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QPR in PORTUGAL
- Photos from Camp
QPR OFFICIAL SITE
PORTUGAL BLOG: WEDNESDAY
Following a relaxing evening last night after their arrival in Portugal yesterday afternoon, the QPR squad's first full day began bright and early this morning with an 8am wake-up call for breakfast.
And training was underway with a 10am meet outside the apartments for a brisk 2.5m jog to the training complex, which is on-site at the Amendoeira Resort and exclusively available to the QPR team.
Strength & Conditioning Coach Carl Serrant continued the players' warm-up with a series of short activities and stretches before they were passed onto Eddie Niedzwiecki.
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The First Team Coach had been at the training pitch from 9.30am preparing all the equipment for the session, painstakingly putting all the manikins, bibs, balls and cones in position to ensure a smooth flow of drills and exercises for when the players arrived.
While waiting for the squad to head over, Mark Hughes was thrown a ball by Kit Man Gary Doyle.
As it was heading towards him, the R's gaffer said, "No, you hang onto that" and half-volleyed it straight back into Gary's arms from 25-yards. Hughes then said with a grin: "No need to move Gary!"
As the squad changed into their boots, Anton Ferdinand asked me to take a few photos on my phone so he could put them on Twitter.
OK, here's my excuse. My phone's not the best when it comes to taking action pictures - a four-second delay before capturing the image makes it kind of difficult to get anything half-decent.
At the end of the session, I looked at the photos I'd got for him and knew I wouldn't get away with such a shoddy effort! Don't think he'll be asking me to do that for him again in a hurry!
Anyway, once the session got underway the typically-meticulous planning was evident to see as the players smoothly transferred from one drill to the next.
The much-talked-about high intensity of Hughes's sessions was again on display.
At the end of the first day's training, the physically drained squad boarded the coach back to their apartments - they were afforded the luxury of travel as opposed to being made to jog back again afterwards!
In the afternoon, the players were given some free time with a few choosing to take to the golf course.
Peter Ramage and Tommy Smith took on Paddy Kenny and Brian Murphy, with the keepers suffering defeat.
Kenny blamed the temperature, the colour of his golf balls, his partner, and pretty-much anything else he could come up with for the loss!
Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Stay tuned to find out.
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2612591,00.html
DAILY STAR
QPR BOSS MARK HUGHES PUT THE BOOT IN
QPR players have been told this week’s trip to Portugal is more boot camp than a mid-season jolly.
Mark Hughes’ players, without a win in four games, have travelled to the Algarve and will be jogging from the Amendoeira Resort to their training facilities.
“Regardless of their moans and groans we have always found that professional footballers want structure,” said assistant boss Mark Bowen
“They like things to be well organised and getting them all up to have breakfast together is just a small part of that. We have got a day’s work ahead of us and waking them up early is a way to show we are out here for a reason.
“This time together gives us the opportunity to do the subtle things away from the pitch that you don’t have the chance to do back home. At Harlington, the players tend to finish training, shower, change and they’re out of the building.
“In this situation it means we can have little chats here and there and pick players’ brains to get their thoughts on things as well.”
Sparky has only been in charge at Loftus Road for a month and will use the trip to assess his players.
Bowen added: “I don’t like to speak too soon but whenever we have done this in the past we have always had positive results on the back of it when we return. Hopefully that will continue.” Daily Star
NEIL WARNOCK
GUARDIAN
Meanwhile The Guardian - Stuart James
Steve Bruce hoping to be interviewed by Wolves for manager's job
• Alan Curbishley expected for further talks in the next 24 hours
• Neil Warnock agrees a settlement with Queens Park Rangers
Steve Bruce is waiting to learn whether he will be interviewed for the Wolverhampton Wanderers job, with the Midlands club expected to hold further talks with Alan Curbishley and speak to Neil Warnock about the managerial vacancy at Molineux over the next 24 hours.
Curbishley remains the favourite to replace Mick McCarthy and has made no secret of his desire to take over, after spending three and a half years out of work following his resignation from West Ham United. Steve Morgan, the Wolves owner, is impressed with Curbishley's credentials and there is a sense that his appointment would go down much better with the club's supporters than Bruce or Warnock, both of whom have been sacked by Premier League clubs this season.
It is understood that Wolves have contacted Bruce to sound him out about the position ahead of a potential meeting with Morgan, who arrived home from his skiing holiday on Wednesday. Warnock has now agreed his settlement with Queens Park Rangers, paving the way for an interview to take place, and although he will probably be linked with the managerial vacancy at Huddersfield Town, he is likely to prefer another crack at the Premier League, even if it is on a short-term contract.
One other possibility that cannot be discounted is that an outsider will emerge. Wolves have made it clear that Premier League experience is vital, opening to the door to the prospect of Morgan considering someone such as Graeme Souness or Gordon Strachan.
For the moment, however, Curbishley appears to be in the driving seat. His interest in the role has come as something of a surprise given that he has been so selective about the jobs he has applied for since winning his constructive dismissal case against West Ham in 2009. The 54-year-old believes, however, that managing Wolves presents the right sort of challenge to lure him back into the game. Guardian
MIRROR
Warnock targeted for Huddersfield comeback
Published 22:30 15/02/12 By Alan Nixon
Huddersfield owner Dean Hoyle wants Neil Warnock to make an emotional return after shocking football by sacking Lee Clark.
Multi-millionaire Hoyle has had his eyes on former Terriers chief Warnock in recent weeks and hopes to install him immediately, despite rival interest in the experienced boss.
Clark was stunned when he was fired - over the phone, in a conversation lasting just two minutes - by Hoyle hours after Tuesday’s defeat by promotion rivals Sheffield United.
It was just the club’s third loss in 55 games, which included a record-breaking 43 match unbeaten run.
“I am very perplexed as to why I was dismissed as the manager of Huddersfield Town," admitted Clark. "Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed and shocked considering that, with just 16 games left, we are in a such great position to compete for automatic promotion.
“We built on last season’s momentum following the play-off final by creating history in the Football League record books for consecutive unbeaten games. This was an immense achievement by everybody connected with the club.”
Warnock has been out of work since QPR sacked him a week into the year, and could be in charge within a day or two.
Although he's been thinking about taking a break from management, the chance to take one of his old clubs - he held th Terriers' lead from July 1993 to June 1995 - to promotion may be a strong lure.
Hoyle will also make money available for some loan captures - with a bid for Crystal Palace forward Sean Scannell, who played for Warnock when he was in charge at the south London club from 2007 to 2010, in the pipeline.
Sources at Huddersfield have revealed that Hoyle has been unhappy with Clark for the past month, and critical of the team’s form despite his heavy investment.
Meanwhile, Clark has called in the League Managers Association and is taking legal advice about the sacking.
He is believed to be considering suing for unfair dismissal.
Clark’s availability could alert Town's Yorkshire neighbours Leeds, who had short-listed him for their vacancy, although that had nothing to do with his dismissal.
The loss to the Blades dented Huddersfield’s bid for automatic promotion - Hoyle’s target for the season - and they are currently fourth, four points outside the top two.
Hoyle has heavily backed Clark and was worried they would miss out on promotion to the Championship for a third time after losing in the play-offs in the last two seasons.
Despite losing just three league games this season, Hoyle was alarmed by their run of just four wins from 12 matches.
He said: “This was a very difficult decision. One not taken lightly or in response to one result. Concerns have been raised over recent weeks.
“Lee and his coaching staff have put their all into the job over the past three seasons and he has made a huge contribution to the club.
“However, with 16 matches to go, we still have an opportunity to achieve promotion and we have made this change with this in mind.” Mirror
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