-Compilation of Photos from MK Dons vs QPR-
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- QPR's FA Cup Replay vs MK Dons; Tentatively Set for Tuesday, January 17
- FA Youth Cup: QPR Youth Drawn AWAY in the FA Youth Cup Fifth Round. (Assuming QPR somehow manage to beat Everton in the Fourth Round at Loftus Road, next week)
- Five Years Ago Today: Egutu Oliseh Exits QPR after Six months
- Four Years Ago Rowan Vine Signs for QPR
- Three Years ago today: Lee Cook rejoins QPR
- Ten Year Flashback: Peter Winkelman Wants to Move QPR to Milton Keynes!
WARNOCK'S QPR FUTURE
- A Fan Case for Sticking With Neil Warnock
- Raymond Snoddy/Sabotage Times: The Case for Not Sticking With Warnock
TELEGRAPH/Jason Burt
Neil Warnock facing the end of his reign at QPR as Tony Fernandes prepares to wield axe
Neil Warnock was last night on the verge of losing his job as manager of Queens Park Rangers.
No final decision has been made on the 63-year-old’s future, but it is understood that the club’s owners have severe doubts as to whether he is the right man to keep the club in the Premier League.
Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, who took control of the club in August, is planning to invest heavily in Rangers in this transfer window and is in negotiations to sign a number of players. It had been thought that Warnock was not in any immediate danger but that thinking may have changed.
With Rangers just one point above the relegation places, having taken 17 points from their first 20 league matches, there are believed to be serious concerns as to whether Warnock can steer them clear of trouble.
Rangers have lost six and drawn two of their last eight league matches as they have slipped down the table after a promising start.
Home defeats to Sunderland and Norwich City have not helped Warnock’s cause, while Rangers were only saved yesterday from the embarrassment of an FA Cup Third Round exit to League One side MK Dons by Heidar Helguson’s 89th-minute goal which forced a replay.
The irony for Warnock, should he lose his job, is that he has already said he would have left the club by now had Fernandes, the chairman, and Amit Bhatia, vice-chairman, not gained control from Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore.
It will be a particularly difficult decision for Bhatia to part company with Warnock, if it comes to that, given the close relationship between the pair.
Warnock has stated more than once that he only took the job as Rangers manager, leaving Crystal Palace in March 2010 on a three-year contract, because of Bhatia who eventually left the club after a row with the previous owners.
Fernandes has spoken of how impressed he is with Warnock, but there have been some misgivings at the club over the quality of the signings made in a flurry of activity at the end of the last transfer window.
Rangers have already signed Federico Macheda on loan from Manchester United this month and bids have been made for Fulham striker Andy Johnson, Blackburn Rovers defender Chris Samba with interest in Manchester City’s Nedum Onuoha as well as other targets such as Spurs’ Jermain Defoe.
Money is understood to be available to spend and Rangers are hoping to sign the reinforcements needed to turn their season around, with Fernandes determined to keep them in the Premier League. However it’s believed there may be growing misgivings as to whether Warnock is the right man to lead the club.
Fernandes is a devotee of social media and is a regular user of the Twitter site. On Thursday he posted a message, in response to stories claiming he was unsure as to whether he should spend this window, by writing: “Guys at qpr. There is no freeze of cash. Don’t listen to ambiguous press reports.
We are disappointed where we are in the league. This is a journey not a sprint. Along the way we learn. But we continue to develop and along the way hard decisions need to be made. But we never stop moving. Never.”
However, interestingly, he followed that up with: “It’s important to note that no one’s job is safe. Results are key. If I don’t deliver I would be the first to step down as chairman.
"We owe it to the fans. Good money is paid and results are key.” Last night Fernandes used Twitter again to voice his concerns after the FA Cup tie in Milton Keynes. “Driving back to London. Lots to think about.
Fingers crossed on Ali (Faurlin, who was injured in the game). Does not look as bad but we don’t know till tmw. Been here before. Hang in there.”
The biggest thing he has to reflect upon today is whether to keep Warnock as his manager. Telegraph
PEOPLE - QPR boss Neil Warnock fears he will get axed this month
Jan 8 2012 by Dave Kidd, The People
NEIL WARNOCK fears he will be sacked as QPR manager this month.
It is believed that Warnock’s relationship with Rangers owner Tony Fernandes has reached breaking point after a run of just two points from their last eight Premier League matches.
And only a late goal by Heidar Helguson saved them from FA Cup defeat by League One MK Dons yesterday.
Fernandes has warned his manager that results must improve swiftly if he is to remain in the Loftus Road hotseat, with the club threatened by relegation.
But there are concerns among Warnock’s own backroom staff that he could be axed sooner rather than later.
Shock
Former West Ham chief Gianfranco Zola is a shock candidate to replace him, although ex-Manchester City and Fulham boss Mark Hughes will also be on QPR’s radar.
Warnock is believed to be unhappy that he does not have enough control over the club’s transfer policy.
Bids have been tabled this week for Blackburn defender Chris Samba and Fulham striker Andy Johnson – and Fernandes has denied he is holding back cash while Warnock is in charge.
But Fernandes is aware that senior players have complaineds about Warnock’s training sessions.
Skipper Joey Barton is no longer said to be on good terms with his manager.
Many fringe players have also been angered about being called in for extra afternoon training sessions.
Warnock was expecting to be sacked by previous owner Flavio Briatore, even after guiding the Hoops to the Championship title last season, but was given a reprieve after the takeover by Fernandes in August.
Warned
Rangers started well in the Premier League but have not won since mid-November. And Fernandes even warned Warnock that his job could be under threat on twitter on Friday.
Fernandes wrote: “It’s important to note no one job is safe. Results are key. If I don’t deliver I would be the first to step down as chairman. We owe it to the fans. Good money is paid and results are key.
“I will leave no stone unturned to make QPR a success.”
Airline tycoon Fernandes launched an unsuccessful takeover bid for West Ham two years ago, when Zola was in charge at Upton Park. And ex-Chelsea great Zola is known to be on Fernandes’s wish list" People
- Flashback: Fernandes, trying to Buy West Ham: Reportedly Wants Zola as West Ham Manager
TALKSPORT/Anton Stanley - Warnock: QPR need to sign five players to stay in the Premier League
Exclusive – Warnock: QPR need to sign five players to stay in the Premier League
Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock has told talkSPORT that he is looking to bring in five players as he aims to keep the club in the Premier League.
The Super Hoops were promoted from the Championship last season and after a promising start have hit a poor run of form which has seen them go without a win in eight games, leaving them in 17th place.
And Warnock insists he is looking to bring in several players to try and help the club out of their slump and ensure they remain in the top tier of English football for another season.
He told Call Cundy: “We do need three, four or five players, really. Tony [Fernandes], Amit [Bhatia] and the rest of the of the owners have been aware for the last five, six or seven weeks where I feel we’ve got to strengthen for the second-half of the season to stay up and they’re supporting me.
“We’re looking at targets [although] I don’t think there is an awful lot wrong [with my squad] if I’m honest. We’re not far away, we just need new faces and we’ve got to get them in before next Sunday [against Newcastle].” Talksport
- Jim Magilton off to Manage in Australia
- Jason Puncheon Apparently not wanted by Southampton
- Ex-QPR Player/Coach Gary Penrice Update:
"...I also remember being at QPR with Ollie and getting knocked out by Vauxhall Motors. "To be honest, I thought they were just a factory side and didn't even know they were a football club!..."
FA CUP THIRD ROUND: MK DONS 1 QPR 1
[FA Cup Fourth Round draw is made this afternoon]
- Photos from MK Dons vs QPR
MK Dons Official Site - MK Dons Managerial Perspective
ROBBO: OUR CLASS SHOWED
Karl Robinson was left 'gutted' at a draw with a Premier League side because he felt his side's classy performance deserved to get them through to the FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Round.
MK Dons entertained a record home crowd of 19,506 at stadiummk with the type of performance they have delivered throughout the season, but on this occasion they did it against Premier League outfit Queens Park Rangers.
It seemed certain the Dons were heading to the next round for the first time in their history when Dean Bowditch fired them in front in the 65th minute, but a cruel blow came in the form of a controversial winner courtesy of Heidar Helguson a minute from time.
Replays showed Helguson was offside when he collected the long punt forward, yet the decision stood and as a result the Dons now travel to Loftus Road where they will need to win to progress further in the competition.
Speaking in his post-match press conference Robinson said: "I'm proud of the players and I am gutted we didn't win the game because I felt our performance and the way the players conducted themselves deserved it.
"We showed the way football should be park - no hoofing it, playing off throw-ins - for us it's about passing the ball, keeping it on the floor, working hard and enjoying the greatest job in the world.
Dean Bowditch's ninth goal of the season looked to have taken the Dons into the Fourth Round before a cruel late equaliser from QPR
"Everybody in the ground, regardless of the team they supported, should look at us as a new club moving forward with a good work ethic and a good philosophy and for playing football in the right way."
What made the Dons' performance all the more impressive is that despite missing Joey Barton, QPR fielded a near-strength side at stadiummk and were in the Dons' shadows for the majority of the game.
"That was a strong QPR side so it's not like we are walking away from here saying they fielded a weakened team. I respect Neil Warnock and QPR immensely for playing a strong team like they did but we missed two or three gilt-edged chances through Bowds and Chaddy, then Jabo's offside.
"We play with freedom, we are going to make mistakes and get things wrong but if you keep believing in something and play in the right way we are going to get the results and I thought today every player and every fan deserved that victory and it's disappointing it was taken away from us.
"The goal was offside, away from the game the referee was excellent in the way he conducted himself and spoke to the players, but there were two big decisions that didn't go our way with the handball and the goal was offside."
The attendance at stadiummk smashed the previous highest by almost 2,000 and Robinson hopes the floating fans will have enjoyed what they saw and make a quick return.
He added: "The QPR fans were excellent, thank you for turning out, our fans were brilliant and really showed the city turns out in their thousands when there is an event and hopefully a few more have realised there is an event every other Saturday at stadiummk.
"We will really enjoy going to Loftus Road and it will be good to pit our wits once again against a very, very good QPR team. It's a game we will look forward to and we will have a go at them, the way we play we won't hold back and we won't leave anything in the tank.
"More importantly for me, we have Carlisle at home to look at, I don't know where the glitz and glamour of the Premier League takes QPR but we have to prepare our players in the right way for Carlisle at home." MK Dons
QPR Official Site
WARNOCK: WE NEVER GIVE IN
Neil Warnock paid tribute to his players' fighting spirit after seeing his side grab a late goal to draw 1-1 with MK Dons in the third round of the FA Cup this afternoon.
Dean Bowditch gave the hosts the lead shortly after the hour mark and QPR's afternoon went from bad to worse when Alejandro Faurlin was carried off the pitch on a stretcher with what appeared a serious knee injury
But just as the R's seemed to be heading out of the competition, Heidar Helguson struck with three minutes remaining to ensure QPR's name will be in the hat for the fourth round draw tomorrow evening.
"I don't think we deserved to lose today," Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk.
"I thought we put so much in during the second half, we moved it up a gear.
"We had a chat at half time and then we passed the ball quicker and sharper, and I thought we created chances and got around the back."
While the game was still goalless, DJ Campbell headed wide from close range following a Federico Macheda centre, and Warnock added: "DJ missed what he called in his own words a 'sitter'.
"He got up a little bit too early, but to his defence he hasn't had that much football this season."
And after witnessing MK Dons take the lead before Faurlin's unplanned injury reduced Rangers to ten men in the latter stages, Warnock admitted: "When you lose Ale after making all three subs you do start thinking it isn't your day.
"But all credit to the players, they were fantastic and the thing about us is we never give up.
"Whatever you say about us, you can't fault us for our effort."
The real concern for Warnock following the game, however, was the well-being of Faurlin and he said: "It doesn't look good, although it wouldn't appear to be as bad as first expected.
"But you don't get carried off like that for nothing.
"We'll wait and see, and should know more over the next 24-48 hours."
QPR now return to Premier League action next weekend with a trip to Newcastle United, and Warnock added: "It's a difficult period for us with a replay, but it does mean that Joey Barton will now be available for the Wigan game, and I'm delighted about that.
"We're going to need his captaincy." QPR
West London Sport
QPRQPR wait for news on injured Faurlin
07/01/2012
by David McIntyre
QPR boss Neil Warnock faces an anxious wait to discover the extent of the injury suffered by Alejandro Faurlin against MK Dons.
Faurlin was stretchered off during the FA Cup third-round encounter, which ended in a 1-1 draw after Heidar Helguson’s late goal kept Rangers in the competition.
Rangers, without suspended skipper Joey Barton, are hoping Faurlin’s condition is not as serious as it appeared to be when he was taken off.
They must wait for swelling around his knee to reduce before he can undergo a scan, which will determine how long he is likely to be sidelined for.
Warnock said: “We won’t know anything for 24, maybe 48 hours. We’ll see if we can get it scanned tomorrow but we might have to wait until Monday.
“It’s a problem with his knee, He went over and hurt himself. Poor old Ale. We’ll just have to wait and see what the news is.”
Rangers are arguably fortunate to still be in the competition after a poor display, but Warnock insisted they deserved to be in the draw for the fourth round.
“I thought we were good in the second half. Had we gone ahead then I think we’d have won the game,” he declared.
“It’s a good result for us because the replay means Joey Barton will be back for the game against Wigan. I really think it could be a turning point in our season.
“The pitch was poor, which made it difficult for both teams. Both sides were passing the ball around methodically and I asked my lads to step it up for the second half, which they did.
“The lads are absolutely exhausted. They showed great spirit. I couldn’t have asked any more of them than that.” West London Sport
Guardian/Jamie Jackson
Heidar Helguson rescues QPR from FA Cup shock at MK Dons
The MK Dons fans in a record 19,506 crowd sang: "You're getting beat by a franchise," after Dean Bowditch's strike across Radek Cerny looked to have authored a genuine FA Cup shock for the League One team over Neil Warnock's Premier League strugglers.
But then Heidar Helguson rounded David Martin just before the end of normal time for an undeserved equaliser to take the tie back to Loftus Road on Tuesday week and ease some of the pressure on his manager.
After Tony Fernandes, the Queens Park Rangers owner, tweeted on Friday that nobody's job was safe, Warnock had ended his week of anger by choosing a strong XI that missed Joey Barton due to his suspension and had Helguson on the bench.
Warnock's ire had begun on Monday and was still rumbling on Friday due to the red card Barton received against Norwich City and the subsequent unsuccessful appeal. But after directing his energies at match officials and the Football Association he knew Fernandes's comments were offered due to a run of two points from 24 and that a win was required.
But QPR were disappointing throughout, taking until the half-hour to offer a first real threat. Before then, it was the Dons who pressed, the strength of Jabo Ibehre and the craft of the former Manchester United winger Luke Chadwick pinning their opponents back. When QPR awoke, Tommy Smith raced down the right and flipped in a ball that DJ Campbell might have attacked better before the contest's pattern returned.
Daniel Powell had a penalty shout ignored when his pass appeared to hit Clint Hill's arm.
QPR's afternoon took a further dive when Alejandro Faurlín was carried off to leave them with 10 men for the closing minutes. But at least Helguson managed to snatch the draw.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jan/07/mk-dons-qpr-fa-cup
- QPR Stalwart, IAN WATSON (1965-1974) Turns Sixty-Eight. (At QPR before Rodney Marsh Still at QPR, after Rodney!)...WAYNE ROUTLEDGE Turns 27
- On This Day: Six Year Flashback: FA Cup 3rd Round Exit at Blackburn. (A few weeks later, Ian Holloway was placed on Gardening Leave)
- Damion Stewart Joins Notts County on Loan
- One of the Sons of Dave Clement (RIP) Leaves Blackburn for PSG Coaching Job
- MK Dons Preview: MK Dons and Ex-QPR Coach, John Gorman Looks forward and Looks Back
- QPR's Horrendous FA Cup Run: 11 Years and 12 Managers since QPR Won in the FA Cup!
- Five+ Year Flashback: QPR Schedule & Then Cancel Friendly vs MK Dons
- Darlington in Trouble: Having Laidoff most staff, don't have enough staff to host home Game
- QPR Official Supporters Club (OSC) AGM & EGM was held Wednesday Evening
- UPDATE: Alessandro Pellicori Mentioned re Italian Football Scandal