RIP: PAT WOODS
_________________________________________________________________________________
Sky is reporting Chelsea's released defender Jose Bosingwa has joined QPR - Sky
Update: SKY - QPR land Bosingwa - Former Chelsea defender joins Loftus Road outfit
Sky Sports sources understand that Queens Park Rangers have signed former Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa.
The Portugal international right-back saw his four-year spell at
Stamford Bridge come to an end in the summer when he was not offered an
extension to his contract.The 29-year-old, who signed from Porto for £16million in May 2008, made 43 appearances for the Blues
last term and started both the FA Cup final success against Liverpool and the UEFA Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich.He was deemed surplus to requirements as Roberto di Matteo looked to re-shape his squad but has not had to wait long to secure his Premier League future.
Loftus Road boss Mark Hughes, backed by the finances of owner Tony Fernandes, has handed a deal to Bosingwa
as he looks to establish the West London club in the top flight" Sky- Background on Bosingwa
- Past "Shared" QPR-Chelsea Players include Les Allen, Ray Wilkins, Terry Venables, David Webb, John Hollins, Barry Bridges, etc
QPR "On This Day" Flashbacks:
- 16 Years Ago Today: QPR's First Game back in Division II after Premiership Relegation (Against Oxford United). Chris Wright the new owner. Ray Wilkins Still the (Player) Manager.
- 21 Years Ago Today: First Game in Charge of QPR for Manager, Gerry Francis. Ian Holloway makes his QPR Playing Debut (Away to Arsenal)
- 27 Years Ago Today: Jim Smith Makes his QPR Managerial Debut (at Home to Ipswich)
- QPR Report.Goal.com QPR Season Preview
- Home Property Values around Premiership Clubs (Area around QPR 4th in Value!)
- Guardian: Manchester City to open the archive on player data and statistics ... make available the data on every player in every team from every game in the league last season --- The New MCFC Stat Site
QPR SQUAD NUMBERS
- No Numbers for Barton, Bothroyd, Campbell, Smith, Young, Husle (Nor Hargreaves)
1. Rob GREEN
2. Samba DIAKITE
3. Armand TRAORE
4. Shaun DERRY
5. Anton FERDINAND
6. Clint HILL
7. Ji-Sung PARK
8. Andrew JOHNSON
9. Djibril CISSE
10. Adel TAARABT
11. Shaun WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
12. Jamie MACKIE
13 -
2. Samba DIAKITE
3. Armand TRAORE
4. Shaun DERRY
5. Anton FERDINAND
6. Clint HILL
7. Ji-Sung PARK
8. Andrew JOHNSON
9. Djibril CISSE
10. Adel TAARABT
11. Shaun WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
12. Jamie MACKIE
13 -
14 -
15. Nedum ONUOHA
16. Matthew CONNOLLY
17. Ryan NELSEN
18. Kieron DYER
19 -
20. FABIO da Silva
22. Hogan EPHRAIM
23. Junior HOILETT
24. Radek CERNY
25. Bobby ZAMORA
26. Brian MURPHY
27. Michael HARRIMAN
28. Max EHMER
29. Michael DOUGHTY
32. Alejandro FAURLIN
15. Nedum ONUOHA
16. Matthew CONNOLLY
17. Ryan NELSEN
18. Kieron DYER
19 -
20. FABIO da Silva
22. Hogan EPHRAIM
23. Junior HOILETT
24. Radek CERNY
25. Bobby ZAMORA
26. Brian MURPHY
27. Michael HARRIMAN
28. Max EHMER
29. Michael DOUGHTY
32. Alejandro FAURLIN
QPR
BBC/Ben Smith - Joey Barton: Marseille approach QPR about midfielder
Marseille have approached Queens Park Rangers about the possibility
of taking suspended midfielder Joey Barton on a season-long loan deal.
It is understood Barton is aware of the interest from France and is willing to move to the Ligue 1 club.
The terms of any proposed loan have yet to be finalised but further talks are planned in the next 24 hours.
The news comes after QPR failed to issue the 29-year-old with a squad number for the new season.
Joey Barton's clubs
- Manchester City 2002-2007
- Newcastle United 2007-2011
- QPR 2011-present
His number 17 shirt was given to summer signing Ryan Nelsen, who joined from Tottenham.
Barton starts a 12-game ban when the season opens on Saturday and recently trained at League Two Fleetwood Town.
The midfielder said on Twitter: "Just come off the golf course so only just heard. A call would have been nice. Ah, well life goes on..."
He did, however, sign off with a tweet that offered a mischievous hint as to his likely future. "Early night for me people. Bonne nuit ..."
Barton was sent off in the final match of last season against his former club Manchester City and, after being dismissed, kicked Sergio Aguero before trying to headbutt Vincent Kompany.
Rangers fined Barton six weeks' wages and stripped him of the club captaincy, as well as leaving him out of the squad for their pre-season tour of Malaysia. BBC
MAIL - Bad boy Barton set for shock move to Marseille as QPR close in on Bosingwa
Joey Barton is poised to join Marseille on a season-long loan as QPR line up a deal for Jose Bosingwa.
Barton is suspended for 12 games in England after his dismissal against Manchester City at the end of last season and QPR have handed his squad number 17 to new signing Ryan Nelsen.
The 29-year-old Barton has been training with Fleetwood Town and was wanted on loan by Blackburn, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday.
However, the midfielder is heading to France in a move that will circumnavigate his ban here and may lead to a permanent transfer.
Marseille centre back Stephane M’bia, 26, will be going the other way.
Barton perhaps teasingly wished his Twitter followers "Bonne nuit" - French for 'good night'.
He also took to Twitter to express surprise regarding the loss of his squad number.
Wanted: Jose Bosingwa was released by Chelsea at the end of the season
'Heard my shirt numbers gone to someone else. News to me...' he wrote.
'Just come off the golf course so only just heard. A call would of [sic] been nice. Ah, well life goes on...'
Manager Mark Hughes is continuing to strengthen his squad though and has moved for former Chelsea defender Bosingwa, 29, who has been courted by some of Europe's elite this summer.
Inter Milan, Anzhi Makhachkala and Monaco all made offers but the Portugal international has chosen to stay in London. Mail
Fulham Chronicle/Jacob Murtagh
Midfielder rules out QPR exit
SHAUN Derry has ruled out leaving QPR as he bids to prove himself again to boss Mark Hughes.
The experienced midfielder defied the odds last season to hold his own in the Rangers engine room despite doubts whether he could cut it in the top-flight.
Derry made 32 appearances as the R's narrowly escaped relegation on a nail-biting final day of the campaign at Manchester City.
However, with the summer arrivals of Samba Diakite after a successful loan spell and South Korean superstar Ji Sung Park, the former Crystal Palace man has been linked with a move away from Loftus Road.
But, Derry, who is in the final 12 months of his deal in W12, says he has no intention of quitting the club as he clings on to his Premier League dream.
He told the Chronicle: “People can look at me and Clint Hill and say we would've been washed away with the breed of players we've brought in, but the results have been there along with the performances. We've had to adapt ourselves.
“I want to play at the highest level for as long as I can. I hope I'm going to be in the squad of 25 along with the rest of the players here.
“The end of the window's around the corner and then another one in January. What I have always done is break the season up in little three month blocks and assess things as I go.
“There's no point looking too far ahead because things can change so quickly in football. There's no point in making rash decisions either. I'm not going to go and knock on the gaffer's door and say 'I want to go to pastures news'.
“I'm 34 years old and playing in the Premier League. I'm not going to give it up too easy. I still feel I have a role to play at this football club.”
While the likes of Luke Young, DJ Campbell and Jay Bothroyd have been bombed out by Hughes and left out of QPR's summer tours, Derry done enough last year to earn a seat on the plane to Asia and Germany.
Now he hopes he can do enough to win a place in the Welshman's first-team plans.
“We have got strength in depth in numbers,” he added. “When new players come in the level of intensity improves every day. You have to embrace that otherwise you get left behind.
“We're playing at the top of English football. Nobody's place is guaranteed, regardless of their name or career they've had. You don't get your place unless you deserve it.
“There's 40 players at this football club and the manager has to make difficult decisions. Unfortunately, some players weren't included on the tour and it's hard because they are mates of mine. But it's a brutal and selfish game and you have to look after yourself. It's dog eat dog" Fulham Chronicle
SHAUN DERRY ON QPR's PROMOTION, NEIL WARNOCK and LEEDS UNITED
Yorkshire Evening Post
Friday 17 August 2012
Leeds United: Whites in safe hands with Warnock - Derry INTERVIEW
Shaun Derry in match action for QPR against Leeds United.
Published on Friday 17 August 2012 02:00
Former Leeds United cult hero Shaun Derry tells Phil Hay the club is in safe hands with his old boss Neil Warnock.
If there is such a thing as a knack of winning promotion to, from or within the Football League then Neil Warnock has it. Queens Park Rangers’ ascent to the Premier League in 2011 equalled a record which the Leeds United manager intends to hold alone by the end of this season.
Only Dave Bassett and Graham Taylor can join him in laying claim to seven separate promotions over the course of their managerial careers. So what was their secret and what is Warnock’s? At QPR, Shaun Derry saw a simple formula. “We had a cracking squad and a manager who knew the game, knew the division and knew how to handle pressure,” he says. “It sounds quite obvious when you say it like that.”
The 2010-11 season was a success like few others in all of Warnock’s days. It might be superseded only by a season which gives him all that he wants from his time at Elland Road. QPR were relegation fodder when Warnock embraced them but Championship winners 14 months later. Derry maintains that without the uncertainty created by the dispute involving Alejandro Faurlin, the club would have won the league by Easter.
There are comparisons to be made between QPR in May of 2010 and Leeds United as they were at the start of this summer. In short, both clubs were in need of a vision which combated their mediocrity and gave rise to some optimism.
Warnock’s advantage at Loftus Road was the financial clout which made Derry, the former Leeds midfielder, one of a clutch of credible signings. Paddy Kenny was another and Adel Taarabt the most eye-opening. Warnock has been less fortunate this summer and, on that basis alone, it is difficult for even him to know if Leeds will have the same bite.
“The day I signed for QPR, I went home and said to my wife ‘something good’s going to happen here,” Derry recalls. “I’d spoken to the manager and, to be honest, Neil was Neil – pumped-up, enthusiastic and really clear on what the plan was. The lads who’ve signed for Leeds this summer will know what I’m talking about. He’s great at selling a move to you.
“But the biggest factor was the squad. It was absolutely immense. Our strongest line-up was quality from front to back but the bench was different class too. You’d be struggling in a game and Neil would throw on Tommy Smith or Rob Hulse, lads like that. It got us out of trouble so many times. That season’s a perfect example of what happens when you get things right – the manager, the squad, everything.”
Not quite everything was perfect. The controversy created by QPR’s signing of Faurlin, a deal which led to accusations of third-party ownership and multiple charges from the Football Association, cast a shadow over QPR and the upper third of the Championship throughout the second half of the season.
The club denied any wrongdoing but newspaper reports regularly pondered the range of penalties available to the FA, ranging from a heavy fine to a punitive points deduction. The implications of a points deduction inflicted on the Championship’s long-time leaders were vast and the threat caused deep uncertainty about which teams would be promoted, which would finish in the play-offs and where QPR would ultimately reside in the table when the web untangled itself.
QPR’s promotion was secured provisionally with a game to spare, courtesy of a 2-0 win at Watford. It was only in the hours before their final match, at home to Leeds, that the FA announced that no points deduction would be imposed. Warnock had promised as much all along, saying: “You’ll have read quite a lot in some papers but I can tell you most articles fall into the category of ‘never let the facts get in the way of a good story’.”
“I don’t dwell on it much because we finished up with the title and the medals,” Derry says. “That’s what people remember. But it was quite a tough time. I honestly think we’d have destroyed the league if it hadn’t been for that.
“When we won at Watford there were celebrations but you knew that a decision (on the FA charges) was due a week later. It was quite hard not to sit at home worrying about it. You read the papers and you watch the news and in your weaker moments you start to fear the worst. But from the manager and the club it was reassurance, reassurance, reassurance.
“Only Neil knows how stressful that period was for him but it can’t have been easy. He was the person dealing with the media and the person most involved on the playing side. I think that’s why he has people like Mick Jones, Ronnie Jepson and Chris Short around him, colleagues he trusts and – in a way – allies who’ve been with him for a long time. It won’t have been all on his shoulders.
“Perhaps there were moments behind closed doors when they expressed doubt to each other but that was never transmitted to the players, not once. All we heard from Neil was ‘you’re the best team in the league, go on and win the title.’”
It was a different mantra to the mood at QPR at the start of the season. Cautiously optimistic is how Derry describes it.
“The club had just about been relegated the season before,” he says. “They’ve been quite fortunate to get out of trouble. So you had to see everything in context.
“There were quality players coming in all the but you still ask questions. How will the team gel, is it the right formula, how strong are other teams going to be? Honestly? I thought we’d be looking at top six.”
His expectations and those over everyone else were raised dramatically when QPR negotiated their first 19 games without defeat. Two results stand out in Derry’s mind: a 3-0 win at Sheffield United on the second weekend of the season and a 2-2 draw at Derby County at the end of August, earned by injury-time goals from Patrick Agyemang and Jamie Mackie.
“Sheffield United struggled quite badly that year but beating them 3-0 at their place amazed me,” Derry said. “I’d played at Bramall Lane so many times over the years and that simply didn’t happen.
“But Derby was the turning point. We were two down with 90 minutes gone and to get a point from that game was ridiculous. I remember Neil coming into the changing room afterwards and saying ‘now you all know what you can achieve this season.’ From there it was 19 games unbeaten, as good a run as you’re ever going to get in the Championship.”
It ended in strangely submissive fashion, with Watford winning 3-1 at Loftus Road on December 10. Eight days later, QPR were beaten again by Leeds in front of a raucous crowd at Elland Road, unable to muster any reply to two goals from Max Gradel.
In an interview with the YEP at the time, Derry broke from convention and stated that the end of Rangers’ unbeaten streak was a good thing. He still believes that it was.
“If you go unbeaten right through the season then great, you win the league,” Derry says. “But what I found was that the run started to put pressure on us the longer it went on. As stupid as it sounds, the players were trying not to lose and it affected our performances. That’s how I saw it. If you look at the games against Watford and Leeds, we were hardly in them. We were well beaten.
“Afterwards, everyone knuckled down and went back to doing what we’d been doing before. It was like a fresh start. We only lost four more games. But I’m not saying the unbeaten run wasn’t crucial. I reckon that any team who get promoted automatically – and this will apply to Leeds – need to have a long spell where they’re playing well and putting results together. If you look back over the years, every promoted team does it.”
Derry keeps his Championship winners’ medal in his sock drawer, hidden from view. Like Warnock, past achievements seem to bother him less than the next one. “I’m very proud of that season but you quickly move on to the next stage and the next challenge,” he says. “When you’re involved in football, the question isn’t what you’ve won but what you’re going to win next. The time to look back is when you’re finished – in my opinion anyway.” Yorkshire Evening Post
A SWANSEA FAN PERSPECTIVE OF SWANSEA & QPR
-Past QPR-Swansea Encounters and Shared Players
A Swansea City Fan Perspective of Swansea and QPR
Many thanks to Chris Carra of http://www.forzaswansea.com/
And many thanks to QPR Report's MaudesFishnChips for this and all other Fan Interviews
How long have you supported Swansea?
I've followed them since a teenager (I'm 26 now), but was never more than a causal supporter until about five years ago when I took more of an active interest!
How did you get to your blog? Has it evolved how you would of expected?
I began the blog just under two years ago as a test to see if I could write something interesting on a topic that I certainly wasn't an expert on back then! It gathered a following quite quickly and was recognised by the national media. It's gone to plan and better if I'm honest!
You have a new inexperienced manager in Laudrup, are Swansea fans happy with this appointment? What are their feelings regarding Rogers departure?
Swans fans in general seem happy with the appointment of Laudrup despite his inexperience at this level – he has a good vision and hopefully he can implement it. As for Rodgers, we were all disappointed when he left; however disappointment soon turned to irritation after his false promises were broken as he began chasing players.
With the loss of Brendan Rogers do you think Swansea’s style of play will be any different this season?
Thankfully Michael Laudrup is going to continue the pass-and-move philosophy that we've had at the club over the past few years so I don't think the style will be very different. We should see more goals though (at both ends) as Laudrup seems to have a more attacking plan in mind.
Are you happy with your team and how things are to date? spending/selling this so far?
The team is looking good at the moment. Laudrup got rid of some dead wood, and the club did great business receiving £15million for Joe Allen. We've also had a few decent looking signings in this transfer window, including Michu and de Guzman, and Flores who was needed in a defence lacking depth.
How do you think Swansea treats its fans? Appreciates them? Listens to them?
Swansea generally listens to the fans – it helps that the supporters trust owns part of the club!
Who are you Dangermen/Most valued/most overrated/most underrated players?
I don't think Swansea have many over-rated players or under-rated players as we are all pretty on the ball when it comes to praising/scorning players here at Swansea. Danger-men are certainly Nathan Dyer on the wing who can trouble to any defence, while Leon Britton is hard to control in the centre and pulls the strings.
Are you happy with your youth set up? Is your club doing enough to bring young/local talent through the ranks?
The club has a good youth squad, though few make it into the first team very often – usually just for cup matches or friendlies.
What is your prediction for Swansea City this season?
It's not going to be easy this season. While I don't see Swansea getting drawn into a relegation battle, they'll need to be sharp from the first game and start taking points immediately. If we can keep up the passing style of play, with a bit more emphasis on attack, there's no reason Swans can't finish near the top ten again. More realistically though, I think about 14th.
What is your view and the general Swansea view of QPR ?
Hmm. Personally I think QPR are a decent side and thoroughly deserved to win the Championship a few years ago. However, I'm not a fan of some of the players as individuals – Barton, Bothroyd and Taarabt aren't particularly nice characters and tend to bring down the reputation of your club. This tends to be the general view of the other Swans fans from what I gather! Still, we like you more than Liverpool!
Your score prediction for QPR v Swansea City?
Swansea never win their opening game and never win away at Loftus Road, so it doesn't bode well for us on Saturday. I'm going to say a draw though: 1-1.
What, realistically, do you think Swansea are capable of achieving in the next five years?
If we can hold onto a manager for enough time and can keep the passing, attacking philosophy we can draw better players, a bigger stadium and grow from a small club to a bigger one. I think the aim would be to establish ourselves in the Premier League for consecutive seasons, then maybe think about grabbing a spot in Europe (the FairPlay league seems our best way in at the moment!)
THANKS AGAIN VERY MUCH.to Chris Carra of http://www.forzaswansea.com
A Swansea City Fan Perspective of Swansea and QPR
Many thanks to Chris Carra of http://www.forzaswansea.com/
And many thanks to QPR Report's MaudesFishnChips for this and all other Fan Interviews
How long have you supported Swansea?
I've followed them since a teenager (I'm 26 now), but was never more than a causal supporter until about five years ago when I took more of an active interest!
How did you get to your blog? Has it evolved how you would of expected?
I began the blog just under two years ago as a test to see if I could write something interesting on a topic that I certainly wasn't an expert on back then! It gathered a following quite quickly and was recognised by the national media. It's gone to plan and better if I'm honest!
You have a new inexperienced manager in Laudrup, are Swansea fans happy with this appointment? What are their feelings regarding Rogers departure?
Swans fans in general seem happy with the appointment of Laudrup despite his inexperience at this level – he has a good vision and hopefully he can implement it. As for Rodgers, we were all disappointed when he left; however disappointment soon turned to irritation after his false promises were broken as he began chasing players.
With the loss of Brendan Rogers do you think Swansea’s style of play will be any different this season?
Thankfully Michael Laudrup is going to continue the pass-and-move philosophy that we've had at the club over the past few years so I don't think the style will be very different. We should see more goals though (at both ends) as Laudrup seems to have a more attacking plan in mind.
Are you happy with your team and how things are to date? spending/selling this so far?
The team is looking good at the moment. Laudrup got rid of some dead wood, and the club did great business receiving £15million for Joe Allen. We've also had a few decent looking signings in this transfer window, including Michu and de Guzman, and Flores who was needed in a defence lacking depth.
How do you think Swansea treats its fans? Appreciates them? Listens to them?
Swansea generally listens to the fans – it helps that the supporters trust owns part of the club!
Who are you Dangermen/Most valued/most overrated/most underrated players?
I don't think Swansea have many over-rated players or under-rated players as we are all pretty on the ball when it comes to praising/scorning players here at Swansea. Danger-men are certainly Nathan Dyer on the wing who can trouble to any defence, while Leon Britton is hard to control in the centre and pulls the strings.
Are you happy with your youth set up? Is your club doing enough to bring young/local talent through the ranks?
The club has a good youth squad, though few make it into the first team very often – usually just for cup matches or friendlies.
What is your prediction for Swansea City this season?
It's not going to be easy this season. While I don't see Swansea getting drawn into a relegation battle, they'll need to be sharp from the first game and start taking points immediately. If we can keep up the passing style of play, with a bit more emphasis on attack, there's no reason Swans can't finish near the top ten again. More realistically though, I think about 14th.
What is your view and the general Swansea view of QPR ?
Hmm. Personally I think QPR are a decent side and thoroughly deserved to win the Championship a few years ago. However, I'm not a fan of some of the players as individuals – Barton, Bothroyd and Taarabt aren't particularly nice characters and tend to bring down the reputation of your club. This tends to be the general view of the other Swans fans from what I gather! Still, we like you more than Liverpool!
Your score prediction for QPR v Swansea City?
Swansea never win their opening game and never win away at Loftus Road, so it doesn't bode well for us on Saturday. I'm going to say a draw though: 1-1.
What, realistically, do you think Swansea are capable of achieving in the next five years?
If we can hold onto a manager for enough time and can keep the passing, attacking philosophy we can draw better players, a bigger stadium and grow from a small club to a bigger one. I think the aim would be to establish ourselves in the Premier League for consecutive seasons, then maybe think about grabbing a spot in Europe (the FairPlay league seems our best way in at the moment!)
THANKS AGAIN VERY MUCH.to Chris Carra of http://www.forzaswansea.com
