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NEW SHIRT SPONSORS
- The New Shirt sponsors announced: Air Asia and Malaysian Air - Air Asia will be on the away and 3rd kit, Malaysian Air on home kit.
QPR Official Site - EXCLUSIVE: NEW SPONSORS FLY IN
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is delighted to announce a multi-million pound shirt sponsorship deal with Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia.
Malaysia Airlines will sponsor QPR's home shirt for the next two seasons, whilst AirAsia will take pride of place on the R's away and third jerseys for the same period.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, QPR CEO Philip Beard expressed his delight at the new deal, commenting: "This is a unique and exciting venture for the Football Club.
Article continues
"Attracting two major Asian companies to come on board shows the global appeal QPR has as a brand.
"We are extremely positive about building a thriving relationship with both businesses in a bid to broaden our exposure in Southeast Asia and further afield.
"This is a remarkable deal for the Club and brings further positive news following a highly successful few weeks since the takeover was finalised."
The new home shirt, adorned with the Malaysia Airlines logo, will be worn for the first time in tonight's live Sky Sports showdown against Newcastle United at Loftus Road.
Malaysia Airlines' Executive Director, Mohammed Rashdan Yusof, said: "Malaysia Airlines, or more commonly known by our acronym MAS, is elated to be associated with QPR's ascendancy to the Premier League.
"Our sponsorship of the home jersey of QPR, together with Air Asia's sponsorship of the away jersey, is a first for the Premier League. It also celebrates MAS's recent collaboration framework with Air Asia.
"This sponsorship enables MAS to reinforce its global full-service presence and premium franchise via football fans and lovers from all over Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Australia and all the four corners of the world.
"This sponsorship is the first major initiative of our new brand and marketing strategy, that would see important advertising money spent on boosting our top line. This is a key component in our drive to regain global market share, profitability and pride for the people of MAS."
AirAsia's Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan, added: "We are absolutely thrilled with this partnership with QPR.
"This is a timely and significant relationship between two brands which are keen in taking on any challenges for the taste of success.
"Our logo on QPR's away shirt does not only symbolise our energetic partnership, but also a joint-representation of the hard work and challenges that we went through - for AirAsia to be the world's best low cost airline for three consecutive years and QPR to make a comeback into top-flight football for the first time in 15 years.
"This is a very meaningful moment for all of us, and we are very excited to jointly associate ourselves with a Club like QPR, as they have a remarkable history in English football and their unrelenting spirit reflects our own Asian endeavour for success.
"Collaboratively, AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines can certainly build a very strong following for the QPR brand in a very passionate football audience in Asia." QPR
- This Week's "Spot The Ball" Photo Quiz
- QPR Report Newcastle Q&A: A Newcastle Perspective of Newcastle on and off the Field
- See: For QPR-Newcastle Stats, Past Results and Previews
- Fernandes Again Talking re Beckham
- Seven Years Ago Today: Club Issue Statement Denying Diaz replacing Holloway
- Journalistic Quote of the Day! "....A handful of clubs have been ridiculous from the start, such as, Queens Park Rangers, the English football side. Grown men cannot wear hoop-patterned shirts, not unless they are French sailors on shore leave...." Paul Oberjuerge/The UAE's National "Losing the good taste of kit design"
Paul Warburton/Fulham Chronicle - QPR boss reveals team for Newcastle clash
QPR boss Neil Warnock has revealed exactly where he intends to play his new faces – including two slots for Joey Barton.
The manager made six signings in less than five days before the transfer window shut, and has taken the extraordinary step of all but naming his team before tonight’s home clash with Newcastle.
When Rs play 4-3-3, Barton will have a free role in the centre of midfield . When Warnock sticks with a more conservative 4-4-1-1, that is more likely to be the case when the player makes his Hoops debut against his old team, Barton will be on the right of midfield.
As for the rest, Luke Young will be at right back with Armand Traore on the other side of defence. Anton Ferdinand will partner Danny Gabbidon at centre-back, and Shaun Wright-Phillips will get a free role in midfield.
Warnock added: “I got a bit lucky with Anton and Danny. They both know each other from their West Ham days and it won’t take as long for them to gel as a pair had they been strangers.
“Was that in the back of my mind when I went for Anton? It was a bit of that, and it was also that we could actually get a class defender.”
DJ Campbell's virus that laid low the forward for the last three weeks could also see a debut for Jason Puncheon.
Warnock insists he will play Adel Taarabt in the same team as Barton, and with Ali Faurlin in mind – the Southampton winger may also slot into midfield on the right, with Campbell taking a place on the bench.
Shaun Derry’s reward for a sparkling start in the Premiership is an extended contract, and together with keeper Paddy Kenny and out-and-out forward Jay Bothroyd, Warnock was blending his new-look side in training this week with a special practice at Loftus Road on Thursday.
“I’ve always had a full-side practice match of around 70 minutes in these cases,” he explained. “I put the likely side against the rest and we stop-start the game to fine-tune stuff.” Fulham Chronicle
Daily Mail/Sami Mokbel - Barton set to take QPR armband in debut against former club Newcastle
Queen's Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock is considering making new boy Joey Barton captain against his old club Newcastle on Monday night.
Warnock and his backroom team have discussed the merits of stripping current skipper Adel Taarabt of the armband and handing it to Barton.
Captain of the ship: Neil Warnock is considering giving Joey Barton the armband
Captain of the ship: Neil Warnock is considering giving Joey Barton the armband
Warnock said: 'He's got everything that makes a captain, but I'm not going into that yet. I'll make a decision on whether Joey is going to be captain just before kick-off.'
Barton has been warned he will face disrepute charges from the FA's compliance unit if he restarts his Twitter argument with Newcastle.
Warnock revealed that the unit have been in touch with the 29-year-old midfielder about his controversial account. Qpr Newcastle
Daily Mail
Daily Mail/Neil Ashton - Capello and QPR
Fabio caught out in QPR documentary (and he won't like that!)
Fabio Capello is to be shown counselling a football club owner about his manager and the tactics being used by his team in a remarkable television film.
England coach Capello offered the opinions when asked by his friend, Flavio Briatore, then the co-owner of QPR. Four Year Plan, which is the story of Italian
Briatore's colourful career at Loftus Road, is the result of more than 900 hours of filming behind the scenes.
Friends in low places: Fabio Capello features in the documentary about QPR and their former owners
It is, say the makers of the film, an unprecedented study of a football club. And it means that, inadvertently, Capello becomes the first England manager to take part in a fly-on-the- wall documentary since Graham Taylor's infamous Do I Not Like That in 1994.
Ruthless Briatore, 61, employed nine managers during his four-year stay at the club. He is filmed trying to influence team selection and tactics during matches, boasting about sacking his manager and demanding the names of 'fans who booed me' in a stormy confrontation after a game.
Threat: Flavio Briatore (left) gets ruthless in the film
The man who was forced to resign from the Renault Formula One team after a race-fixing scandal, references a previous conversation he had with Capello, all in Italian, about then manager Jim Magilton's failure to grasp tactical intricacies of the game. The film company Ad Hoc have added subtitles to leave the viewer in no doubt that they were questioning the tactics in place.
Capello appears apologetic during filming but confirms on screen that the conversation with Briatore took place. Briatore had approval on the scenes included.
Annoyance: Briatore shows his frustration with the fans
Annoyance: Briatore shows his frustration with the fans
A spokesman for Ad Hoc Films said: 'We are very proud of the film, it is unprecedented in its access and nature.'
Briatore throws open the boardroom doors, exposing combustible and voluble relationships inside his club.
Cold: After getting rid of manager Paulo Sousa
Cold: After getting rid of manager Paulo Sousa
The cast list
During the FA's investigation into Alejandro Faurlin's transfer to QPR, Briatore looks to the camera and admits, 'We're up to our necks in s***'.
'The content, from start to finish, is incredible,' revealed one source involved with the production company. Four Year Plan is the kind of football film that makes you want to hide behind the sofa.
'You would not believe a football club could be run like this, but it's been brilliantly put together.'
The film also gives starring roles to former chairman Gianni Paladini and on-off director Amit Bhatia and follows current manager Neil Warnock through his promotion season, despite the pressures from the boardroom.
Briatore is shown interfering in team selection and attempting to influence substitutions by bellowing instructions to his coach's assistants during half-time.
Paladini responds to fan pressure by referencing one of the managers and screaming: 'The idiot's going to turn them all against us.'
In a separate take Paladini injures his legs when he loses control during a match and begins kicking out at seats.
Ad Hoc will show the film for the first time in Marbella next month after which TV companies will scramble to buy it.
Briatore sold his shares in December to Bernie Ecclestone, who in turn sold out to Air Asia tycoon Tony Fernandes this summer. Since then, the club have bought players such as Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
QPR face a tough first season back in the top flight; but first, like Capello, they have to overcome the spotlight of this film. Mail
- More about the Documentary, previewing in October
Jacob Murtagh/Fulham Chronicle Sep 12 2011 - QPR star gears up for Newcastle United test
TOMMY Smith could be in hot water with his dad if Rangers beat Newcastle United on tonight.
The QPR winger is a boyhood supporter of the Magpies because of his Geordie father.
Smith, who is likely to start on the bench for the Loftus Road clash, admits it was one of the first fixtures he looked for when they were released almost three months ago.
He said: "Obviously I'm looking forward to facing the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal, but also Newcastle, who I supported as a boy.
“Even though I was from the South, my dad was a Geordie so I followed them."
Smith is desperate to improve on the unwanted record of having played in the Premier League three times - only to be relegated on every occasion.
The 31-year-old dropped out of the top-flight with Watford, in 2000 and 2007, and Portsmouth two seasons ago.
But he insists the new-look QPR side have a better chance of Premier League survival.
“All three situations were different," said Smith.
“The first time I was only 18 or 19 the first time I got relegated with Watford.
“Everyone was disappointed when we went down but no one was too fazed by it because Watford had always been in the Championship or League One.
“The second time with we probably weren't ready to be in the top flight. We never thought we would be challenging that year and got promoted out of the blue.
“When I signed for Portsmouth I thought the club was in a good position. However, we didn't get paid for two months and the club ended up in administration.
“I feel I signed under false pretences, so that was hard to take. With the problems going on off the pitch, it was difficult trying to keep focused on it.
“But if you look at the squad we have here we should stay up. With Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell up front there's definitely goals in our team, and although I don't think we'll be challenging for Europe, hopefully we'll have a good year.
“I'm desperate to stay up and not have another relegation on my CV." Fulham Chronicle
The National - QPR need Taarabt to fire
Kevin Affleck Sep 12, 2011
The Queens Park Rangers’ Adel Taarabt, right, will look to prove his worth in the side against Newcastle United on Monday.
Queens Park Rangers could give debuts to five seasoned Premier League players on Monday night, yet all eyes will be trained on Adel Taarabt, the team's outrageously-gifted captain, to see if he can start justifying the hype surrounding him.
In terms of natural ability, the 22 year old from Morocco is comparable with the likes of David Silva, at Manchester City, and Nani, the Manchester United winger.
"I've never seen anybody with ability like his," Neil Warnock, the QPR manager, said last year. "Taarabt is a breath of fresh air."
The season may still be very much in an embryonic stage but Taarabt's underwhelming displays in his team's first three games have left many wondering why the club did not accept the £13 million (Dh75,832m) Paris Saint-Germain, the Qatar-owned French club, offered in the summer for his services. Yet, Taarabt has the perfect platform to strut his stuff under the lights at Loftus Road tonight. The presence of Joey Barton and Shaun-Wright Phillips, the new recruits, should take some of the limelight and pressure away from him.
"He's clearly an unbelievable talent," Tommy Smith, his teammate, said. "He is the kind of player who does nothing for 85 minutes, gives the ball away and does not look as good as people say and then produces a bit of magic to win the game.
"Players like that are worth their weight in gold. He is the best player I have had the pleasure of playing and training with, no doubt."
Armed with the finances of Tony Fernandes, the Malaysian businessman who recently purchased the club, Warnock spent heavily in the final days of the transfer window, bringing in Wright-Phillips, Barton, Anton Ferdinand, Luke Young and Armand Traore.
Yet, his best piece of business remains the reported £1m he managed to persuade Tottenham Hotspur to accept for the former France youth international in August last year.
"If he could put the teamwork into his game, the sky's the limit," Warnock said. "That's why I spent so long to make sure he signed."
Warnock has managed to harness the considerable talents of Taarabt, albeit in the second tier of English football last year. The QPR manager is one of the game's most colourful, outspoken and passionate characters. He is revered by the fans of clubs he manages - he has been in charge of 12 English teams - yet also riles the supporters, players and, sometimes, the managers of opposing teams. Warnock and Wally Downes, the then Reading coach, almost came to blows on the touchline in 2007. Warnock is like Marmite - you either love him or loath him.
"I can understand the Marmite comparison because, as a player, I used to hate playing against his team," Smith said. "But once you meet him, and work for him, you realise he's nothing like the man you see on the outside. He's laid back and his door is always open."
Warnock tried to sign Smith twice before eventually landing him last year. "[Warnock] has mentioned that and said he rarely gives a player three chances, so he must like me," Smith said.
QPR will hope Smith is not an unlucky omen; he has been relegated from the Premier League three times. "Not too many people realise that and it's just as well as you don't want to get tarred with that brush. I don't want it to be four this season." The Natioanal
NEWCASTLE FAN PERSPECTIVE
By QPR Report Correspondent MaudesFishnChips
Many thanks to St1pe from NUFC-forum.com
How long have you supported nufc?
- All of my life really but I started understanding, or at least paying more attention, to Newcastle at the end of Keegan's first reign as manager at the club.
How did you get to your site?
- I actually just googled Newcastle forums because I wanted to be more aware of what was going on when we sacked Keegan during his second spell here.
Is there any rivalry between other nufc message boards?
- None that i'm aware of.
What is your view on mike ashley? How has he affected nufc?
- He makes terrible footballing decisions but sound business ones. I'm at a position where I will probably never forgive him for the s*** he has put us through but sacking Hughton last season was the final nail in the coffin for me. Everything else since then is just a further kick in the balls.
How does nufc treats its fans?
- Like we are a piece of s***.
What are your opinions on alan pardew? His signings and selling this summer?
- A hard question to answer but to keep in brief; We have made some decent signings but sold some very important players, we will just have to see if the newcomers can add to what we already have and have lost. On Pardew, i'm still 50-50. He is doing ok but he can't stop talking and its resulted in him making promises he can't keep.
Who are your dangermen/players to watch?
- Cabaye is a very useful player on the ball and i'm sure he will cause more and more problems as the season goes on. At present we don't really have anyone fit I'd regard as a dangerman but Obertan looks like he will cause a lot of problems if given space.
Are you happy with the youth coming through? Is the academy working?
Yes actually. This season should see the emergence of another Ameobi who is showing alot of promise. We also have Vuckic on the treatment table who could eventually become very very talented player.
Who is the best newcastle player you have personally seen? Who is your favourite all time newcastle player?
- It has to be Shearer but on a far less obvious choice I'd say Woodgate is probably one of the most naturally gifted players i'd ever seen live, especially in his prime.
Where do you see nufc in 5 years time?
- Its impossible to say with our owner. I'd like to say in 5 years time we would be challenging the Europa League spots and maybe attempting to get a cup finally but its just too hard to say.
What is your prediction for newcastle this season?
- Despite our good start I think we will be one of the bottom 10 clubs trying to avoid the drop, I just hope we have enough not to get too dogged down in it. We have a very light squad and if we hit an injury or two in the wrong positions we're f*****.
Do you know of any player or manager links between our two clubs?
- Nope
What are your feelings on the barton transfer?
- He's an amazing player, I didn't want him to leave and on a free It feels like you raped us. You will see this season the impact he can have on the oppostion.
What are your thoughts on QPR as a club? Our owners, our manager?
- I watched quite abit of the Championship last season and despite you lot winning it with little fuss, despite a brief scare, I thought your squad would be too weak to stay in the Premier League. That was until you have just bought s*** loads of new players and now your guess is as good as mine. It will depend on how they all settle but there is a couple of solid buys in there, Campbell, Barton and SWP standout. As for your manager he complains abit too much for my liking but most managers do.
Who is your most memorable QPR player?
- Trevor Sinclair for that overheadkick
Your score prediction for monday night?
- 2-0 QPR
What question would you of liked me to ask!?
- I think you covered pretty much everything.
[Many thanks again St1pe from NUFC-forum.com and
to to QPR Report Correspondent MaudesFishnChips
- Spot The Ball