average striker for Ruislip Rangers and then I wasn't getting into the team. But the goalkeeper moved and the team were playing a tournament and didn't have a goalkeeper so I had a try. I became a goalkeeper by accident but once I went in I liked it and did quite well."

The teenager revealed the friendly atmosphere at Portsmouth encouraged him to choose them over their more illustrious rivals along with the prospect of training with England goalkeeper David James.

"I went to Old Trafford and the Emirates but there was just something not quite right about them," he said.

"When I went to Portsmouth it just felt great and (manager) Harry Redknapp seemed to know who I was. I'm very excited to be going to a great club and I'm looking forward to working with one of the best goalkeepers."

Portsmouth director of youth operations, Paul Hart, said: "We watched him an awful lot for QPR and were impressed. In the present climate there are few decent young English goalkeepers, but for a young boy Liam is mature and confident." This is Local London

QPR Goalkeeper Liam O'Brien Trialing With Arsenal
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QPR's highly-ranked goalkeeper Liam O'Brien, whose reported unhappiness was noted in the press a few weeks ago, is listed as a trialist with Arsenal.

Arsenal Academy 2-3 Ipswich - FA Premier Academy League
Under-18s Saturday, January 26, 2008Report
Arsenal
Liam O'Brien (TRIALIST) Anton Blackwood Sam Byles 75 Cedric Evina Luke Ayling Kyle Bartley Tom Cruise Craig Eastmond Emmanuel Frimpong Luke Freeman Jonas Rasmussen Ahmed Abdulla 70 Jay Emmanuel-ThomasAcademy Report
Arsenal

From an Arsenal blog, Young Guns " Decision Close On Arsenal Trialist O’Brien" Arsenal are expected to make a decision on Goalkeeper Liam O’Brien before the end of the week.
O’Brien [16] played 90 minutes on Saturday as a young Under 18s team lost 3-2 to an impressive Ipswich side .... Manchester United and Tottenham are also keen on the QPR goalie but Arsene Wenger and his coaching staff have managed to bring him in on trial, he featured last week for the Under 16s another story we broke first....Young Guns


Skysports December 22, 2007Sky Sports/Graeme Bailey - Eight eye R's starlet
Premier League sides battle for R's youngster
Up to eight Premier League clubs are looking to lure Queens Park Rangers starlet Liam O'Brien away from Loftus Road, skysports.com understands.
The 16-year-old goalkeeper is already playing for the club's Under 18s and has made his debut for the reserves, and is rated by many as one of the brightest talents for his age in the country.
Scouts have been alerted to O'Brien - who is still on schoolboy terms at the club having rejected the chance to sign scholarship forms.
The likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Portsmouth, Manchester United and Newcastle are believed to be amongst those showing an interest in O'Brien.
QPR know they face a real battle to keep O'Brien and realise if he did leave he could do so at the end of the season with only minimal compensation due to the Championship club. Skysports


DEAN PARRETT

FEBRUARY 1, 2007 - QPR OFFICIAL SITE
QPR's teenage starlet Dean Parrett has joined Tottenham Hotspur.
Dean, 15, will move into the Tottenham Academy on a student registration before joining full-time as a scholar in July 2008.
Parrett helped England Under-16s retain the Victory Shield against Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland in October last year.
A talented midfielder with bags of natural ability, Parrett made five starts and four sub appearances for the Under-18's this season, scoring one goal.
Tottenham's Sporting Director Damien Comolli said: "Dean is exactly the kind of player we want to attract to our Club, a player who will be part of the next generation to come through to the first team.
"He is an extremely talented young player who has that rare combination of pace, aggression and creativity."
Academy Manager John McDermott added: "Dean has played wide right, wide left and in central midfield and as a Year 10 or Under-15 player, has done extremely well up against older boys.
"He's very level-headed, has potential, a desire to succeed and that's fantastic raw material to work with. Dean comes into a rich pool of talent able to stretch him, and he will stretch them. We've four internationals in our Under-16 age group and he makes it five."
The deal has been extremely helpful for the club and QPR will benefit from a future move.
The club wishes Dean all the best for the future and thank him for all of his hard work during his time at QPR. QPR

SPURS OFFICIAL SITE ANNOUNCEMENT PARRETT JOINS 01/02/2007
The Club is delighted to announce that it has reached agreement with QPR for the transfer of promising young player Dean Parrett.
Dean, 15, will come into our Academy on a student registration before joining us full-time as a scholar in July 2008. An attacking midfielder, he helped England Under-16s retain the Victory Shield against Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland in October last year.
Sporting Director Damien Comolli said: “Dean is exactly the kind of player we want to attract to our Club, a player who will be part of the next generation to come through to the first team.
“He is an extremely talented young player who has that rare combination of pace, aggression and creativity.”
Academy Manager John McDermott added: “Dean has played wide right, wide left and in central midfield and as a Year 10 or Under-15 player, has done extremely well up against older boys.
“He’s very level-headed, has potential, a desire to succeed and that’s fantastic raw material to work with. Dean comes into a rich pool of talent able to stretch him, and he will stretch them. We’ve four internationals in our Under-16 age group and he makes it five.” Spurs

QPR Official Site - February 2007 John Gregory Speaks About Dean's Parrett Departure to Spurs
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QPR Official Site - WIN-WIN SITUATION
Gaffer John Gregory believes it would have been wrong to deny Dean Parrett the opportunity to join Spurs.
The 15 year-old midfield prodigy - who helped England Under-16s retain the Sky Sports Victory Shield last year - yesterday finalised a deal that will see him join the Tottenham Academy on a student registration, before he eventually joins full-time as a scholar in July 2008.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Gregory said: "It's a win-win situation for all parties.
"It's been quite a long process in many respects. Loads of clubs have been chasing him - Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea to name a few.
"We've allowed the parents and Dean himself to make up their own minds on the situation.
"For us to turn down the chance for Dean to sign for Tottenham would have been wrong. His Dad is a huge Spurs fan, so in a way it's a dream move for them.''
Gregory continued: "We've been compensated financially for it, we don't deny that, but at the end of the day everyone comes out of the situation winning.
"We've won, Spurs have got their player and Dean has got a tremendous future at one of the greatest clubs in the country.
"Spurs believe in youth - they get thrown in very early and allow them to prosper. In that respect, it's a wise choice by the family to go to Tottenham.''
Gregory refused to rule out the chance of Parrett returning to QPR in the future though, adding: "There's still a chance that we'll see him back here. There's a chance that he might come back here on loan at some stage as part of his development, part of his growing up. We've not turned our back on seeing Dean in a Blue and White shirt at some stage.
"There's possibly more chance of Dean making his Championship debut, before he makes his Premiership bow. There's nothing written in stone, but there's a chance he could return to Loftus Road one day.
"We wish him all the best.''
*A full interview with John Gregory will be available on QPR World later today and Joe Gallen also gives his thoughts on the youngsters future. QPR

Chairman Gianni Paladini on Parrett Sale
QPR Official Site February 2007
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - CONSULTATIVE MEETING
QPR Fans Consultative Group Meeting Tuesday 13th February 2007 -

2.4. Dean Parrett deal
GP said that the deal was worth £1m up front and with a 25% sell-on clause, plus we will have first refusal on him should Dean be sent out on loan in the future. When asked why there had been reports of the deal having been worth £2m plus, GP replied that the final amount that comes back to the club could amount to the sum that was quoted. When PH informed GP that she regularly goes to the training ground and got to know the family, hence her surprise when he left because as far as she knew, the youngster appeared happy at QPR, GP claimed that both himself and John Gregory were against selling him; that the family had made the decision; that he had been offered a schoolboy contract when he was 14 but he had not signed; and that John Gregory had done the same thing but still the player had not signed. He stated that he (GP) had never approached the family but had dealt with the Wintons who were representing Dean.

PH mentioned about a rumour that had appeared on one of the message boards in which it had been quoted by a school friend of Dean's that he didn't want to leave and again GP refuted this, saying he challenges anyone who says that the club forced him to go. He said that there had been talks with Chelsea but the family had turned this down and then Tottenham had come in for him.

TS then informed GP about a couple of calls she had taken from individuals who had claimed that both himself and John Gregory had forced Dean Parrett's and his family's hand regarding the move to Spurs and the reason why there were discrepancies about the amount/s of money received from the transfer was because they had received bungs via brown paper envelopes, thus taking money away that should have rightfully been the club's. When GP was asked to comment he replied that he had something to show her and left the room for a few minutes. When he returned he was carrying a piece of paper and which he showed to TS which was an invoice showing a transaction made during this month for an amount of £1m from Barclays bank which was transferred to HMCE (the inland revenue). GP claimed that not one penny from the £1m down payment went direct to the club and that it all went to the inland revenue to pay the recent tax bill. He said the bottom line was because of the finances we would have had to have sold a player (from the first team) the Spurs offer came in for Dean Parrett, stating again that neither himself nor John Gregory - who he said had had plans for him to make his first team debut as QPR's youngest ever player - had wanted him to go. GP denied there were any undisclosed payments and challenged anyone who claimed to have evidence of them, or of wrongdoing, to go to the police and/or the FA.

* After the meeting, TS spoke to Alex Winton asking him if he would clarify on a couple of points. Alex told her that he is not an agent; that he helped the family out as a family friend by helping with the negotiations with Spurs; that he received no money; and that so far as he were aware, Gianni Paladini or John Gregory had not wanted Dean to go to Spurs.