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- TONIGHT: Gianni Paladini a Guest on Monday's JNetRadio "Monday night sees Gianni Paladini chairman of QPR FC on the show talking about the club and the hopes for the future call in on 020 8906 7777 or email studio@jnetradio.com see you Monday night from 9pm jnetradio
- Next: Plymouth at Loftus Road - Stats and Past Results
- Soccerex European Forum Held: Ali Russell and Joe Kyle from QPR Listed as Attendees
- Great Idea: Fan Email addresses with Club suffix (In this instance: Plymouth " your own.name@pafc.net email address"
- Jim Magilton Talking/Wants to Manage Again (Article focus Not on QPR)
- QPR's Former Chairman, Flavio Briatore Discussing Fatherhood
- "On This Day: March 8"
- Where Are They Now I": Armel Tchakounte
- "Where Are They Now I?: Jackie Bass
- Andrew Ellis and David Bulstrode's son Trying to Buy (Glasgow) Rangers? ... Flashback: Andrew Ellis/QPR Bid
- LEE CAMP Talks re His QPR Exit; why QPR didn't want him; and his low transfer fee
- Year Flashback: Assessing Paulo Sousa's QPR "Career" Prospects
- Administrators Behaving Like Messiahs
- Football Fans Stand Up For Their Rights
- Video: Another Goal by Pellicori (Complements of QPR Italia's Wally West)
QPR vs WBA REPORTS
- QPR 3 WBA 1: Earlier Compilation of Match Reports and Managerial Comments
- The QPR Fan Sites Match Reports of QPR vs WBA
Guardian/Jeremy Alexander
Neil Warnock rolls up his sleeves amid QPR's familiar muck and nettles
Neil Warnock, 61, is still finding his feet. His first QPR squad included more loan players than the five allowed. Having amended that, he took the field to rapturous applause and gave his clenched-fist acknowledgment to the away end. Then, after his new charges had rolled over the division's second-placed side, West Bromwich Albion, he said: "I still don't know who scored our first and third goals. I'll have a look tonight."
It hardly mattered. After four points from nine games since Boxing Day Queens Park Rangers were two places and three points above the relegation line. It looks healthier now and tomorrow they face Plymouth. Win that and Warnock will have them thinking of play-offs. He is not so much a breath of fresh air as a tornado. His charges were supercharged with his energy. Knowing who they are can wait.
"It's a matter of them finding out what I'm like and what I want from them," said Warnock. They are well practised at this. He is their fourth new manager of the season. What he wanted from them was to enjoy it. "They get paid a fortune to play football at a great club," he said. "I told them to smile." It worked. "They possibly amazed themselves," he added. "But they lack nothing in ability. My job is to channel it. I think we're in for a good time."
The players took him at his word. In the first minute the Moroccan Adel Taarabt ("Tarbs" to the manager) twisted Albion's left-back Marek Cech into demoralisation, from which two goals shortly stemmed. Jay Simpson stabbed in when Taarabt's cross squirmed from Scott Carson's grasp, then Alejandro Faurlin picked out the overlapping Matthew Connolly for a shot under the keeper. Though Chris Brunt's header to Jerome Thomas's centre made it 2-1 at half-time, Rangers breathed again when Akos Buzsaky's 40-yard free-kick bounced near the penalty spot, up and over the keeper and in untouched. Carson has fallen off England's pecking bench.
"We needed to be solid in the first 20 minutes," said Albion's manager, Roberto Di Matteo, after they had crumbled to a defeat that saw them slip to third. Maybe the thought that they, not Reading, should have been facing Aston Villa in the Cup preyed on minds that seemed elsewhere. Or perhaps it was that Warnock had won at The Hawthorns with Crystal Palace.
He played on this beforehand: "They probably wish the fixture was a week or so down the line as it's always difficult to come up against a side with a new manager." In fact he is the first at QPR in eight including caretakers – 16½ months in Flavio Briatore's chairmanship – to win his first match. As football chairmen go, the former owner of Renault's Formula One team was the pits and QPR could never have got their maverick man to move eight miles west without Briatore's removal from back-seat driving last month. They would have been a crash waiting to happen.
"What the players and board need is stability," Warnock said, though with him unstable equilibrium is more likely. "This is my type of club – muck and nettles," he said, relishing its intimacy. "I used to think south of Watford was the back of beyond." Palace taught him otherwise, though his loyalty through administration hardly deserved a "lack of morality" charge from Simon Jordan, the former chairman – more a pot and kettles club there perhaps.
Kaspars Gorkss, asked what QPR made of Warnock after five days, said: "He's a motivator. I hope he stays for 20 years." That will take him to 81. His average over 30 years is two and a half, his best eight at Sheffield United. If Stuart Attwell had given the penalty he might have at 2-1 when Gorkss upended Simon Cox, a breath of foul air might have been felt. As it is, Formula Warnock has hearts beating about the Bush with new excitement.
Man of the match Adel Taarabt (QPR) Guardian
Dave McIntyre/Daily Mail
QPR 3 West Brom 1: Loan ranger Marcus Bent saves Warnock's blushes after loanee blunder
- QPR’ new boss Neil Warnock was close to a major blunder before a ball was kicked. He was forced to change his lineup at the last minute after striker Marcus Bent, on loan from Birmingham, spotted that the match squad contained more than the permitted five loanees.
Warnock, Rangers’ ninth full-time boss since 2006, revealed: ‘Poor old Marcus said to me: “You’ve already got five in there, so you can’t have me on the bench”.’
Nevertheless, Rangers made a dream start for Warnock, with goals from Jay Simpson and Matt Connolly putting them in command.
Chris Brunt pulled one back for West Brom before QPR’s win was sealed by Akos Buzsaky’s free-kick.
Warnock refused to be drawn into a slanging match with Simon Jordan for leaving Crystal Palace.
They were close friends but the former Eagles owner has accused Warnock of letting him down by quitting Selhurst Park.
‘I’m just delighted Palace won and look forward to going there with QPR next month,’ said Warnock.
‘Simon’s worried they might go down, but they won’t. ‘For me, it was a great first week here. Everybody at QPR is just glad they’ve got stability.’
In contrast, it was a miserable afternoon for Albion who saw their challenge for automatic promotion falter and it was a disappointing debut for Steven Reid following his loan move from Blackburn.
But Reid is determined to force his way back into the Republic of Ireland reckoning after a string of injuries.
He said: ‘It was disappointing to miss out on the squad against Brazil. The aim now is to play games at club level, and this is an opportunity.
Warnock’s first signing could be Moritz Volz, who is on trial at Loftus Road.
The Sun/Sun PAUL JIGGINS
NEIL WARNOCK had no trouble with the Indians on Saturday - only the loan Rangers.
QPR's latest manager shot down the Baggies to ride off with the points in his first game in charge.
But after claims his predecessors faced interference from a former cowboy in the boardroom, Warnock says he is getting on fine with the club's Indian bosses Ishan Saksena and Amit Bhatia.
And the only problem is knowing his players. He said: "I had to change the team because I didn't realise I had too many loan players in the squad.
"Poor old Marcus Bent pointed it out. He said 'I'm sorry gaffer but you've already got five, so you can't put me on the bench'.
"When I came I wasn't really aware of anyone other than Marcus and Mikele Leigertwood who have played under me before. I hadn't a clue on the others. But I did well on the names as I'm usually a bit like Bobby Robson."
And Warnock reacted angrily when asked if the board would help pick the team. He said: "I just deal with Amit and Ishan and trust them totally."
Warnock took over last Monday after quitting Crystal Palace. Ironically he has been replaced at Selhurst Park by Paul Hart, who was axed as Hoops chief after just five games in charge.
Warnock added: "I told Paul he'll really enjoy managing Palace because they've got so much guts. Did he tell me much about QPR? No not really. I don't think he knew much about us!"
Baggies keeper Scott Carson gifted Jay Simpson the opener by spilling Adel Taarabt's cross before Matthew Connolly shot through his legs.
And after Chris Brunt pulled one back, Carson allowed Akos Buzsaky's 35-yard free-kick to bounce in for 3-1.
Albion debutant Steven Reid, on loan from Blackburn, said: "We've another game on Tuesday and it's lucky for us we can put this result right."
SUN STAR MAN MATTHEW CONNOLLY (QPR). Fine display in both penalty boxes. The Sun
TELEGRAPH/Jonathan Liew
Neil Warnock ceases war of words to revive QPR's fortunes against West Brom
Even for a man with a career as chequered as Neil Warnock’s, it has been quite a week.
The Palace patriarch of Monday had become the liberator of Loftus Road by Saturday, by way of a fiercely negotiated compensation package and a bitter war of words. Given the upheaval, it was small wonder that Warnock had to resubmit his team sheet after including too many loan players in his squad.
After likening his final days at Selhurst Park to being “slowly poisoned”, Warnock had no wish to fuel the feud any further.
He brushed aside former Palace owner Simon Jordan’s claim that he had “shown no loyalty” and only joined Queens Park Rangers for financial reasons, instead applauding his old side’s win against Middlesbrough.
“Obviously I’m sad at the comments, but I don’t want to do my washing in public,” he said. “I sincerely hope they can get safe. Simon’s worried they’re going to get relegated, but they’re not. There are too many good players in the squad.”
Warnock telephoned Paul Hart, the man with whom he has swapped jobs, on Friday to offer his counsel. “He’s had a bit of a rough time in the last nine months, but I told him he’d enjoy managing a team like that, because they’ve got so much guts and commitment.”
Did Hart give Warnock similar advice about QPR? “I’m not sure he knew that much about them,” Warnock quipped drily.
Not that Warnock appeared to be in need of guidance. Against West Brom, his side looked like a team that had remembered why they took up the game in the first place. They went two goals up through Jay Simpson and Matt Connolly, and though Chris Brunt headed the visitors back into the game, Akos Buzsaky’s 40-yard free-kick made sure of the points.
West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo defended his decision to leave top scorer Graham Dorrans on the bench with a view to Tuesday’s game against Sheffield Wednesday.
“He has played nine games in 28 days and we’ve got a very busy schedule,” the Italian said. “We need to make sure all our players are OK for the run-in.” Telegraph
Mirror/Ann Gripper
QPR 3-1 West Brom: The Daily Mirror match report
- Neil Warnock found a winning formula for his first game in charge of QPR – with a little bit of help from Marcus Bent.
The former Crystal Palace manager brought some instant relief to Loftus Road as his side capitalised on a bad day for visiting keeper Scott Carson to climb four places to 16th.
Previous QPR bosses have had to contend with Flavio Briatore’s input into team selection, but this was one occasion when the Gaffer was grateful for some outside help as he gets to grips with his new squad.
Warnock admitted: “I had to change the team sheet at the start because I didn't realise I had too many loan players in the squad.
“Poor old Marcus Bent pointed it out to me. He said 'I'm sorry gaffer but you've already got five, you can't put me on the bench'.
“I'll just have to make sure I read up on a few players before I put my next teamsheet in.
“When I came I wasn't really aware of anybody other than Marcus Bent and Mikele Leigertwood who have played under me.
“I hadn't got a clue about the others. It's all been new to me.
“But I did well on the names really because I'm usually a bit like Bobby Robson.
“There's a couple I can't pronounce. I called (Adel) Taraabt Tarbs and the other fella (Alejandro Faurlin) Ali because I can't pronounce his name.”
With Warnock their fifth manager of the season, the merry-go-round has been spinning so fast Rangers players could be forgiven for having their own struggles remembering which Gaffer is in the hotseat at any one time.
But as Warnock became the first boss since Iain Dowie – 19 months and eight managers ago – to win his first game in charge, notching the Hoops’ first win over Albion in nine years, they might just have to get used to him.
Rangers started nervously, but received a perfect boost when Carson fumbled Taarabt’s 13th minute cross, allowing Jay Simpson to stab home.
And a smooth move five minutes later was coolly finished through Carson’s legs by Matt Connolly.
Chris Brunt pulled a goal back for the visitors nine minutes before the break, but Rangers showed resilience and a 67th minute free kick from the lively Akos Buzsaky bounced on the six yard line, looped beyond Carson onto the post then trickled in to make the game safe.
Buzsaky is one of a number of flair players at Rangers who are not the kind you would usually associate with a Warnock side, but the veteran manager is looking forward to exploiting their gifts.
He explained: “I think they're our jewels in the crown.
“If I can channel the ability they have in the right direction, we're in for a good time.” Mirror
FINANCES
- The Latest QPR Accounts: Excerpts from the Accounts
- Last Year's QPR Accounts
- The QPR Accounts of 2000 (Chris Wright)
An Earlier QPR Championship Winning Team: Centenary Coming Up in Two Years!" "In 1911/12, QPR won the Southern League for the second time"- QPR Official Site Club History
