__________________________________________________________________________
- Four Year Flashback: Iain Dowie Out Rumours
- Six Year Flashback: "On This Day" QPR Chairman Paladini Talking about "An Enemy Within"
- Seven Year Flashback: "On This Day" QPR Season Starts at "Bombers" Hull
- Flashback: QPR Academy and Youth Development
- Hampton vs QPR XI: Report & Photos
- Six Year Flashback: The New Season Opens - with Gary Waddock's QPR Losing at Burnley: Match Reports QPR Team: Paul
Jones; Bignot, Stewart, Rose, Milanese; Ainsworth, Lomas (R Jones 66),
Rowlands (Donnelly 79), Cook; Ward; Czerkas (Bircham 71). Unused Subs:
Cole, Kanyuka
- Premiership Club Shirt Sponsorship Deals: Manchester United $550 Million Deal with General Motors (GM)
- Premiership Club Shirt Sponsorship Deals: Manchester United $550 Million Deal with General Motors (GM)
EX-QPR DOMINIC IORFA
All Africa Daily Trust (Abuja)
Nigeria: God Has Silenced My Critics - Iorfa
By David Ngobua, 5 August 2012
Former Super Eagles striker and technical adviser of Lobi Stars of Makurdi, Mr. Dominic Iorfa Mtem has said God in his infinite mercy has silenced all his critics by making Lobi Stars the team of the moment.
Two seasons ago, the former Queens Park Rangers forward took over the technical department of the team, a decision which did not go down well with most people who felt he lacks the requisite credentials to handle a premier league side. However, the fierce criticisms waned when in his first attempt Lobi Stars did not struggle to remain in the topflight as the team did under various acclaimed coaches in the country.
In the current season, Lobi Stars has emerged as one of the best clubs and is looking good to win both the NPL title and the Federation Cup. Lobi is presently second on the NPL table with 61 points, a point behind table toppers Kano Pillars and the Benue State owned club has reached the semi-finals of the Federation Cup.
Speaking to Feverpitch yesterday, the former BCC Lions forward said he is not surprised by the progress made by Lobi this season as he said he does not need all the certificates in the world to be a successful coach. Iorfa said having played the game at the highest level in the country as well as in Europe and Asia, he has all that it takes to coach a premier league side.
He said: "I am grateful to God almighty for he has silenced my critics. When I decided to head Lobi Stars technical department, I faced a lot of criticisms. Nobody gave me a chance but with our performance this season, there is nobody who can fault my decision again.
"I had the opportunity of playing in Europe and the Super Eagles. I played under different coaches which made it possible for me to acquire the necessary knowledge and experience to handle any premier league. I have proved with Lobi that if given a chance, I can coach any of the national teams".
Iorfa maintained that Lobi is going to pick one of the continental tickets as he said anything less than that would be anti-climax.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201208050393.html
All Africa Daily Trust (Abuja)
Nigeria: God Has Silenced My Critics - Iorfa
By David Ngobua, 5 August 2012
Former Super Eagles striker and technical adviser of Lobi Stars of Makurdi, Mr. Dominic Iorfa Mtem has said God in his infinite mercy has silenced all his critics by making Lobi Stars the team of the moment.
Two seasons ago, the former Queens Park Rangers forward took over the technical department of the team, a decision which did not go down well with most people who felt he lacks the requisite credentials to handle a premier league side. However, the fierce criticisms waned when in his first attempt Lobi Stars did not struggle to remain in the topflight as the team did under various acclaimed coaches in the country.
In the current season, Lobi Stars has emerged as one of the best clubs and is looking good to win both the NPL title and the Federation Cup. Lobi is presently second on the NPL table with 61 points, a point behind table toppers Kano Pillars and the Benue State owned club has reached the semi-finals of the Federation Cup.
Speaking to Feverpitch yesterday, the former BCC Lions forward said he is not surprised by the progress made by Lobi this season as he said he does not need all the certificates in the world to be a successful coach. Iorfa said having played the game at the highest level in the country as well as in Europe and Asia, he has all that it takes to coach a premier league side.
He said: "I am grateful to God almighty for he has silenced my critics. When I decided to head Lobi Stars technical department, I faced a lot of criticisms. Nobody gave me a chance but with our performance this season, there is nobody who can fault my decision again.
"I had the opportunity of playing in Europe and the Super Eagles. I played under different coaches which made it possible for me to acquire the necessary knowledge and experience to handle any premier league. I have proved with Lobi that if given a chance, I can coach any of the national teams".
Iorfa maintained that Lobi is going to pick one of the continental tickets as he said anything less than that would be anti-climax.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201208050393.html
ROWAN VINE...The Sun
THE ROAD to redemption has once again led to McDiarmid Park.
Bosses wrote me off...they had been told lies that I was just a bad boy
Four years after Jody Morris left England with his reputation in
tatters to head for St Johnstone in search of a fresh start, Rowan Vine
has followed in his footsteps.
The Englishman has barely kicked a ball for the last four years due to injury — while having his character assassinated into the bargain.
First a double leg break left him on the sidelines for 16 months.
Once the physical scars had healed, an even more damaging whispering campaign threatened to kill off his career in England.
Vine, who once cost Birmingham £3million from Luton in 2007, claims a feud with QPR’s controversial foreign owners forced then boss Neil Warnock into freezing him out of the picture altogether.
Opening his heart to SunSport, Vine has revealed how he was made to train with schoolkids, was BANNED from playing in the reserves even though he was coming back from serious leg operations, and saw his reputation TRASHED the length and breadth of the country.
Vine, who signed a one-year deal after impressing Saints boss Steve Lomas during a recent trial, said: “The last few years have been really hard. In England, there have been a lot of untrue things said about me.
“People saying that I was a bad lad, I have no desire, no hunger and didn’t want to play.
“I was injured for 16 months with a broken leg but when I came back QPR didn’t help me. Things happened behind the scenes with the owners, they didn’t want me and I was alienated for no reason.
“I wasn’t allowed to train properly, I had to train with the kids at 4pm.
“I wasn’t allowed to play in the reserves. I was trying to come back from injury — and this went on for two years.
“I’m sure if you phone Neil Warnock and ask him about me he won’t have a good word to say.
“That’s his own agenda. If people ask me about him I won’t slam him, I’m not that kind of person.”
Vine desperately tried to get out of Loftus Road in a bid to save his career — even phoning managers himself to ask for an opportunity.
But the 29-year-old found that his reputation had been blackened so much that people were not willing to even listen.
His faith in football was restored by Gillingham’s Andy Hessenthaler, who took him on last season.
But even Hessenthaler admitted that he’d been warned to run a mile rather than give him a chance.
Vine added: “I have picked up the phone to managers and they’ve just said “nah, I don’t even want to look at you’.
“Andy signed me and told me straight that nobody had a good word to say about me — even people who didn’t know me. I played for them for the last six weeks of the season and at the end he told me that he couldn’t believe the things people had said because it wasn’t true.
“It was nice of him to do that and it gave me the belief that someone would give me a chance.”
That chance came last Tuesday, when Saints boss Lomas called to ask if Vine fancied a trial.
Vine jumped at the chance and after scoring both goals in a win over Bristol City he found the phone started to ring again, with several offers quickly put on the table — including one from Rangers boss Ally McCoist.
But after being treated so well by Lomas he wanted to join Saints.
Vine said: “I just wanted someone to give me an opportunity. The gaffer and all the people at St Johnstone have done that.
“After the last few years that means a lot to me. I think that even if he was in England he would have taken a chance on me.
“I played against the gaffer in England but I didn’t actually know him.He’s a young manager, desperate to bring success to the club. I liked what he had to say.”
Vine will make his debut against Hearts this afternoon and said: “I don’t know a great deal about Hearts, but I have actually been to Tynecastle before. I was up in Edinburgh last summer and went to both grounds to have a look at them.
“I’ve heard all about the atmosphere there so am really looking forward to it.”
The Englishman has barely kicked a ball for the last four years due to injury — while having his character assassinated into the bargain.
First a double leg break left him on the sidelines for 16 months.
Once the physical scars had healed, an even more damaging whispering campaign threatened to kill off his career in England.
Vine, who once cost Birmingham £3million from Luton in 2007, claims a feud with QPR’s controversial foreign owners forced then boss Neil Warnock into freezing him out of the picture altogether.
Opening his heart to SunSport, Vine has revealed how he was made to train with schoolkids, was BANNED from playing in the reserves even though he was coming back from serious leg operations, and saw his reputation TRASHED the length and breadth of the country.
Vine, who signed a one-year deal after impressing Saints boss Steve Lomas during a recent trial, said: “The last few years have been really hard. In England, there have been a lot of untrue things said about me.
“People saying that I was a bad lad, I have no desire, no hunger and didn’t want to play.
“I was injured for 16 months with a broken leg but when I came back QPR didn’t help me. Things happened behind the scenes with the owners, they didn’t want me and I was alienated for no reason.
“I wasn’t allowed to train properly, I had to train with the kids at 4pm.
“I wasn’t allowed to play in the reserves. I was trying to come back from injury — and this went on for two years.
“I’m sure if you phone Neil Warnock and ask him about me he won’t have a good word to say.
“That’s his own agenda. If people ask me about him I won’t slam him, I’m not that kind of person.”
Vine desperately tried to get out of Loftus Road in a bid to save his career — even phoning managers himself to ask for an opportunity.
But the 29-year-old found that his reputation had been blackened so much that people were not willing to even listen.
His faith in football was restored by Gillingham’s Andy Hessenthaler, who took him on last season.
But even Hessenthaler admitted that he’d been warned to run a mile rather than give him a chance.
Vine added: “I have picked up the phone to managers and they’ve just said “nah, I don’t even want to look at you’.
“Andy signed me and told me straight that nobody had a good word to say about me — even people who didn’t know me. I played for them for the last six weeks of the season and at the end he told me that he couldn’t believe the things people had said because it wasn’t true.
“It was nice of him to do that and it gave me the belief that someone would give me a chance.”
That chance came last Tuesday, when Saints boss Lomas called to ask if Vine fancied a trial.
Vine jumped at the chance and after scoring both goals in a win over Bristol City he found the phone started to ring again, with several offers quickly put on the table — including one from Rangers boss Ally McCoist.
But after being treated so well by Lomas he wanted to join Saints.
Vine said: “I just wanted someone to give me an opportunity. The gaffer and all the people at St Johnstone have done that.
“After the last few years that means a lot to me. I think that even if he was in England he would have taken a chance on me.
“I played against the gaffer in England but I didn’t actually know him.He’s a young manager, desperate to bring success to the club. I liked what he had to say.”
Vine will make his debut against Hearts this afternoon and said: “I don’t know a great deal about Hearts, but I have actually been to Tynecastle before. I was up in Edinburgh last summer and went to both grounds to have a look at them.
“I’ve heard all about the atmosphere there so am really looking forward to it.”
QPR CEO Philip Beard on QPR Plans "Only the Start of the Story: Philip Beard Reveals the new Plans for QPR" [See Pages 20-23 FCBusiness]
"A
new stadium is few years away. Five Years away minimum. That gives us
the time to cultivate the brand and the support of QPR"
