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As I initially learned from a QPR messageboard, scheduled for publication today is: The Little Book of Queens Park Rangers by David Clayton . It may not be the deepest book ever written about football, but hopefully it will be a nice addition to the not-that-large QPR Library.
About The Little Book of QPR
Synopsis
Little Book of QPR is a 128-page hardback book written by David Clayton charting the history of Queens Park Rangers. Featuring player profiles of managers, players and historic moments throughout the hoops' illustrious past this fantastic Little Book is packed full of triva, facts and illustrations. From Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles through to Les Ferdinand it will bring back memories of great times past but also touch on the great future the club have under new ownership.
From the Back Cover
From St Jude’s to Queens Park Rangers, from Welford’s Fields to Loftus Road – The Little Book of QPR is an entertaining A-Z trawl through the club’s history and includes mini-biographies on many of the R’s favourite players including Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis, Danny Shittu, Kevin Gallen, Dave Clement, Tony Currie, Akos Buzsaky and Les Ferdinand – to name just a few. Great managers, a potted history of QPR’s famous kit, the story of how the club arrived at Loftus Road, the League Cup triumph and the FA Cup heartache – this is a book no self-respecting Rangers fan should be without." Amazon book Details
- Green Umbrella Publishing
- Little Books
- Other Books by David Clayton
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Dowie Reportedly Saves His Job
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- As noted by a poster on a QPR messageboard, today's Mail on Sunday (Specific article, not currently online) reports that Iain Dowie met last week with QPR Chairman Flavio Briatore - and retained his job! According to the article, "Dowie was close to being sacked when he was summoned to Loftus Road by Briatore last week to discuss a poor run of results."
- Dowie reportedly informed Briatore of the need for strikers - with Championship know-how. An unnamed source is quoted in the Sunday Mail article as saying: "The way the meeting went was a bit unexpected. Iain thought he had nothing to lose and he might as well be up front and honest. Instead of being a yes-man with Flavio, he pointed out what was needed to turn things around, which was new strikers." (Joe Bernstein/Mail on Sunday)
- As noted by a poster on a QPR messageboard, today's Mail on Sunday (Specific article, not currently online) reports that Iain Dowie met last week with QPR Chairman Flavio Briatore - and retained his job! According to the article, "Dowie was close to being sacked when he was summoned to Loftus Road by Briatore last week to discuss a poor run of results."
- Dowie reportedly informed Briatore of the need for strikers - with Championship know-how. An unnamed source is quoted in the Sunday Mail article as saying: "The way the meeting went was a bit unexpected. Iain thought he had nothing to lose and he might as well be up front and honest. Instead of being a yes-man with Flavio, he pointed out what was needed to turn things around, which was new strikers." (Joe Bernstein/Mail on Sunday)
Study: The Advantage of Playing at Home...Damion Stewart's Jamaica (Post Training Ground Fight) Defeat Mexico
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Congratulations to Damion Stewart's Jamaica (Stewart came on in the 75th minute) as they defeated Sven Ericksson's Mexico in Jamaica.
"...Ricardo Fuller, the man who was involved in a bust-up with teammates Damion and Demar Stewart on Thursday night, displayed similar fighting spirit last night as his 14th-minute goal helped Jamaica edge Mexico 1-0...And even with four minutes of time added, the Reggae Boyz rearguard, led superbly by Tyrone Marshall, Ian Goodison, Claude Davis and then Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart, proved too much for the Mexicans... Match Report
Earlier, Stewart and Stoke's Ricardo Fuller had gotten into a training ground, gotten into a fight and been fined - See: "Boyz apologise, fined for training ground bust-up. "...Fuller reacted angrily to a series of tough challenges from defender Demar Stewart. The two are said to have exchanged heated words, which led to a physical exchange, at which point, Stewart's older brother, Damion, got involved..."]
An interesting non-QPR specific article, but something to consider when talk is heard of moving to a new, bigger stadium.
New York Times/Daniel Altman - Keeping Score
It is a busy time in the soccer world. The top teams in Europe and South America are playing multiple tournaments, Major League Soccer is heading for the playoffs, and hundreds of players are participating in qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. With their squads stretched thin, clubs are looking for any kind of edge. The biggest edge of all could be playing at home — but why?
Red Bulls Champions League UEFA Cup Other International Cup International Leagues The home-field advantage is more entrenched in soccer than in perhaps any other sport. To lose at home is viewed as an unacceptable result by fans; inferior teams must be beaten, and good teams must at least be tied. According to the statistics, those expectations are more realistic than one might think.
In the last seven seasons of the English Premier League, the average goal difference a game among teams playing at home was a positive number, 0.39. Those extra goals translated into more points in the standings, too. With 3 points for a win and 1 for a tie, teams garnered an average of 0.57 points more a game at home than on the road.
The home-field advantage is uniform across Europe’s top leagues. In La Liga in Spain, the edge was 0.37 goals and 0.58 points over the past seven years. In Serie A in Italy, it was 0.40 goals and 0.61 points.
Inside the individual leagues, however, there are some stark differences. Of the teams that played all seven seasons in the Premier League, four had by far the biggest home-field advantages: Fulham, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton. For each of those teams, playing at home was worth almost an entire extra goal, and 0.71 to 0.85 additional points.
It may not be too surprising that the top teams, like Manchester United and Chelsea, do not appear in this list. If a team wins all the time, on the road or at home, it has no home-field advantage. But Barcelona, the second-winningest club in Spain, holds one of the widest margins in La Liga — 0.70 additional points — at its legendary Camp Nou.
Indeed, some stadiums can create an intimidating atmosphere. Newcastle is known for its loyal supporters, thousands of whom wear their short-sleeved, black-and-white jerseys to matches even in the biting cold of the northern English winter. And perhaps most feared are fans of the Turkish team Galatasaray, with their tradition of hanging banners that read Welcome to Hell for the benefit of visitors to Ali Sami Yen Stadium.
You don’t need a big, intimidating stadium to have a big home advantage, however. Fulham’s Craven Cottage, in stylish southwest London, seats just 26,000 people — and the team spent two of the last seven seasons playing at Queens Park Rangers’ smaller Loftus Road ground while the Cottage was being expanded. Villarreal’s El Madrigal stadium, which at 0.74 points harbors the biggest home advantage in La Liga, has just 25,000 seats — more than half the population of the town of Villarreal. Compare that with 52,387 seats in Newcastle or 98,772 in Barcelona.
The distance traveled to matches does not seem to play a role. Italian teams always have to make a long trip to play at Cagliari in Sardinia and Palermo in Sicily. Similarly, the island teams must make quite a journey for road games. Although Cagliari had a strong home advantage in its four recent seasons in Serie A, Palermo’s edge was a tad lower than the league average.
In the presence of these paradoxes, other processes are at work. Last year, a team of researchers led by Peter Dawson of the University of Bath published a study on refereeing. They concluded that referees in the Premier League awarded significantly more yellow and red cards to visiting players than to members of the home team.
This result confirmed an earlier psychological study conducted by scientists at the University of Wolverhampton and Liverpool John Moores University, who found that referees were influenced by crowd noise when calling fouls. Referees watching taped matches made fewer calls against the home team, and more against the visitors, when the sound was turned on. But more experienced referees were less likely to favor the home team.
That last discovery could be crucial in explaining why a small team like Fulham, which plays in a stadium that could be characterized as friendly, has a big home advantage. On any given weekend, the most experienced referees in England are usually handling the games involving the most powerful teams. In the meantime, little Fulham’s fans can make their presence known to the novices who go to the Cottage, and reap the benefits. New York Times
Congratulations to Damion Stewart's Jamaica (Stewart came on in the 75th minute) as they defeated Sven Ericksson's Mexico in Jamaica.
"...Ricardo Fuller, the man who was involved in a bust-up with teammates Damion and Demar Stewart on Thursday night, displayed similar fighting spirit last night as his 14th-minute goal helped Jamaica edge Mexico 1-0...And even with four minutes of time added, the Reggae Boyz rearguard, led superbly by Tyrone Marshall, Ian Goodison, Claude Davis and then Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart, proved too much for the Mexicans... Match Report
Earlier, Stewart and Stoke's Ricardo Fuller had gotten into a training ground, gotten into a fight and been fined - See: "Boyz apologise, fined for training ground bust-up. "...Fuller reacted angrily to a series of tough challenges from defender Demar Stewart. The two are said to have exchanged heated words, which led to a physical exchange, at which point, Stewart's older brother, Damion, got involved..."]
An interesting non-QPR specific article, but something to consider when talk is heard of moving to a new, bigger stadium.
New York Times/Daniel Altman - Keeping Score
It is a busy time in the soccer world. The top teams in Europe and South America are playing multiple tournaments, Major League Soccer is heading for the playoffs, and hundreds of players are participating in qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. With their squads stretched thin, clubs are looking for any kind of edge. The biggest edge of all could be playing at home — but why?
Red Bulls Champions League UEFA Cup Other International Cup International Leagues The home-field advantage is more entrenched in soccer than in perhaps any other sport. To lose at home is viewed as an unacceptable result by fans; inferior teams must be beaten, and good teams must at least be tied. According to the statistics, those expectations are more realistic than one might think.
In the last seven seasons of the English Premier League, the average goal difference a game among teams playing at home was a positive number, 0.39. Those extra goals translated into more points in the standings, too. With 3 points for a win and 1 for a tie, teams garnered an average of 0.57 points more a game at home than on the road.
The home-field advantage is uniform across Europe’s top leagues. In La Liga in Spain, the edge was 0.37 goals and 0.58 points over the past seven years. In Serie A in Italy, it was 0.40 goals and 0.61 points.
Inside the individual leagues, however, there are some stark differences. Of the teams that played all seven seasons in the Premier League, four had by far the biggest home-field advantages: Fulham, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton. For each of those teams, playing at home was worth almost an entire extra goal, and 0.71 to 0.85 additional points.
It may not be too surprising that the top teams, like Manchester United and Chelsea, do not appear in this list. If a team wins all the time, on the road or at home, it has no home-field advantage. But Barcelona, the second-winningest club in Spain, holds one of the widest margins in La Liga — 0.70 additional points — at its legendary Camp Nou.
Indeed, some stadiums can create an intimidating atmosphere. Newcastle is known for its loyal supporters, thousands of whom wear their short-sleeved, black-and-white jerseys to matches even in the biting cold of the northern English winter. And perhaps most feared are fans of the Turkish team Galatasaray, with their tradition of hanging banners that read Welcome to Hell for the benefit of visitors to Ali Sami Yen Stadium.
You don’t need a big, intimidating stadium to have a big home advantage, however. Fulham’s Craven Cottage, in stylish southwest London, seats just 26,000 people — and the team spent two of the last seven seasons playing at Queens Park Rangers’ smaller Loftus Road ground while the Cottage was being expanded. Villarreal’s El Madrigal stadium, which at 0.74 points harbors the biggest home advantage in La Liga, has just 25,000 seats — more than half the population of the town of Villarreal. Compare that with 52,387 seats in Newcastle or 98,772 in Barcelona.
The distance traveled to matches does not seem to play a role. Italian teams always have to make a long trip to play at Cagliari in Sardinia and Palermo in Sicily. Similarly, the island teams must make quite a journey for road games. Although Cagliari had a strong home advantage in its four recent seasons in Serie A, Palermo’s edge was a tad lower than the league average.
In the presence of these paradoxes, other processes are at work. Last year, a team of researchers led by Peter Dawson of the University of Bath published a study on refereeing. They concluded that referees in the Premier League awarded significantly more yellow and red cards to visiting players than to members of the home team.
This result confirmed an earlier psychological study conducted by scientists at the University of Wolverhampton and Liverpool John Moores University, who found that referees were influenced by crowd noise when calling fouls. Referees watching taped matches made fewer calls against the home team, and more against the visitors, when the sound was turned on. But more experienced referees were less likely to favor the home team.
That last discovery could be crucial in explaining why a small team like Fulham, which plays in a stadium that could be characterized as friendly, has a big home advantage. On any given weekend, the most experienced referees in England are usually handling the games involving the most powerful teams. In the meantime, little Fulham’s fans can make their presence known to the novices who go to the Cottage, and reap the benefits. New York Times
Celebrating Four Ex-QPR Birthdays....Flashback Two Years: Gregegory-Paladini Fan Forum
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Birthdays Today for : Paul Goddard, Alan McDonald, Chris Plummer and Don Howe-
Alan McDonald Turns 45
Born October 12, 1963, For over a decade, McDonald was QPR and Ireland's Center half. QPR's most-capped international. Was assistant manager of QPR under Gary Waddock. He's now manager of Glentoran. Even after he was axed by QPR, continued to say very nice things about the club. McDonald
Wikipedia/McDonald See Also: QPRNet Interview with McDonald
Paul Goddard Turns 49
Born October 12, 1959. In 1979/1980, QPR had a teenage striking duo of Paul Goddard and Clive Allen.In the Summer of 1980, this duo. Goddard was sold to West Ham by Tommy Docherty/Jim Gregory in August 1980 for around million pounds (and Clive Allen, of course joined Arsenal for a million +). Both went on to play for England Goddard See Also: Wikipedia/Goddard
Ex-Manager, Don Howe Turns 73
Born October 12, 1935...Great coach at Arsenal. Took over as manager of QPR after Trevor Francis left. Was in charge of QPR for a year and a half before being replaced by Gerry Francis. Signed Wilkins and Wegerle. Gave Ferdinand his chance. Guided QPR to their amazing 3-1 win at Anfield. Howe See Don Howe/Wikipedia
Chris Plummer Turns 32
Born October 12, 1976...Capped by England U-21 before making his QPR debut in the Summer after QPR were relegated. Often injured, so his career didn't take off as hoped. Plummer
Two Years Ago Today: Paladini-Gregory Fan Forum
Two Years ago Today, October 12, 2006, (Seems like yesterday): Then QPR Chairman, Gianni Paladini and then, just-appointed,QPR Manager, John Gregory, held a Fan Forum, moderated by BBC's Tom Watts. The forum was mostly dominated by manager Gregory.
Fan Forum Details
Birthdays Today for : Paul Goddard, Alan McDonald, Chris Plummer and Don Howe-
Alan McDonald Turns 45
Born October 12, 1963, For over a decade, McDonald was QPR and Ireland's Center half. QPR's most-capped international. Was assistant manager of QPR under Gary Waddock. He's now manager of Glentoran. Even after he was axed by QPR, continued to say very nice things about the club. McDonald
Wikipedia/McDonald See Also: QPRNet Interview with McDonald
Paul Goddard Turns 49
Born October 12, 1959. In 1979/1980, QPR had a teenage striking duo of Paul Goddard and Clive Allen.In the Summer of 1980, this duo. Goddard was sold to West Ham by Tommy Docherty/Jim Gregory in August 1980 for around million pounds (and Clive Allen, of course joined Arsenal for a million +). Both went on to play for England Goddard See Also: Wikipedia/Goddard
Ex-Manager, Don Howe Turns 73
Born October 12, 1935...Great coach at Arsenal. Took over as manager of QPR after Trevor Francis left. Was in charge of QPR for a year and a half before being replaced by Gerry Francis. Signed Wilkins and Wegerle. Gave Ferdinand his chance. Guided QPR to their amazing 3-1 win at Anfield. Howe See Don Howe/Wikipedia
Chris Plummer Turns 32
Born October 12, 1976...Capped by England U-21 before making his QPR debut in the Summer after QPR were relegated. Often injured, so his career didn't take off as hoped. Plummer
Two Years Ago Today: Paladini-Gregory Fan Forum
Two Years ago Today, October 12, 2006, (Seems like yesterday): Then QPR Chairman, Gianni Paladini and then, just-appointed,QPR Manager, John Gregory, held a Fan Forum, moderated by BBC's Tom Watts. The forum was mostly dominated by manager Gregory.
Fan Forum Details
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Actim Index Championship Rankings - QPR Players Not in Top Five of Any Category...Blackstock's QPR Leading Player
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A little disappointing, if not entirely surprising.
Actim Index Championship: Best Five Goalkeepers, Defenders, Midfielders, Strikers - No QPR players in any of the rankings Lists
Actim Championship Index (overall) -
QPR Players in the Top 100 Rankings
- Dexter Blackstock is QPR's leading player, ranking #27th in the Actim Index...Other QPR players in the top 100: Damion Stewart #31...Radek Cerny #45...Mikele Leigtertwood #92 and Fitz Hall #94.
Latest Summary - October 9, 2008
Swansea striker Jason Scotland was the top dog in this week’s Championship Actim Index with a 51-point haul in his side’s 3-1 victory against Wolves. It was Scotland’s best score of the season, moving him up 72 places in the Index to 21st overall. Naturally, the Trinidadian was also named in the team of the week and makes him one of five Swans in the top 100.
Scotland took the plaudits by a single point from Coventry midfielder Jay Tabb and Sheffield United frontman James Beattie . The pair pulled in 50 points apiece at the weekend. For Tabb, it was his reward for a double against Coventry, taking him up to 28th place from 98th. Beattie moved onto 92 points for the season after his own brace - his second and third goals in the Championship this time round.
Oops, I did it again, and again, and again…. Watford’s Tamas Priskin was the weekend’s biggest sinner, being pulled up for seven fouls in his side’s 2-1 win at home to Preston. Saying that, Barnsley’s Martin Devaney was caught six times, along with Preston’s Chris Brown. However, this season’s overall bad boy on the foul front is Plymouth striker Rory Fallon - with 37 to his name.
On the flip side, Bristol City defender Jamie McAllister has the best tackle in the division. Hang on, you’re getting ahead of yourself, the 30-year-old Scot has a league-leading 34 tackles won to his name so far this term. That leaves him 11 ahead of nearest challenger Gary Naysmith over at Bramall Lane. What’s more impressive, McAllister has lost just four of the challenges he has attempted.
Kevin Doyle is still top of the Championship Actim Index, mainly down to the fact that he’s a home boy. The Irish hotshot has earned 243 points so far this season - 10 clear of team-mate Stephen Hunt - but a remarkable 202 of those points have come at the Madejski Stadium. It gives Doyle an impressive 40-point average at home, but even that is not enough to usurp third-placed Chris Iwelumo. The Wolves man is due to return after serving his three-match ban but currently averages 46 points per game at Molineux.
While we’re on the subject of Iwelumo, he heads into the international break with the best points-tally on his travels. The Scot has amassed 99 points without his home comforts. Blackpool’s Gary-Taylor Fletcher comes in slightly behind with 93 points.
Who has the most interceptions this season? Nope, it’s nothing to do with the Miami Dolphins. There’s an interesting little battle developing between Preston’s Sean St. Ledger and Bristol City’s Liam Fontaine. The pair have 17 interceptions apiece in the league this season, three clear of the chasing pack. Not sure the NFL will come knocking mind you. Actim
A little disappointing, if not entirely surprising.
Actim Index Championship: Best Five Goalkeepers, Defenders, Midfielders, Strikers - No QPR players in any of the rankings Lists
Actim Championship Index (overall) -
QPR Players in the Top 100 Rankings
- Dexter Blackstock is QPR's leading player, ranking #27th in the Actim Index...Other QPR players in the top 100: Damion Stewart #31...Radek Cerny #45...Mikele Leigtertwood #92 and Fitz Hall #94.
Latest Summary - October 9, 2008
Swansea striker Jason Scotland was the top dog in this week’s Championship Actim Index with a 51-point haul in his side’s 3-1 victory against Wolves. It was Scotland’s best score of the season, moving him up 72 places in the Index to 21st overall. Naturally, the Trinidadian was also named in the team of the week and makes him one of five Swans in the top 100.
Scotland took the plaudits by a single point from Coventry midfielder Jay Tabb and Sheffield United frontman James Beattie . The pair pulled in 50 points apiece at the weekend. For Tabb, it was his reward for a double against Coventry, taking him up to 28th place from 98th. Beattie moved onto 92 points for the season after his own brace - his second and third goals in the Championship this time round.
Oops, I did it again, and again, and again…. Watford’s Tamas Priskin was the weekend’s biggest sinner, being pulled up for seven fouls in his side’s 2-1 win at home to Preston. Saying that, Barnsley’s Martin Devaney was caught six times, along with Preston’s Chris Brown. However, this season’s overall bad boy on the foul front is Plymouth striker Rory Fallon - with 37 to his name.
On the flip side, Bristol City defender Jamie McAllister has the best tackle in the division. Hang on, you’re getting ahead of yourself, the 30-year-old Scot has a league-leading 34 tackles won to his name so far this term. That leaves him 11 ahead of nearest challenger Gary Naysmith over at Bramall Lane. What’s more impressive, McAllister has lost just four of the challenges he has attempted.
Kevin Doyle is still top of the Championship Actim Index, mainly down to the fact that he’s a home boy. The Irish hotshot has earned 243 points so far this season - 10 clear of team-mate Stephen Hunt - but a remarkable 202 of those points have come at the Madejski Stadium. It gives Doyle an impressive 40-point average at home, but even that is not enough to usurp third-placed Chris Iwelumo. The Wolves man is due to return after serving his three-match ban but currently averages 46 points per game at Molineux.
While we’re on the subject of Iwelumo, he heads into the international break with the best points-tally on his travels. The Scot has amassed 99 points without his home comforts. Blackpool’s Gary-Taylor Fletcher comes in slightly behind with 93 points.
Who has the most interceptions this season? Nope, it’s nothing to do with the Miami Dolphins. There’s an interesting little battle developing between Preston’s Sean St. Ledger and Bristol City’s Liam Fontaine. The pair have 17 interceptions apiece in the league this season, three clear of the chasing pack. Not sure the NFL will come knocking mind you. Actim
QPR Fans Might be Surprised: Stoke City Supporters Ranked Seventh Best Behaved
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Best Behaved Fans in Premiership League
Stoke Official Site - Club Praise Well Behaved Fans
Stoke City supporters are the seventh best behaved supporters in the Barclays Premier League, according to a Fair Play Table released by the League today.
The table, that includes the behaviour of fans up to and including the home match with Chelsea, sees the City faithful up in 7th place with 49 points.
Points are compiled from marks awarded by Premier League Match Delegates who are present at every game, with ten points the maximum a club can be given for each match.
Prize money of £20,000 is awarded to the club whose supporters are deemed to be the best behaved at the end of the season.
We would like to thank the supporters for their fantastic vocal support and good behaviour during every game so far this campaign.
See "Fair Play League Table" Stoke
Flashback: "Stoke fans attack QPR's Royce" and "Thug attacks QPR keeper"
Best Behaved Fans in Premiership League
Stoke Official Site - Club Praise Well Behaved Fans
Stoke City supporters are the seventh best behaved supporters in the Barclays Premier League, according to a Fair Play Table released by the League today.
The table, that includes the behaviour of fans up to and including the home match with Chelsea, sees the City faithful up in 7th place with 49 points.
Points are compiled from marks awarded by Premier League Match Delegates who are present at every game, with ten points the maximum a club can be given for each match.
Prize money of £20,000 is awarded to the club whose supporters are deemed to be the best behaved at the end of the season.
We would like to thank the supporters for their fantastic vocal support and good behaviour during every game so far this campaign.
See "Fair Play League Table" Stoke
Flashback: "Stoke fans attack QPR's Royce" and "Thug attacks QPR keeper"
Snippets: Damion Stewart on Jamaica and QPR...Kingfisher's Vijay Mallya
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Jamaica Observer - 'Stew Peas', a Jamaican favourite despite everything
- Towering former Harbour View defender Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart is hoping to find favour with head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore as the Reggae Boyz go in search of a win against Mexico here at the National Stadium at 7:00 pm today.
- Stewart, the 28-year-old, 6'3" defender who plies his trade at Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in the English Championship League, makes his comeback for the first time since last representing the national senior team against Costa Rica here in an international friendly in February.
- "It has been good, I am glad to be back, but we want a win on Saturday (today) and I hope to be on the pitch," Stewart told Sporting World on Thursday.
- "Everyone knows of the importance of the game, so there is no question about the vibes, because everyone is up for it and we just need to get the best 11 on the pitch...," he added.
The no-nonsense, hard-tackling defender, who scored two goals for Queens Park rangers in recent weeks, admitted that he felt hurt after being overlooked for the first half of the World Cup Qualifiers by former technical director, Brazilian Rene Simoes.
"Obviously it hurts when you see a national team being called and you are not involved, but when you are out it makes you realise that what you do abroad at the club level you need to cherish it, because it is not all the time that a coach is going to fancy you and call you to represent your country," he reasoned.
"It (being left out) motivated me to try to work harder and after that I started doing better for my club," he said.
The man who signed a three-year contract with QPR in the summer of 2006, scored five goals for his club from defence last season and he said he is enjoying his time in England.
"It has been going pretty well at this time because I have established myself in the team again this season, but over the past few weeks we have got a few dodgy results, but we hope to get that straight soon.
"This is my third season, but like it has been throughout my career, I have to keep proving myself every time and I got my chance this season and the 'Gaffer' (manager) is liking what I am producing on the pitch."
Stewart was dismissed in a game at the end of last season and was suspended for the first game of this new season, but since then he has managed to get his act together and won back his place in the starting team.
"I got a red card at the end of last season, so I missed the first game and a new centreback came in and the team won and I had to watch the second game from the bench, but the team lost that match so I got my chance to get back in.
"But I am definitely enjoying my time in England and hopefully we can push for promotion to the Premiership this season, because obviously you haven't really tested yourself until you play against the best and that is the Premiership which my dream and that's where I want to be," he said. Jamaica Observer
News re Finances of QPR's Purported New Sponsor
[Although according to messageboards postings by some ostensibly "in-the-know," this purportive new sponsor may not after all be involved with QPR. So have to wait and see. This article makes no such suggestion.]
Aviation Week - Kingfisher, Jet Airways Drop International Routes
"Kingfisher Airlines is likely to stop its international operations following the deepening financial crisis that has hit the Indian airline industry, just as Jet Airways also announced "optimization" of its long-haul network....AviationWeek also was told on Friday that Chairman Vijay Mallya, who owns the Formula One Force India team, was rushing back from Japan to meet the government officials on Saturday....
"...With more than 300 employees being laid off, there is more trouble brewing for the carrier whose chairman came under criticism recently for negotiating a shirt sponsorship deal for 20 million pounds with the U.K.s Queens Park Rangers to advertise his Kingfisher beer on the team shirts. The five-year agreement could also include the naming rights of a stadium to Kingfisher Stadium...." Aviation Week
Today's Times profiles "The flamboyant tycoon behind Kingfisher Airlines
He built a £4 billion empire with beer and now hopes to rule the skies. Vijay Mallya is India’s high-flying tycoon" - (The article mentions the Formula One, but no QPR/Football references.)The Times
- Also: Wikipedia Profile of Vijay Mallya
Jamaica Observer - 'Stew Peas', a Jamaican favourite despite everything
- Towering former Harbour View defender Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart is hoping to find favour with head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore as the Reggae Boyz go in search of a win against Mexico here at the National Stadium at 7:00 pm today.
- Stewart, the 28-year-old, 6'3" defender who plies his trade at Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in the English Championship League, makes his comeback for the first time since last representing the national senior team against Costa Rica here in an international friendly in February.
- "It has been good, I am glad to be back, but we want a win on Saturday (today) and I hope to be on the pitch," Stewart told Sporting World on Thursday.
- "Everyone knows of the importance of the game, so there is no question about the vibes, because everyone is up for it and we just need to get the best 11 on the pitch...," he added.
The no-nonsense, hard-tackling defender, who scored two goals for Queens Park rangers in recent weeks, admitted that he felt hurt after being overlooked for the first half of the World Cup Qualifiers by former technical director, Brazilian Rene Simoes.
"Obviously it hurts when you see a national team being called and you are not involved, but when you are out it makes you realise that what you do abroad at the club level you need to cherish it, because it is not all the time that a coach is going to fancy you and call you to represent your country," he reasoned.
"It (being left out) motivated me to try to work harder and after that I started doing better for my club," he said.
The man who signed a three-year contract with QPR in the summer of 2006, scored five goals for his club from defence last season and he said he is enjoying his time in England.
"It has been going pretty well at this time because I have established myself in the team again this season, but over the past few weeks we have got a few dodgy results, but we hope to get that straight soon.
"This is my third season, but like it has been throughout my career, I have to keep proving myself every time and I got my chance this season and the 'Gaffer' (manager) is liking what I am producing on the pitch."
Stewart was dismissed in a game at the end of last season and was suspended for the first game of this new season, but since then he has managed to get his act together and won back his place in the starting team.
"I got a red card at the end of last season, so I missed the first game and a new centreback came in and the team won and I had to watch the second game from the bench, but the team lost that match so I got my chance to get back in.
"But I am definitely enjoying my time in England and hopefully we can push for promotion to the Premiership this season, because obviously you haven't really tested yourself until you play against the best and that is the Premiership which my dream and that's where I want to be," he said. Jamaica Observer
News re Finances of QPR's Purported New Sponsor
[Although according to messageboards postings by some ostensibly "in-the-know," this purportive new sponsor may not after all be involved with QPR. So have to wait and see. This article makes no such suggestion.]
Aviation Week - Kingfisher, Jet Airways Drop International Routes
"Kingfisher Airlines is likely to stop its international operations following the deepening financial crisis that has hit the Indian airline industry, just as Jet Airways also announced "optimization" of its long-haul network....AviationWeek also was told on Friday that Chairman Vijay Mallya, who owns the Formula One Force India team, was rushing back from Japan to meet the government officials on Saturday....
"...With more than 300 employees being laid off, there is more trouble brewing for the carrier whose chairman came under criticism recently for negotiating a shirt sponsorship deal for 20 million pounds with the U.K.s Queens Park Rangers to advertise his Kingfisher beer on the team shirts. The five-year agreement could also include the naming rights of a stadium to Kingfisher Stadium...." Aviation Week
Today's Times profiles "The flamboyant tycoon behind Kingfisher Airlines
He built a £4 billion empire with beer and now hopes to rule the skies. Vijay Mallya is India’s high-flying tycoon" - (The article mentions the Formula One, but no QPR/Football references.)The Times
- Also: Wikipedia Profile of Vijay Mallya
Hitting Sixty-Four: Rodney Marsh!
-
Rod...neee Turns 64:
Born October 11, 1944, Rodney Marsh... So much could be said about Marsh from 1966-1972, THE QPR star, that nothing really needs to be said. The perennial question re Marsh and QPR: Who was better: Marsh or Stan Bowles. But both were just brilliant.
A few links: Marsh Photos or Wikipedia/Marsh or Dave's Queens Park Rangers Marsh Profile and QPRnet Q&A with Marsh . -- Full career Profile/Review Rodney Marsh personal website -- Videos --- Videos II (His 1967 goal, 20 seconds into the video)
Marsh's QPR Record
1965-66 -16 league games -8 goals
1966-67 - 41 league games - 30 goals
1967-68 - 25 league games - 14 goals
1968-69 - 22 league games - 4 goals
1969-70 - 38 league games- 12 goals
1970-71 - 39 league games - 21 goals
1971-72 - 30 league games- 17 goals
Rodney Marsh joined QPR from Fulham in March 1966.
Then March 19, 1966: Marsh made his debut away to Peterborough. Drew 1-1 and didn't score. The team for Marsh's debut: Peter Springett -Langley, Hunt Sibley Watson - Lazarus, Keen, Roger Morgan, Allen, Collins Marsh.
(The following week, Marsh made his home debut and scored twice in a 6-1 win over Millwall. Other scorers: Collins, Les Allen, Mark Lazaru & Roger Morgan)
Marsh's last game for QPR: March 4, 1972 away to Bristol City. QPR lost 0-2
Parkes - Clement Hazell Mancini Gillard - Francis Busby Hunt - Marsh O'Rourke Mcculloch Sub Leach (Note 7 "home growns" in the 12 - and Clement, Hazell, Hunt and Leach along with Watson were playing for QPR when Marsh joined)
In all, Marsh scored 106 goals in 211 League Games for QPR. In the 1966/67 season, Marsh was the country's top goalscorer with 44 goals (30 League goals. 11 Legue cup goals. 3 FA cup goals.)
MORE MARSH/QPR MEMORIES:
Memories 1
Memories II
Also Marsh Q& A
Two OTher Ex-QPR Birthdays Today
Danny Maddix Turns 41
Born - October 11, 1967. Defender, signed from Spurs on a Free Transfer by Jim Smith in July 1987. Given a free transfer in July 2001 after almost 300 games - See Maddix/Wikipedia
Vic Mobley Turns Sixty-Five Born October 11, 1943 is 65
Signed from Sheffield Wednesdsay by Les Allen, in October 1969 for 55,000 pounds. Unfortunately Mobley was shortly after injured (or was "pre-injured" when QPR signed him), and only played 30+ games for QPR.
Rod...neee Turns 64:
Born October 11, 1944, Rodney Marsh... So much could be said about Marsh from 1966-1972, THE QPR star, that nothing really needs to be said. The perennial question re Marsh and QPR: Who was better: Marsh or Stan Bowles. But both were just brilliant.
A few links: Marsh Photos or Wikipedia/Marsh or Dave's Queens Park Rangers Marsh Profile and QPRnet Q&A with Marsh . -- Full career Profile/Review Rodney Marsh personal website -- Videos --- Videos II (His 1967 goal, 20 seconds into the video)
Marsh's QPR Record
1965-66 -16 league games -8 goals
1966-67 - 41 league games - 30 goals
1967-68 - 25 league games - 14 goals
1968-69 - 22 league games - 4 goals
1969-70 - 38 league games- 12 goals
1970-71 - 39 league games - 21 goals
1971-72 - 30 league games- 17 goals
Rodney Marsh joined QPR from Fulham in March 1966.
Then March 19, 1966: Marsh made his debut away to Peterborough. Drew 1-1 and didn't score. The team for Marsh's debut: Peter Springett -Langley, Hunt Sibley Watson - Lazarus, Keen, Roger Morgan, Allen, Collins Marsh.
(The following week, Marsh made his home debut and scored twice in a 6-1 win over Millwall. Other scorers: Collins, Les Allen, Mark Lazaru & Roger Morgan)
Marsh's last game for QPR: March 4, 1972 away to Bristol City. QPR lost 0-2
Parkes - Clement Hazell Mancini Gillard - Francis Busby Hunt - Marsh O'Rourke Mcculloch Sub Leach (Note 7 "home growns" in the 12 - and Clement, Hazell, Hunt and Leach along with Watson were playing for QPR when Marsh joined)
In all, Marsh scored 106 goals in 211 League Games for QPR. In the 1966/67 season, Marsh was the country's top goalscorer with 44 goals (30 League goals. 11 Legue cup goals. 3 FA cup goals.)
MORE MARSH/QPR MEMORIES:
Memories 1
Memories II
Also Marsh Q& A
Two OTher Ex-QPR Birthdays Today
Danny Maddix Turns 41
Born - October 11, 1967. Defender, signed from Spurs on a Free Transfer by Jim Smith in July 1987. Given a free transfer in July 2001 after almost 300 games - See Maddix/Wikipedia
Vic Mobley Turns Sixty-Five Born October 11, 1943 is 65
Signed from Sheffield Wednesdsay by Les Allen, in October 1969 for 55,000 pounds. Unfortunately Mobley was shortly after injured (or was "pre-injured" when QPR signed him), and only played 30+ games for QPR.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Lee Camp Reportedly Available for Sale
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Dave McIntyre - BBC 606 - Camp can go - and Cerny's under threat
Lee Camp has been told he can leave QPR if another club comes in for him.
Rangers recently made Camp available for a loan move but are now ready to offload him and have started the search for another keeper.
And Radek Cerny, who has kept him out this season, could also find himself out of the picture in the near future.
Cerny has looked unconvincing at times and Rangers are eyeing a possible alternative as first-choice keeper, not merely another back-up option to replace Camp.
The writing was on the wall for Camp when he continued to be overlooked despite some shaky performances by Cerny.
But there is a strong possibility that neither man will be in the Rangers side during the second half of the season, with a number of other keepers now being looked at.
One player very much in contention for a midfield place is recent signing Damiano Tommasi.
He is likely to feature in another reserve game next week and is being lined up to play at least some part against Nottingham Forest after the international break." BBC606
Dave McIntyre - BBC 606 - Camp can go - and Cerny's under threat
Lee Camp has been told he can leave QPR if another club comes in for him.
Rangers recently made Camp available for a loan move but are now ready to offload him and have started the search for another keeper.
And Radek Cerny, who has kept him out this season, could also find himself out of the picture in the near future.
Cerny has looked unconvincing at times and Rangers are eyeing a possible alternative as first-choice keeper, not merely another back-up option to replace Camp.
The writing was on the wall for Camp when he continued to be overlooked despite some shaky performances by Cerny.
But there is a strong possibility that neither man will be in the Rangers side during the second half of the season, with a number of other keepers now being looked at.
One player very much in contention for a midfield place is recent signing Damiano Tommasi.
He is likely to feature in another reserve game next week and is being lined up to play at least some part against Nottingham Forest after the international break." BBC606
Manchester United vs QPR - Ticket Details From Manchester United
-
[No reference of course to QPR's supposed role in the relatively-high price of the tickets]
Manchester United Official Site/Stephen Powell Carling Cup tickets
Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers, Carling Cup 4th Round, Tuesday 11 November, 20:00 BST
Goals from Ronaldo, Giggs and Nani sent United soaring past Middlesbrough and into the Carling Cup fourth round. Now the Reds will face Championship challengers QPR for the first time in over 10 years.
QPR boss Iain Dowie oversaw United's shock exit from the competition last season when he brought his Coventry City side to Old Trafford and left with a 2-0 victory - something which the Reds will be keen not to see repeated.
SALES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC:
Tickets are now available to the General Public who can purchase tickets on a best available basis online, by visiting Ticketing & Membership Services or by calling 0161 868 8000.
SALES TO MEMBERS:
One United Members can gain their discount and purchase a ticket for this game by visiting Ticketing & Membership Services or by calling 0161 868 8000 option 1 and speaking to an operator.
SEASON TICKET HOLDERS:
It is advisable to keep an eye on your bank statement or Carling Cup tickets
alternatively view your online booking history on the website to ensure that your transaction was processed without any difficulties. We envisage that payments will be taken from Wednesday 1 October.
IMPORTANT OPT-OUT INFORMATION:
The deadline to 'opt-out' of this fixture was 20:00 BST on Tuesday 30 September. Additionally any Season Ticket Holders who have chosen to ‘opt out’ of purchasing tickets for all Carling Cup home games during the renewal process, can purchase a ticket for this game by calling 0161 868 8000.
Non-Member Ticket Prices
£53 - North / South Upper Centre
£50 - North / South Upper Wings
£47 - North South Lower Centre
£47 - North Stand Tier 2
£45 - North South Lower Wings
£45 - North / East Quad. Tier 2
£41 - North East/West Quad. Tier 1
£40 - East West Stand Tier 1
£40 - East West Stand Tier 2
£38 - Family Stand
£37 - North Stand Tier 3
£31 - East / West Stand Lower
All under-16s tickets are priced £10 and over-65s tickets are priced £13 - £29.
Manchester United
Also QPR Official Site Ticket Details
"Initial allocation of 6,000 Tickets priced:
Adults: £40.00
Senior Citizens over 65's: £22.50
Junior Under 16's: £10.00...
QPR Official Site re Tickets
[No reference of course to QPR's supposed role in the relatively-high price of the tickets]
Manchester United Official Site/Stephen Powell Carling Cup tickets
Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers, Carling Cup 4th Round, Tuesday 11 November, 20:00 BST
Goals from Ronaldo, Giggs and Nani sent United soaring past Middlesbrough and into the Carling Cup fourth round. Now the Reds will face Championship challengers QPR for the first time in over 10 years.
QPR boss Iain Dowie oversaw United's shock exit from the competition last season when he brought his Coventry City side to Old Trafford and left with a 2-0 victory - something which the Reds will be keen not to see repeated.
SALES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC:
Tickets are now available to the General Public who can purchase tickets on a best available basis online, by visiting Ticketing & Membership Services or by calling 0161 868 8000.
SALES TO MEMBERS:
One United Members can gain their discount and purchase a ticket for this game by visiting Ticketing & Membership Services or by calling 0161 868 8000 option 1 and speaking to an operator.
SEASON TICKET HOLDERS:
It is advisable to keep an eye on your bank statement or Carling Cup tickets
alternatively view your online booking history on the website to ensure that your transaction was processed without any difficulties. We envisage that payments will be taken from Wednesday 1 October.
IMPORTANT OPT-OUT INFORMATION:
The deadline to 'opt-out' of this fixture was 20:00 BST on Tuesday 30 September. Additionally any Season Ticket Holders who have chosen to ‘opt out’ of purchasing tickets for all Carling Cup home games during the renewal process, can purchase a ticket for this game by calling 0161 868 8000.
Non-Member Ticket Prices
£53 - North / South Upper Centre
£50 - North / South Upper Wings
£47 - North South Lower Centre
£47 - North Stand Tier 2
£45 - North South Lower Wings
£45 - North / East Quad. Tier 2
£41 - North East/West Quad. Tier 1
£40 - East West Stand Tier 1
£40 - East West Stand Tier 2
£38 - Family Stand
£37 - North Stand Tier 3
£31 - East / West Stand Lower
All under-16s tickets are priced £10 and over-65s tickets are priced £13 - £29.
Manchester United
Also QPR Official Site Ticket Details
"Initial allocation of 6,000 Tickets priced:
Adults: £40.00
Senior Citizens over 65's: £22.50
Junior Under 16's: £10.00...
QPR Official Site re Tickets
Briatore's QPR Featured in "Hello Magazine"...Ainsworth Urges Support...Trialing With Swansea...Rowlands NOT Called up...Stefan Moore at Kidderminster
-
With the current financial situation, have to wonder about the future (or importance)of such items and focus on the "Beautiful People." (On the other hand, might be argued that it's in precisely such times, that people want to be distracted, etc.
As noted on a couple of QPR messageboards, in the current issue of Hello Magazine
"FLAVIO BRIATORE invites us to join celebrity guests at a high-octane party at QPR" Hello
Meanwile on the Official Site, QPR player Coach, Gareth Ainsworth, repeats the thrust of what he was saying in this week's Kilburn Times -
QPR Official Site GAZ: IT'S A CRAZY WORLD!
The message is clear from Gareth Ainsworth: 'Let's remember how far we've come.'
As the R's preparations continue ahead of the visit of Nottingham Forest to Loftus Road next Saturday, the Rangers Player / Coach has hit back at the small minority of fans who he believes have 'forgotten how far the Club has come' over the last 12 months or so.
"We've come a long way in a short space of time and we need to remember that," Ainsworth told www.qpr.co.uk.
"You come across people in football who seem to have daily or weekly opinions which change as often as the weather - it's crazy."
Despite a recent blip, which has seen the R's pick up just one point from four Championship fixtures, Ainsworth believes the Super Hoops are on the right path to building 'something special' in W12.
"QPR is a fantastic place to be, and thankfully the majority of the fans have still got their feet on the ground," he said.
"They recognise that we are slowly building something special here. Unfortunately, there's a minority who have got carried away by the expectations surrounding the Club."
Ainsworth added: "A couple of years ago we were fighting relegation and the fans were unbelievable - right behind us.
"I remember hobbling off at Loftus Road after breaking my leg against Luton. I looked at the crowd, and the fans were giving me the clinched fist - the place was just buzzing. It was like we were going for promotion that day. Yet last month we slipped to fifth in the table and a small minority booed us off!
"I know the majority of the fans will make themselves heard and get behind us. That's what we need. Intimidate the opposition, support the R's and we'll do our best to make you proud." QPR
NOT Martin Rowlands:
Three additional players called up by Ireland for the cyprus game. Martin Rowlands (who played for 35 minutes against Nottingham Forest for Republic Of Ireland B Team) is not one of them - Ireland Call ups
Evening Post - QPR's Josh Ford Trialing with Swansea
"Swansea have taken 18-year-old Queens Park Rangers defender Josh Ford on trial.
Bristol-born Ford played 90 minutes as Swansea's second string drew 0-0 at Bristol City on Wednesday..." Evening Post
Kidderminster Harriers Official Site - Harrier Make Moore Deal
KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS can this afternoon confirm the short-term signing of former Aston Villa and QPR striker Stefan Moore.
The 25 year-old has spent the last couple of weeks training with the club, and penned a deal at Aggborough this lunchtime that will see him stay for at least a the next month.
Moore began his career Villa along side brother Luke, and was Captain of the youth side that won the FA Youth Cup back in 2002.
He progressed through to the first-team with the Premiership outfit and made 22 appearances, scoring twice before leaving in 2005 to join QPR.
The striker has spent time out on loan at the likes of Leicester City, Milwall and Port Vale, and most recently featured for League One side Walsall last season, scoring on his debut.
"Stefan will stay with us for a month initially, with a view to something longer after that," boss Mark Yates told harriers.co.uk.
"We've offered him a deal we could afford, but it's not really been an issue of money for him, he just wants to be involved with what we're trying to do and prove that he's a good player."
Stefan goes straight into the squad for Harriers' home game against Ebbsfleet United at Aggborough in the Blue Square Premier tomorrow (3.00pm).Site
With the current financial situation, have to wonder about the future (or importance)of such items and focus on the "Beautiful People." (On the other hand, might be argued that it's in precisely such times, that people want to be distracted, etc.
As noted on a couple of QPR messageboards, in the current issue of Hello Magazine
"FLAVIO BRIATORE invites us to join celebrity guests at a high-octane party at QPR" Hello
Meanwile on the Official Site, QPR player Coach, Gareth Ainsworth, repeats the thrust of what he was saying in this week's Kilburn Times -
QPR Official Site GAZ: IT'S A CRAZY WORLD!
The message is clear from Gareth Ainsworth: 'Let's remember how far we've come.'
As the R's preparations continue ahead of the visit of Nottingham Forest to Loftus Road next Saturday, the Rangers Player / Coach has hit back at the small minority of fans who he believes have 'forgotten how far the Club has come' over the last 12 months or so.
"We've come a long way in a short space of time and we need to remember that," Ainsworth told www.qpr.co.uk.
"You come across people in football who seem to have daily or weekly opinions which change as often as the weather - it's crazy."
Despite a recent blip, which has seen the R's pick up just one point from four Championship fixtures, Ainsworth believes the Super Hoops are on the right path to building 'something special' in W12.
"QPR is a fantastic place to be, and thankfully the majority of the fans have still got their feet on the ground," he said.
"They recognise that we are slowly building something special here. Unfortunately, there's a minority who have got carried away by the expectations surrounding the Club."
Ainsworth added: "A couple of years ago we were fighting relegation and the fans were unbelievable - right behind us.
"I remember hobbling off at Loftus Road after breaking my leg against Luton. I looked at the crowd, and the fans were giving me the clinched fist - the place was just buzzing. It was like we were going for promotion that day. Yet last month we slipped to fifth in the table and a small minority booed us off!
"I know the majority of the fans will make themselves heard and get behind us. That's what we need. Intimidate the opposition, support the R's and we'll do our best to make you proud." QPR
NOT Martin Rowlands:
Three additional players called up by Ireland for the cyprus game. Martin Rowlands (who played for 35 minutes against Nottingham Forest for Republic Of Ireland B Team) is not one of them - Ireland Call ups
Evening Post - QPR's Josh Ford Trialing with Swansea
"Swansea have taken 18-year-old Queens Park Rangers defender Josh Ford on trial.
Bristol-born Ford played 90 minutes as Swansea's second string drew 0-0 at Bristol City on Wednesday..." Evening Post
Kidderminster Harriers Official Site - Harrier Make Moore Deal
KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS can this afternoon confirm the short-term signing of former Aston Villa and QPR striker Stefan Moore.
The 25 year-old has spent the last couple of weeks training with the club, and penned a deal at Aggborough this lunchtime that will see him stay for at least a the next month.
Moore began his career Villa along side brother Luke, and was Captain of the youth side that won the FA Youth Cup back in 2002.
He progressed through to the first-team with the Premiership outfit and made 22 appearances, scoring twice before leaving in 2005 to join QPR.
The striker has spent time out on loan at the likes of Leicester City, Milwall and Port Vale, and most recently featured for League One side Walsall last season, scoring on his debut.
"Stefan will stay with us for a month initially, with a view to something longer after that," boss Mark Yates told harriers.co.uk.
"We've offered him a deal we could afford, but it's not really been an issue of money for him, he just wants to be involved with what we're trying to do and prove that he's a good player."
Stefan goes straight into the squad for Harriers' home game against Ebbsfleet United at Aggborough in the Blue Square Premier tomorrow (3.00pm).Site
QPR's "Greedy Directors" and Manchester United Prices...Tommasi (Finally) Arrives at Loftus Road...Rowlands Plays...No Lomas...Wilks Anniversary
-
Another Daily Mail/Charles Sale "critique"
Charles Sale/Daily Mail - Rangers fans angry over ticket prices
"There is huge and understandable unrest among QPR fans about the £40 cost of seats at Old Trafford for the Carling Cup match on November 11 when Manchester United themselves wanted to reduce prices.
The greedy QPR directors, who have the greatest combined personal wealth of any British club apart from Manchester City, declined an offer that might have reduced their 40 per cent share of gate revenue." Daily Mail
Damiano Tommasi: Interesting if Tommasi just got here. He (signed a month ago). (Tomassi played for the reserves in the midweek loss to Southampton.)
Goal.com/Adrian Del Monte - Tommasi Arrives In London
Former AS Roma midfielder Damiano Tommasi, who signed for English Championship side Queens Park Rangers just under a month ago on a one year deal, has arrived in London to meet his new club.
- Damiano Tommasi spent ten prolific years of his career in the Italian capital, and became an icon of Roma. He commenced his playing career with the capital club in 1996, following a five year stint at Verona. For the Giallorossi, Tommasi managed 262 appearances and became one of the most influential and hard-working midfielders in the Serie A.
- He went on to win a Scudetto with the Giallorossi in the 2000/01 season, where he proved to be a key figure throughout the season. It was also at this time that the midfielder consolidated his spot in the Italian national side, earning an eventual total of 25 caps.
- After a serious injury in 2004, many thought Tommasi’s career was finished. However, he defied the odds and returned to the Italian top flight to play for a minimum wage of €1500 a month. His loyalty and dedication to the club proved to be one of the most beautiful tales in Italian football.
- Restricted by this serious left knee injury over time, Tommasi who is now 34 years of age, has signed with the London club on a one-year contract, after he was released by Spanish side Levante, where he spent the last two seasons.
- “The signing of Damiano adds great experience to the team - said the coach Iain Dowie. “He has played at the highest level and a player of his caliber can only be beneficial for QPR.”
- The 34-year-old has now arrived in London to begin a new adventure alongside fellow Italian Flavio Briatore, who a year ago bought the Queens Park Rangers, a fallen English football club, with only one objective in mind: the Premier League." Adrian Del Monte - Goalcom
Elsewhere:
- Martin Rowlands came on as a 55th minuted substitute for the Republic of Ireland B Team against Nottingham Forest (Forest lost 0-2). Report
- Ex-QPR Steve Lomas Does NOT Get Colchester Managerial Job that he was seeking (Nor does Ian Holloway as was rumoured he mght): Former Wycombe manager, Paul Lambert is the new Colchester Manager - BBC
- Former QPR Youth Goalie, Ian Bennet turns 37 ...Released by QPR; joined Jim Smith at Newcastle and went on to have a solid career at Peterborough and Birmingham and a couple of other clubs. Bennet/Wikipedia.
- On This Day, 41 Years Ago: Alan Wilks Set the QPR Scoring Record for Scoring Most Goals in a Game
- October 10, 1967: Alan Wilks, QPR's backup for Rodney Marsh, scored a record five goals (a record for QPR - and a then-League Cup Record) in QPR's 5-1 win vs Oxford United (then still in the Football League) at Loftus Road before a crowd of just under 17,000. (QPR at the time, were of course, the League Cup Holders)
QPR's Team that night:
Springett:
Clement Hunt Keetch Harris
Morgan Leach Keen Morgan
Allen Wilks
Alan Wilks Details
Alan Wilks just turned sixty-two. Born October 5, 1946
Wilks was known as Rodney Marsh's "understudy" which was a big burden to bear. Signed from Chelsea on a free in May 1965. Joined Gillingham in July 1971. Played his most QPR games in 1967/68 and 1968/69. Wilks played in QPR's first ever game in the First Division (home to Leicester). That season, played 17+3 games, scoring 5 goals (including one at Highbury, coming on as a sub and scoring with his first kick of the game - QPR lost 2-1.
Another Daily Mail/Charles Sale "critique"
Charles Sale/Daily Mail - Rangers fans angry over ticket prices
"There is huge and understandable unrest among QPR fans about the £40 cost of seats at Old Trafford for the Carling Cup match on November 11 when Manchester United themselves wanted to reduce prices.
The greedy QPR directors, who have the greatest combined personal wealth of any British club apart from Manchester City, declined an offer that might have reduced their 40 per cent share of gate revenue." Daily Mail
Damiano Tommasi: Interesting if Tommasi just got here. He (signed a month ago). (Tomassi played for the reserves in the midweek loss to Southampton.)
Goal.com/Adrian Del Monte - Tommasi Arrives In London
Former AS Roma midfielder Damiano Tommasi, who signed for English Championship side Queens Park Rangers just under a month ago on a one year deal, has arrived in London to meet his new club.
- Damiano Tommasi spent ten prolific years of his career in the Italian capital, and became an icon of Roma. He commenced his playing career with the capital club in 1996, following a five year stint at Verona. For the Giallorossi, Tommasi managed 262 appearances and became one of the most influential and hard-working midfielders in the Serie A.
- He went on to win a Scudetto with the Giallorossi in the 2000/01 season, where he proved to be a key figure throughout the season. It was also at this time that the midfielder consolidated his spot in the Italian national side, earning an eventual total of 25 caps.
- After a serious injury in 2004, many thought Tommasi’s career was finished. However, he defied the odds and returned to the Italian top flight to play for a minimum wage of €1500 a month. His loyalty and dedication to the club proved to be one of the most beautiful tales in Italian football.
- Restricted by this serious left knee injury over time, Tommasi who is now 34 years of age, has signed with the London club on a one-year contract, after he was released by Spanish side Levante, where he spent the last two seasons.
- “The signing of Damiano adds great experience to the team - said the coach Iain Dowie. “He has played at the highest level and a player of his caliber can only be beneficial for QPR.”
- The 34-year-old has now arrived in London to begin a new adventure alongside fellow Italian Flavio Briatore, who a year ago bought the Queens Park Rangers, a fallen English football club, with only one objective in mind: the Premier League." Adrian Del Monte - Goalcom
Elsewhere:
- Martin Rowlands came on as a 55th minuted substitute for the Republic of Ireland B Team against Nottingham Forest (Forest lost 0-2). Report
- Ex-QPR Steve Lomas Does NOT Get Colchester Managerial Job that he was seeking (Nor does Ian Holloway as was rumoured he mght): Former Wycombe manager, Paul Lambert is the new Colchester Manager - BBC
- Former QPR Youth Goalie, Ian Bennet turns 37 ...Released by QPR; joined Jim Smith at Newcastle and went on to have a solid career at Peterborough and Birmingham and a couple of other clubs. Bennet/Wikipedia.
- On This Day, 41 Years Ago: Alan Wilks Set the QPR Scoring Record for Scoring Most Goals in a Game
- October 10, 1967: Alan Wilks, QPR's backup for Rodney Marsh, scored a record five goals (a record for QPR - and a then-League Cup Record) in QPR's 5-1 win vs Oxford United (then still in the Football League) at Loftus Road before a crowd of just under 17,000. (QPR at the time, were of course, the League Cup Holders)
QPR's Team that night:
Springett:
Clement Hunt Keetch Harris
Morgan Leach Keen Morgan
Allen Wilks
Alan Wilks Details
Alan Wilks just turned sixty-two. Born October 5, 1946
Wilks was known as Rodney Marsh's "understudy" which was a big burden to bear. Signed from Chelsea on a free in May 1965. Joined Gillingham in July 1971. Played his most QPR games in 1967/68 and 1968/69. Wilks played in QPR's first ever game in the First Division (home to Leicester). That season, played 17+3 games, scoring 5 goals (including one at Highbury, coming on as a sub and scoring with his first kick of the game - QPR lost 2-1.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Lita to QPR (II)?...Rowlands Proving Himself to Ireland...Danny Maguire Stockport Trial...Ex-QPRs: David Kerslake...Francis Not Newcastle...Bosnich
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Updated: QPR and Lita
The Daily Mail also notes QPR and Lita but from the wording, the Mail story seems to be based on what's been reported elsewhere, rather than independently confirming the story.
Mail - Dowie hoping loan Canary Lita can solve QPR's striking problems
Queens Park Rangers could be lining up a swoop for unsettled Reading striker Leroy Lita. The 23-year-old is on loan at Norwich, but QPR manager Iain Dowie is reportedly keen on snapping him up once it expires.
QPR have struggled for goals in recent games.
The Hoops have scored just once in their previous four Coca-Cola Championship games and that earned them their only point of that period in the 1-1 home draw against Blackpool. Mail
Leroy Lita to QPR?:
As noted on QPR Report yesterday the local press reported QPR are supposed interest in Reading's Lita. The supposed interest is also reported in today's Mirror "QPR hope to sign Reading striker Leroy Lita." (BBC Gossip) -- See also Lita Wikiepdia profile/Stats and Lita/Soccerbase Stats
- On October 1, Lita joined Norwich on a one month loan. Roeder and Coppell's comments-- Also: Lita's Comments on Joining Norwich
Irish Independent/Daniel McDonnell - Rowlands keen to mend past Irish Heartbreak
- MARTIN ROWLANDS knows it could have been different. With a bit of luck, he may not have needed to prove his credentials to Giovanni Trapattoni as a member of Ireland's back-up side at Dalymount Park tonight.
- If the QPR midfielder had not gone over on his ankle in a training session at Malahide in May then he could have been resting up now, waiting to come in and link up with the rest of the first choice senior squad on Saturday.
- Life can be a bitch sometimes. Rowlands, after shining in the training camp in the Algarve, was set to start Trapattoni's first game in charge against Serbia in the centre of the park alongside Glenn Whelan.
- Yet two days before the game, an innocuous incident at Gannon Park ruled him out of the game. Liam Miller was summoned in his place for that encounter, and the subsequent friendly with Colombia.
- While Steven Reid took his place for the World Cup qualifiers last month, Miller remains as the first choice understudy and is favoured to come in at Croke Park next Wednesday in the absence of the Blackburn man.
- Whelan, meanwhile, retains his place. Who knows what might have happened if Rowlands had played in those Serbian and Colombian games and outperformed him?
- It's not something that the unfortunate one wishes to dwell on but he accepts that, at the age of 29, he needs to do well enough against Nottingham Forest in the International Challenge Match this evening to earn a promotion to the senior squad.
- To make matters worse, he will not appear at Phibsborough until the second half, with Keith Andrews skipping the queue after his career renaissance to land a central midfield spot. Rowlands is conscious that unless he makes the most of this cameo, then he is not likely to add to the three caps he earned under Brian Kerr four years ago.
- "I think that's fair comment," he says. "I'm at the stage where I need to impress and get into the squad. He (Trapattoni) has given me an opportunity to impress and hopefully I can do that.
- "It was very frustrating in May. Obviously I picked up an injury on the Thursday before the Serbia game. But that's gone now, you've got to move on. Injuries do happen, but although that was unlucky, hopefully I can impress this time.
- "I like to think I impressed him in the Algarve. He's brought me back so hopefully it's a good sign. Glenn (Whelan) came in and did tremendously well, so he's not afraid to give people a chance.
- "I had a week in Portugal and you do get an inkling of how he wants his midfielders to play and how he likes the team to operate.
- "I've a tiny bit of background knowledge so I'm here for these few days and will hopefully do well. I'm comfortable with the way he wants me to play..." Independent Ireland
Ex-QPR, David Kerslake (now Nottingham Forest's First Team Coach) speaking of Nottingham Forest's game against Republic of Ireland B Team- Kerslake
QPR Youth Danny Maguire Trialing with Stockport
Manchester Evening News...
....Stockport’s Development Squad game at Wrexham yesterday....County also took a look at three trialists in yesterday’s game.Liverpool full-back Shane O’Connor and QPR midfielder Danny Maguire started the game while Australian Fabian Jacovelli came on as a second-half substitute. ..." - Manchester Evening News
[In March of this year, Maguire was loaned to AFC Wimbledon for work experience. In July, Maguire was one of six QPR Youth Players Given one year professional contracts]
Gerry Francis NOT to Newcastle?
The Times: "...Gerry Francis, 56, will not be joining Newcastle United's coaching staff. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager was approached by Joe Kinnear, the interim manager at St James' Park, about working with the club's young players on a part-time basis, but Francis is contracted to Stoke City and has media commitments." The Times
Bosnich Speaking - News
"...QUEENS PARK RANGERS
"..I was offered a contract at QPR in December, but eventually it was explained to me that there was somebody on the board who was dead-set against it because of my past. "I totally understand that. My past is not Queens Park Rangers' past..." News
Updated: QPR and Lita
The Daily Mail also notes QPR and Lita but from the wording, the Mail story seems to be based on what's been reported elsewhere, rather than independently confirming the story.
Mail - Dowie hoping loan Canary Lita can solve QPR's striking problems
Queens Park Rangers could be lining up a swoop for unsettled Reading striker Leroy Lita. The 23-year-old is on loan at Norwich, but QPR manager Iain Dowie is reportedly keen on snapping him up once it expires.
QPR have struggled for goals in recent games.
The Hoops have scored just once in their previous four Coca-Cola Championship games and that earned them their only point of that period in the 1-1 home draw against Blackpool. Mail
Leroy Lita to QPR?:
As noted on QPR Report yesterday the local press reported QPR are supposed interest in Reading's Lita. The supposed interest is also reported in today's Mirror "QPR hope to sign Reading striker Leroy Lita." (BBC Gossip) -- See also Lita Wikiepdia profile/Stats and Lita/Soccerbase Stats
- On October 1, Lita joined Norwich on a one month loan. Roeder and Coppell's comments-- Also: Lita's Comments on Joining Norwich
Irish Independent/Daniel McDonnell - Rowlands keen to mend past Irish Heartbreak
- MARTIN ROWLANDS knows it could have been different. With a bit of luck, he may not have needed to prove his credentials to Giovanni Trapattoni as a member of Ireland's back-up side at Dalymount Park tonight.
- If the QPR midfielder had not gone over on his ankle in a training session at Malahide in May then he could have been resting up now, waiting to come in and link up with the rest of the first choice senior squad on Saturday.
- Life can be a bitch sometimes. Rowlands, after shining in the training camp in the Algarve, was set to start Trapattoni's first game in charge against Serbia in the centre of the park alongside Glenn Whelan.
- Yet two days before the game, an innocuous incident at Gannon Park ruled him out of the game. Liam Miller was summoned in his place for that encounter, and the subsequent friendly with Colombia.
- While Steven Reid took his place for the World Cup qualifiers last month, Miller remains as the first choice understudy and is favoured to come in at Croke Park next Wednesday in the absence of the Blackburn man.
- Whelan, meanwhile, retains his place. Who knows what might have happened if Rowlands had played in those Serbian and Colombian games and outperformed him?
- It's not something that the unfortunate one wishes to dwell on but he accepts that, at the age of 29, he needs to do well enough against Nottingham Forest in the International Challenge Match this evening to earn a promotion to the senior squad.
- To make matters worse, he will not appear at Phibsborough until the second half, with Keith Andrews skipping the queue after his career renaissance to land a central midfield spot. Rowlands is conscious that unless he makes the most of this cameo, then he is not likely to add to the three caps he earned under Brian Kerr four years ago.
- "I think that's fair comment," he says. "I'm at the stage where I need to impress and get into the squad. He (Trapattoni) has given me an opportunity to impress and hopefully I can do that.
- "It was very frustrating in May. Obviously I picked up an injury on the Thursday before the Serbia game. But that's gone now, you've got to move on. Injuries do happen, but although that was unlucky, hopefully I can impress this time.
- "I like to think I impressed him in the Algarve. He's brought me back so hopefully it's a good sign. Glenn (Whelan) came in and did tremendously well, so he's not afraid to give people a chance.
- "I had a week in Portugal and you do get an inkling of how he wants his midfielders to play and how he likes the team to operate.
- "I've a tiny bit of background knowledge so I'm here for these few days and will hopefully do well. I'm comfortable with the way he wants me to play..." Independent Ireland
Ex-QPR, David Kerslake (now Nottingham Forest's First Team Coach) speaking of Nottingham Forest's game against Republic of Ireland B Team- Kerslake
QPR Youth Danny Maguire Trialing with Stockport
Manchester Evening News...
....Stockport’s Development Squad game at Wrexham yesterday....County also took a look at three trialists in yesterday’s game.Liverpool full-back Shane O’Connor and QPR midfielder Danny Maguire started the game while Australian Fabian Jacovelli came on as a second-half substitute. ..." - Manchester Evening News
[In March of this year, Maguire was loaned to AFC Wimbledon for work experience. In July, Maguire was one of six QPR Youth Players Given one year professional contracts]
Gerry Francis NOT to Newcastle?
The Times: "...Gerry Francis, 56, will not be joining Newcastle United's coaching staff. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager was approached by Joe Kinnear, the interim manager at St James' Park, about working with the club's young players on a part-time basis, but Francis is contracted to Stoke City and has media commitments." The Times
Bosnich Speaking - News
"...QUEENS PARK RANGERS
"..I was offered a contract at QPR in December, but eventually it was explained to me that there was somebody on the board who was dead-set against it because of my past. "I totally understand that. My past is not Queens Park Rangers' past..." News
QPR Report Available as Widget...Year Flashback: Guidolin QPR's Manager?...Star Defender Turns 58
-
QPR Report Available as a "Widget," for your Blog, Facebook, etc
Note: As some may have noticed, QPR Report is now available as a widget, downloadable onto your blog, Facebook, My Space, etc. To install QPR Report Widget, just click on the "Get Widget" box of the Widgetbox on the top left of this site - and follow the very simple direction! Any questions to qprreport@hotmail.com
FLASHBACK ONE YEAR - OCTOBER 9, 2007
Francesco Guidolin Reportedly Offered QPR Manager-
David McIntyre - Ealing Gazette Hotseat offered to former Palermo manager - Briatore ready to recruit Italian Guidolin
ITALIAN Francesco Guidolin has been offered the QPR manager’s job.
The former Monaco coach is expected to be confirmed as Rangers boss before the home game against Ipswich a week on Saturday.
Guidolin has been sacked four times during a 21-year coaching career in which he won the Italian Cup with Vicenza in 1997 and had two spells in charge of Palermo, twice qualifying for the Uefa Cup.
The 52-year-old watched Rangers’ 1-0 win over Norwich on Monday night before returning to Italy.
He remains under contract with Palermo despite leaving his job there in May – a financial issue he is looking to settle so his future can be resolved.
No other candidates are now being considered for the Rangers job.
Guidolin has indicated that he will accept the offer made by the club's new Flavio Briatore-led board.
If he does not, Mick Harford is likely to have his spell as caretaker boss extended beyond the Ipswich game.
Briatore and his associates have always been minded to install an Italian as successor to the recently-sacked John Gregory.
Of the many English candidates, only former QPR defender Glenn Roeder was a serious contender, albeit briefly.
Ex-England boss Glenn Hoddle was approached but was not interested in the job. Ealing Gazette
Dail Mail - Sacked four times but QPR still want Guidolin
Italian manager Francesco Guidolin is leading the race to succeed John Gregory at Queens Park Rangers, according to the London Evening Standard.
The club are believed to want a foreign coach despite being linked in the last week with Terry Venables, Glenn Hoddle, Glenn Roeder and Paul Ince and intend to make an announcement in the next 48 hours.
Guidolin, 52, is seen as a journeyman manager in Italy and has been sacked no fewer than four times in a 21-year coaching career with 12 clubs.
However, he won the Italian Cup with Vicenza in 1997 and led them to the European Cup Winners' Cup semi-final the following year when they lost to Chelsea.
Guidolin had two spells with Palermo, twice qualifying for the UEFA Cup, yet in his second stint he was sacked with a month of the season to go, only to be reinstated two games later.
He has been out of work since leaving Palermo in May but attended QPR's first win of the season against Norwich last night, and was joined in the Loftus Road directors' box by supermodel Naomi Campbell and 'It Girl' Tamara Beckwith who were guests of new QPR owner Flavio Briatore.
While the club has been happily linked with nearly a dozen managers, they always intended to appoint a figure known to them through their links to Italy. They have already appointed an Italian to the role of chief scout.
Famous faces: Naomi Campbell watches QPR as new Rangers owner and F1 mogul Flavio Briatore (top right) and Tamara Beckwith (bottom row right) look on
Rangers earned their first three points of the season against the Canaries thanks to Martin Rowlands' 66th minute penalty.
But despite the 1-0 win, Adam Bolder believes the players' places in the team are under threat.
"I was surprised at the timing of John Gregory's sacking," said the captain.
"The new men want success, though, and we weren't winning games so the gaffer paid the price. We will be the next ones and it's the kind of pressure we should be thriving on. I believe we are all playing for our futures." Daily Mail
The Sun 0 Queens Pk Rgrs 1 Norwich 0 - By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
"Italian boss Francesco Guidolin last night emerged as front-runner to take over at QPR.
The former Palermo and Monaco chief was at Loftus Road for Rangers’ win — a victory that left Norwich gaffer Peter Grant considering his position.
Guidolin, 52, held talks with new co-owner Flavio Briatore and is top of the list to replace the axed John Gregory.
A galaxy of stars turned out for the game, including supermodel Naomi Campbell, an ex-girlfriend of Formula One’s Renault boss Briatore.... The Sun
See: Wikipedia Profile of Francesco Guidolin
Ince Says Doesn't Want QPR Job...-
Milton Keynes Citizen - Ince hits out at Dons exit talk By Jon Boyle
MK DONS boss Paul Ince has rubbished speculation linking him with the vacant QPR manager's job, and rapped: "It's disruptive to what we're trying to do here."
National reports this week suggest Ince is the man Rangers chairman Gianni Paladini has earmarked to lift the London strugglers off the foot of the Championship.
But Ince – who guided table-topping MK to their sixth straight victory with a 2-1 win over Bradford City on Saturday – insists he has unfinished business at the Dons.
Ince told the Citizen: "Someone is in a job and they obviously look at managers who are doing OK and just put two and two together and put it in the papers.
"And all of a sudden you just get speculation about nothing really.
"We're trying to do a job here – we don't need speculation like that to disrupt what we're trying to do at this club....". Milton Keynes Citizen
MICK HARFORD - Setanta/Ben Blackmore - Harford targets QPR job
".... "If they offered me the job I would definitely accept it,” he said. "I can only affect the football side of it though, and I'm philosophical about it.
"If we play like we did (against Norwich) I will have an opportunity to get the job, and if I don't then someone else will.
"I like QPR and I will do the best for them and try and get some victories and get us out of the mess we're in at the moment.
“I will give my all for as long as I'm here and if that's long-term that's great."
When asked if he knew of the potential identity of Gregory’s successor, Harford commented: “I’ve no idea.”... Setanta - QPR Report
Even Steve Bruce Speculation-
Mail - Rowlands penalty is a Brucey bonus - QPR 1 Norwich 0 By GRAHAM OTWAY
Steve Bruce added to his own speculation about his poor long-term employment prospects at Premier League Birmingham by turning up at Loftus Road on Monday night to see QPR triumph in this Championship basement battle...
But hours after admitting that new Birmingham owner Carson Yeung is unlikely to honour a contract extension, Bruce may have been looking for a new job.
And while swapping the Premier League for the bottom of the second tiermay appear a strange move, managerless Rangers may well have impressed him during the first half. .... Mail
Ian Gillard Turns 58
Born October 9, 1950, Fullback Gillard made his debut in QPR's 1968/69 Relegation season. (Tommy Dochery gave him his debut at home to Nottingham Forest in November 1968.) It took Gillard several seasons before he made the #3 Shirt his own - Initially competing with Ian Watson and Tony Hazell for that position. For several years, QPR was blessed to have as its full backs: Dave Clement and Ian Gillard. Not so sure that people watching Gillard in his early years thought "future England International." But he improved and improved.
Gillard also played three times times for England in 1975, making his England debut at Wembley vs West Germany in March 1975
Gillard played 400+ Games for QPR. Gillard's last game was in the FA Cup Replay against Spurs before joining Aldershot as player coach. Ian Gillard Record
See also: Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Profile of Gillard ---- Also Brief Wikipedia/Gillard
QPR Report Available as a "Widget," for your Blog, Facebook, etc
Note: As some may have noticed, QPR Report is now available as a widget, downloadable onto your blog, Facebook, My Space, etc. To install QPR Report Widget, just click on the "Get Widget" box of the Widgetbox on the top left of this site - and follow the very simple direction! Any questions to qprreport@hotmail.com
FLASHBACK ONE YEAR - OCTOBER 9, 2007
Francesco Guidolin Reportedly Offered QPR Manager-
David McIntyre - Ealing Gazette Hotseat offered to former Palermo manager - Briatore ready to recruit Italian Guidolin
ITALIAN Francesco Guidolin has been offered the QPR manager’s job.
The former Monaco coach is expected to be confirmed as Rangers boss before the home game against Ipswich a week on Saturday.
Guidolin has been sacked four times during a 21-year coaching career in which he won the Italian Cup with Vicenza in 1997 and had two spells in charge of Palermo, twice qualifying for the Uefa Cup.
The 52-year-old watched Rangers’ 1-0 win over Norwich on Monday night before returning to Italy.
He remains under contract with Palermo despite leaving his job there in May – a financial issue he is looking to settle so his future can be resolved.
No other candidates are now being considered for the Rangers job.
Guidolin has indicated that he will accept the offer made by the club's new Flavio Briatore-led board.
If he does not, Mick Harford is likely to have his spell as caretaker boss extended beyond the Ipswich game.
Briatore and his associates have always been minded to install an Italian as successor to the recently-sacked John Gregory.
Of the many English candidates, only former QPR defender Glenn Roeder was a serious contender, albeit briefly.
Ex-England boss Glenn Hoddle was approached but was not interested in the job. Ealing Gazette
Dail Mail - Sacked four times but QPR still want Guidolin
Italian manager Francesco Guidolin is leading the race to succeed John Gregory at Queens Park Rangers, according to the London Evening Standard.
The club are believed to want a foreign coach despite being linked in the last week with Terry Venables, Glenn Hoddle, Glenn Roeder and Paul Ince and intend to make an announcement in the next 48 hours.
Guidolin, 52, is seen as a journeyman manager in Italy and has been sacked no fewer than four times in a 21-year coaching career with 12 clubs.
However, he won the Italian Cup with Vicenza in 1997 and led them to the European Cup Winners' Cup semi-final the following year when they lost to Chelsea.
Guidolin had two spells with Palermo, twice qualifying for the UEFA Cup, yet in his second stint he was sacked with a month of the season to go, only to be reinstated two games later.
He has been out of work since leaving Palermo in May but attended QPR's first win of the season against Norwich last night, and was joined in the Loftus Road directors' box by supermodel Naomi Campbell and 'It Girl' Tamara Beckwith who were guests of new QPR owner Flavio Briatore.
While the club has been happily linked with nearly a dozen managers, they always intended to appoint a figure known to them through their links to Italy. They have already appointed an Italian to the role of chief scout.
Famous faces: Naomi Campbell watches QPR as new Rangers owner and F1 mogul Flavio Briatore (top right) and Tamara Beckwith (bottom row right) look on
Rangers earned their first three points of the season against the Canaries thanks to Martin Rowlands' 66th minute penalty.
But despite the 1-0 win, Adam Bolder believes the players' places in the team are under threat.
"I was surprised at the timing of John Gregory's sacking," said the captain.
"The new men want success, though, and we weren't winning games so the gaffer paid the price. We will be the next ones and it's the kind of pressure we should be thriving on. I believe we are all playing for our futures." Daily Mail
The Sun 0 Queens Pk Rgrs 1 Norwich 0 - By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
"Italian boss Francesco Guidolin last night emerged as front-runner to take over at QPR.
The former Palermo and Monaco chief was at Loftus Road for Rangers’ win — a victory that left Norwich gaffer Peter Grant considering his position.
Guidolin, 52, held talks with new co-owner Flavio Briatore and is top of the list to replace the axed John Gregory.
A galaxy of stars turned out for the game, including supermodel Naomi Campbell, an ex-girlfriend of Formula One’s Renault boss Briatore.... The Sun
See: Wikipedia Profile of Francesco Guidolin
Ince Says Doesn't Want QPR Job...-
Milton Keynes Citizen - Ince hits out at Dons exit talk By Jon Boyle
MK DONS boss Paul Ince has rubbished speculation linking him with the vacant QPR manager's job, and rapped: "It's disruptive to what we're trying to do here."
National reports this week suggest Ince is the man Rangers chairman Gianni Paladini has earmarked to lift the London strugglers off the foot of the Championship.
But Ince – who guided table-topping MK to their sixth straight victory with a 2-1 win over Bradford City on Saturday – insists he has unfinished business at the Dons.
Ince told the Citizen: "Someone is in a job and they obviously look at managers who are doing OK and just put two and two together and put it in the papers.
"And all of a sudden you just get speculation about nothing really.
"We're trying to do a job here – we don't need speculation like that to disrupt what we're trying to do at this club....". Milton Keynes Citizen
MICK HARFORD - Setanta/Ben Blackmore - Harford targets QPR job
".... "If they offered me the job I would definitely accept it,” he said. "I can only affect the football side of it though, and I'm philosophical about it.
"If we play like we did (against Norwich) I will have an opportunity to get the job, and if I don't then someone else will.
"I like QPR and I will do the best for them and try and get some victories and get us out of the mess we're in at the moment.
“I will give my all for as long as I'm here and if that's long-term that's great."
When asked if he knew of the potential identity of Gregory’s successor, Harford commented: “I’ve no idea.”... Setanta - QPR Report
Even Steve Bruce Speculation-
Mail - Rowlands penalty is a Brucey bonus - QPR 1 Norwich 0 By GRAHAM OTWAY
Steve Bruce added to his own speculation about his poor long-term employment prospects at Premier League Birmingham by turning up at Loftus Road on Monday night to see QPR triumph in this Championship basement battle...
But hours after admitting that new Birmingham owner Carson Yeung is unlikely to honour a contract extension, Bruce may have been looking for a new job.
And while swapping the Premier League for the bottom of the second tiermay appear a strange move, managerless Rangers may well have impressed him during the first half. .... Mail
Ian Gillard Turns 58
Born October 9, 1950, Fullback Gillard made his debut in QPR's 1968/69 Relegation season. (Tommy Dochery gave him his debut at home to Nottingham Forest in November 1968.) It took Gillard several seasons before he made the #3 Shirt his own - Initially competing with Ian Watson and Tony Hazell for that position. For several years, QPR was blessed to have as its full backs: Dave Clement and Ian Gillard. Not so sure that people watching Gillard in his early years thought "future England International." But he improved and improved.
Gillard also played three times times for England in 1975, making his England debut at Wembley vs West Germany in March 1975
Gillard played 400+ Games for QPR. Gillard's last game was in the FA Cup Replay against Spurs before joining Aldershot as player coach. Ian Gillard Record
See also: Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Profile of Gillard ---- Also Brief Wikipedia/Gillard
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Lita for QPR?....Dempsey Not for QPR?
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Hounslow Chronicle/Paul Warburton - Leroy Lita lined up for rangers
QPR are hoping that Leroy Lita might be the answer to their recent goal drought.
Rangers hope to lure the Reading striker away from their rivals in the Championship once Lita's loan spell is up at Norwich at the end of the month.
Co-owner Flavio Briatore has made it plain he won't stand for any more damp squibs after Rangers took only one point from the last 12.
Saturday's 1-0 setback at Birmingham has seen an SOS go out for a loan forward - with 23-year-old Lita topping the list.
However, the forward has gone backwards since a successful £1m switch from Bristol City to the Royals in 2005.
At the time, then Rs boss Ian Holloway made enquiries but in the days pre-Briatore and co, the Hoops came nowhere near Bristol's asking price.
Lita had a good spell in first two seasons at the Madejski.
But last year's loan spell to Charlton failed to kick-start his luck, and at the beginning of this campaign he was loaned to Norwich.
He's drawn a blank so far in his six-game loan deal with the Canaries, but Rangers insiders believe he may be the one to play alongside either Dexter Blackstock or Patrick Agyemang in a re-jigged 4-4-2 lineup similar to that at Birmingham on Saturday.
Rangers quickly shelved an interest in Fulham's Clint Dempsey this week after the American forward also failed to find the target in the twogames he's featured for Rs' neighbours.
It was also felt the Premiership club would be unlikely to release Dempsey - even on loan - while the Whites still have crocked Diomansy Kamara on the treatment table.
An Rs insider said: "We need some extra firepower to make sure the promotion plan remains on track."
[25a0] DAMIANO TOMMASI made a strong claim for a starting place in the next QPR Championship game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday week after the 34-year-old midfielder came through a second reserve game on Tuesday with flying colours.
Rangers lost 3-2 at home to Southampton, in a game that saw Matt Connolly also get a run.
But boss Iain Dowie was more than happy with the performance of former Italian international Tommasi, and is set to add him to the squad to face Forest. [25a0]...Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow Chronicle/Paul Warburton - Leroy Lita lined up for rangers
QPR are hoping that Leroy Lita might be the answer to their recent goal drought.
Rangers hope to lure the Reading striker away from their rivals in the Championship once Lita's loan spell is up at Norwich at the end of the month.
Co-owner Flavio Briatore has made it plain he won't stand for any more damp squibs after Rangers took only one point from the last 12.
Saturday's 1-0 setback at Birmingham has seen an SOS go out for a loan forward - with 23-year-old Lita topping the list.
However, the forward has gone backwards since a successful £1m switch from Bristol City to the Royals in 2005.
At the time, then Rs boss Ian Holloway made enquiries but in the days pre-Briatore and co, the Hoops came nowhere near Bristol's asking price.
Lita had a good spell in first two seasons at the Madejski.
But last year's loan spell to Charlton failed to kick-start his luck, and at the beginning of this campaign he was loaned to Norwich.
He's drawn a blank so far in his six-game loan deal with the Canaries, but Rangers insiders believe he may be the one to play alongside either Dexter Blackstock or Patrick Agyemang in a re-jigged 4-4-2 lineup similar to that at Birmingham on Saturday.
Rangers quickly shelved an interest in Fulham's Clint Dempsey this week after the American forward also failed to find the target in the twogames he's featured for Rs' neighbours.
It was also felt the Premiership club would be unlikely to release Dempsey - even on loan - while the Whites still have crocked Diomansy Kamara on the treatment table.
An Rs insider said: "We need some extra firepower to make sure the promotion plan remains on track."
[25a0] DAMIANO TOMMASI made a strong claim for a starting place in the next QPR Championship game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday week after the 34-year-old midfielder came through a second reserve game on Tuesday with flying colours.
Rangers lost 3-2 at home to Southampton, in a game that saw Matt Connolly also get a run.
But boss Iain Dowie was more than happy with the performance of former Italian international Tommasi, and is set to add him to the squad to face Forest. [25a0]...Hounslow Chronicle
John Curtis Back at QPR?...Update: Perhaps Not!
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Update: The Official Site has now been altered and no longer shows John Curtis on the Playing List. So perhaps error!
As noted by a messageboard poster, John Curtis appears to be back on the QPR Roster. A look at the QPR Team Roster lists at the very bottom John Curtis, albeit without a squad number. Unless it's some kind of mistake, which would hard to do. There has been no announcement re a Curtiss return on the Official Site (or in the local weekly press). Curtis, who turned 30 last month, was released last December. He briefly was at Notts County. In the summer, he was trialing with Tranmere.
BBC, December 12, 2007 Out-of-favour Curtis leaves QPR
QPR have confirmed the departure of defender John Curtis.
The ex-Manchester United man has failed to impress since being signed by former Rangers manager John Gregory from Nottingham Forest last summer.
Curtis, 29, was one of a number of fringe players recently told that he had no future at Loftus Road.
Danny Cullip and Nicky Ward recently moved on after reaching a settlement with the club and Curtis has now also had his contract terminated." BBC
John Curtis Saying Goodbye - Icons, December 17, 2007
JOHN CURTIS/ICONS I wish things had been different
- Well, I'm finished at QPR which is a shame, but I see it as another challenge in my career and I'm strong enough to face it.
- I'm obviously disappointed that things haven't worked out for me here because it is a great club, a fabulous place to be and it's been an honour being part of things.
Of course I wish I had been given more of a chance to prove what I could do at the club. I was only played in my proper position once in my time here and that makes it very difficult to impress.
- I feel sure I could have contributed more if I had been given a chance, but that's all in the past now and there's never any point moaning. That's not my nature and I just want to crack on and find a role somewhere else.
- I badly want to play football and believe I have a lot to offer any club that signs me. I've always believed in myself and my ability and that doesn't go away just because you haven't been given certain chances.
- I'll be sorry to leave the club because, like I said, it's a great club. It's a massive club that doesn't deserve to be in the position it's in right now. They have massive aspirations and hopefully under the new owners they'll fulfil them.
- They are a really good bunch of lads at QPR and it's sad to be saying goodbye to them. They have the ability and the spirit to get the club out of trouble. The fans are some of the best I have ever come across.
- There has been so much change and transition at QPR that they now need some stability and if they can get that I'm sure they will be fine. Just as I'm sure I'll be fine to.
- At least I'll now be able to spend time with my family at Christmas and that will be nice. Cheers and happy Christmas. Icons
See Also: Curtis/Wikipedia
Update: The Official Site has now been altered and no longer shows John Curtis on the Playing List. So perhaps error!
As noted by a messageboard poster, John Curtis appears to be back on the QPR Roster. A look at the QPR Team Roster lists at the very bottom John Curtis, albeit without a squad number. Unless it's some kind of mistake, which would hard to do. There has been no announcement re a Curtiss return on the Official Site (or in the local weekly press). Curtis, who turned 30 last month, was released last December. He briefly was at Notts County. In the summer, he was trialing with Tranmere.
BBC, December 12, 2007 Out-of-favour Curtis leaves QPR
QPR have confirmed the departure of defender John Curtis.
The ex-Manchester United man has failed to impress since being signed by former Rangers manager John Gregory from Nottingham Forest last summer.
Curtis, 29, was one of a number of fringe players recently told that he had no future at Loftus Road.
Danny Cullip and Nicky Ward recently moved on after reaching a settlement with the club and Curtis has now also had his contract terminated." BBC
John Curtis Saying Goodbye - Icons, December 17, 2007
JOHN CURTIS/ICONS I wish things had been different
- Well, I'm finished at QPR which is a shame, but I see it as another challenge in my career and I'm strong enough to face it.
- I'm obviously disappointed that things haven't worked out for me here because it is a great club, a fabulous place to be and it's been an honour being part of things.
Of course I wish I had been given more of a chance to prove what I could do at the club. I was only played in my proper position once in my time here and that makes it very difficult to impress.
- I feel sure I could have contributed more if I had been given a chance, but that's all in the past now and there's never any point moaning. That's not my nature and I just want to crack on and find a role somewhere else.
- I badly want to play football and believe I have a lot to offer any club that signs me. I've always believed in myself and my ability and that doesn't go away just because you haven't been given certain chances.
- I'll be sorry to leave the club because, like I said, it's a great club. It's a massive club that doesn't deserve to be in the position it's in right now. They have massive aspirations and hopefully under the new owners they'll fulfil them.
- They are a really good bunch of lads at QPR and it's sad to be saying goodbye to them. They have the ability and the spirit to get the club out of trouble. The fans are some of the best I have ever come across.
- There has been so much change and transition at QPR that they now need some stability and if they can get that I'm sure they will be fine. Just as I'm sure I'll be fine to.
- At least I'll now be able to spend time with my family at Christmas and that will be nice. Cheers and happy Christmas. Icons
See Also: Curtis/Wikipedia
Gareth Ainsworth on QPR's Current Status - How Far Have Come in Past Twelve Months
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Gareth Ainsworth/Kilburn Times - Step on the Gaz
I think some people are looking through a glass that's half-empty right now, but I've never had a glass like that and I never will.
Opinions can change on a daily basis and we're having a bumpy run of results at the moment, but you have to look at how far this club has come in the last year.
Twelve months ago we were in the relegation zone and we'd only just picked up our first win - since then we've had new investment, new players, new management and probably some new fans too. You only have to look at Hull City for proof of how quickly things can change. I'm sure when they were 16th in the Championship there were fans calling for Phil Brown's head, new players or whatever - and now those same Hull fans are enjoying the fact that their team are third in the Premier League.
We're still in touch with the top teams - if we beat Forest in our next game we could go up to fifth - and I don't think many of the TV viewers last Saturday would have felt that Birmingham warranted a 1-0 victory.
It was a poor game all round and the difference between the sides was Kevin Phillips. He's popped up in the right place at the right time throughout his career and that was what decided the game.
Of course, we went into the game with two strikers - but it's worth pointing out that we created more chances in the first part of the Blackpool game, with just one striker, than we did during the entire 90 minutes at St Andrew's.
That's nothing to be pleased about, but I think it shows that it's easier to criticise systems than individual errors, which are often the real reason a team isn't scoring.
For example, Rowly held up his hands and admitted he should have scored against Blackpool last week.
We've got a centre-forward who's third in the goalscoring charts and he's managed all of them with one up front. All I'm saying is that everyone needs to see the wider picture and think long-term. Anyway, we've got some time to reflect now during the international break - not that it's much of a break for some of the lads.
Damion Stewart has to go through several time zones and gets back in the middle of the night, the day before the Forest game, and of course Kaspars Gorkss has a similar journey but in the opposite direction.
That means the staff have to wrap some of them in cotton wool a bit - but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Everyone should be proud to play for their country and it's great for QPR to have so many players of international quality around the place." Kilburn Times
Also:
- Kilburn Times "Cook's beginning to come to the boil"
- Kilburn Times/Noam Friedlander: Fitz Hall Speaking "Fortnight off is Hall we need"
Gareth Ainsworth/Kilburn Times - Step on the Gaz
I think some people are looking through a glass that's half-empty right now, but I've never had a glass like that and I never will.
Opinions can change on a daily basis and we're having a bumpy run of results at the moment, but you have to look at how far this club has come in the last year.
Twelve months ago we were in the relegation zone and we'd only just picked up our first win - since then we've had new investment, new players, new management and probably some new fans too. You only have to look at Hull City for proof of how quickly things can change. I'm sure when they were 16th in the Championship there were fans calling for Phil Brown's head, new players or whatever - and now those same Hull fans are enjoying the fact that their team are third in the Premier League.
We're still in touch with the top teams - if we beat Forest in our next game we could go up to fifth - and I don't think many of the TV viewers last Saturday would have felt that Birmingham warranted a 1-0 victory.
It was a poor game all round and the difference between the sides was Kevin Phillips. He's popped up in the right place at the right time throughout his career and that was what decided the game.
Of course, we went into the game with two strikers - but it's worth pointing out that we created more chances in the first part of the Blackpool game, with just one striker, than we did during the entire 90 minutes at St Andrew's.
That's nothing to be pleased about, but I think it shows that it's easier to criticise systems than individual errors, which are often the real reason a team isn't scoring.
For example, Rowly held up his hands and admitted he should have scored against Blackpool last week.
We've got a centre-forward who's third in the goalscoring charts and he's managed all of them with one up front. All I'm saying is that everyone needs to see the wider picture and think long-term. Anyway, we've got some time to reflect now during the international break - not that it's much of a break for some of the lads.
Damion Stewart has to go through several time zones and gets back in the middle of the night, the day before the Forest game, and of course Kaspars Gorkss has a similar journey but in the opposite direction.
That means the staff have to wrap some of them in cotton wool a bit - but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Everyone should be proud to play for their country and it's great for QPR to have so many players of international quality around the place." Kilburn Times
Also:
- Kilburn Times "Cook's beginning to come to the boil"
- Kilburn Times/Noam Friedlander: Fitz Hall Speaking "Fortnight off is Hall we need"
QPR Snippets: QPR Interest in Barnsley's Reuben Noble-Lazarus?...World Finances Impact on QPR?...Ex-QPR Lomas Managerial Interest
-
[A highly-unlikely QPR signing one would imagine, given that QPR's needs are the immediate present, rather than expensive "ones for the future."]
From The Sun, via Teamtalk
"Barnsley whizkid Reuben Noble-Lazarus is a target for Aston Villa and QPR." - Teamtalk
The Guardian/Richard William October 7 - "West Ham may soon not be the only club where bubbles burst" "The current indebtedness of England's leading football clubs ought to be filling everyone involved with profound unease...."
It's about a dozen years since I sat on the desk of a financial journalist and refused to move until he'd explained what hedge funds did and how short selling worked. So when spread betting caught on, the inherent danger was clear: if you're putting your money on someone losing, all sorts of opportunities for dirty tricks open up. And in the end, as we've seen on a much grander scale in the last couple of weeks, little good can come of betting on failure.
Sport doesn't always mimic the workings of the wider world, but sometimes the parallels can't be escaped. So yesterday I persuaded our economics editor to break off from discussing the plight of Tottenham Hotspur to tell me how and why the Chinese government came to own such a large proportion of the United States' national debt that they could, if they were feeling mischievous, wipe out that country's economy with a stroke of the pen. The point of this, since you ask, is that the current indebtedness of England's leading football clubs ought to be filling everyone involved with profound unease.
Reduced to its essentials, the answer was that the US made itself vulnerable by spending more on imports than it earned from exports, thanks to the erosion of its industrial base following the end of protectionism and the derestriction of capital controls. A similar self-indulgence can be seen in the English clubs' willingness - also in the wake of deregulation - to imperil their financial stability by paying transfer fees and running up wage bills amounting to an unhealthy percentage of their turnover, while also needing to spend money on upgrading their facilities.
In that state, the only recourse is to outside capital: foreigners buying treasury bonds in the case of the US economy, foreign ownership of the clubs in the case of the Premier League. So now virtually every club that is not already foreign-owned is dreaming of the arrival of billionaires from abroad, with Spurs, Newcastle United and Everton leading the queue.
But already the danger signs are turning from amber to red. The price of oil has fallen sharply in the current crisis, along with that of steel and other minerals; none is likely to recover soon. Football, a direct beneficiary of those industries' prosperity, will find that the investors of the Persian Gulf, China and Russia are no longer wandering around with open chequebooks.
Liverpool's American businessmen have put the plans for a new stadium on hold, and the American Insurance Group, whose initials adorn Manchester United's strip, have just become the beneficiaries of the largest government bailout ever awarded to a private company. West Ham United actually lost their shirt sponsor as a consequence of last month's collapse of the XL leisure company, in which the Icelandic businessman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who owns a majority of the club's shares, had an interest. This week Iceland's banks have gone into meltdown, which may be much worse news for Upton Park than the team's failure to get a point from a home match against Bolton at the weekend.
"The swirling financial currents are even threatening to cause disruption in the Championship, supposedly a repository of the values of "real football". Until the sovereign wealth of Abu Dhabi descended upon Manchester City, the combined funds of Lakshmi Mittal, Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore enabled Queens Park Rangers to describe themselves as Britain's richest club. The value of Mittal's family holdings in steel, however, dropped from £33bn in June to £16bn this week. That still makes him as rich as Roman Abramovich, but possibly more inclined to watch the pennies for a while.
In the short term, football's only reliable source of major revenue is likely to be television. The networks need the audience the game delivers and will pay handsomely to secure the supply line. But if broadcasting rights brought in enough money to keep the clubs in the style to which they have become accustomed, the likes of Mike Ashley and Bill Kenwright would not be lifting their skirts to investors. At Reading, John Madejski failed to find a buyer last year and saw the club relegated.
Football, our economics editor concluded, is the one bubble that has yet to burst. It may be a while before the Rooneys and the Lampards need to downsize, but for the fans of those clubs who yearn to join the big four but have not quite managed it so far, the frustration is likely to get worse." Guardian Blog
Also supposedly in the frame: Ian Holloway
Essex Echo/Rob Pritchard - Former Hammer Lomas wants Colchester job
FORMER West Ham United favourite Steve Lomas wants to be Colchester United’s next manager.
And the ex-Northern Ireland midfielder believes he can follow in the footsteps of Phil Parkinson and Geraint Williams and prove his worth with the U’s as a young, up-and-coming boss.
The 34-year-old has sent his CV to the U’s, in the hope of succeeding Williams in the hot-seat.
He is still waiting to hear whether he will be invited for interview, as chairman Robbie Cowling narrows down his search for a new man to lead the club.
Lomas told the Echo: “I would be very interested.
“Colchester is a great club and I’m looking to get into that side of things.
“I see it as a good starting position.
“Colchester United has a history of giving young managers a chance, like Phil Parkinson and Geraint Williams in the past.”...
“I was always up for a battle as a player and I would certainly be up for the challenge,” said Lomas, whose left his last club Gillingham in January.
“I always worked hard and gave 100 per cent and I would throw myself at it with a desire and a will to win.
“Being an international player doesn’t always mean you will be a good manager. But it does help when it comes to having football experience.
“And I think it helps that I’ve only just finished playing, because I’m very aware of the importance diet and fitness have in today’s game.”
Lomas said he is already familiar with several members of the current Colchester squad.He knows Johnnie Jackson and Mark Yeates and played with U’s captain Chris Coyne during his eight-and-a-half year spell with West Ham.
Lomas added: “Colchester have a great new ground and they definitely have a squad that is better than their current league position.” Essex Echo
[A highly-unlikely QPR signing one would imagine, given that QPR's needs are the immediate present, rather than expensive "ones for the future."]
From The Sun, via Teamtalk
"Barnsley whizkid Reuben Noble-Lazarus is a target for Aston Villa and QPR." - Teamtalk
The Guardian/Richard William October 7 - "West Ham may soon not be the only club where bubbles burst" "The current indebtedness of England's leading football clubs ought to be filling everyone involved with profound unease...."
It's about a dozen years since I sat on the desk of a financial journalist and refused to move until he'd explained what hedge funds did and how short selling worked. So when spread betting caught on, the inherent danger was clear: if you're putting your money on someone losing, all sorts of opportunities for dirty tricks open up. And in the end, as we've seen on a much grander scale in the last couple of weeks, little good can come of betting on failure.
Sport doesn't always mimic the workings of the wider world, but sometimes the parallels can't be escaped. So yesterday I persuaded our economics editor to break off from discussing the plight of Tottenham Hotspur to tell me how and why the Chinese government came to own such a large proportion of the United States' national debt that they could, if they were feeling mischievous, wipe out that country's economy with a stroke of the pen. The point of this, since you ask, is that the current indebtedness of England's leading football clubs ought to be filling everyone involved with profound unease.
Reduced to its essentials, the answer was that the US made itself vulnerable by spending more on imports than it earned from exports, thanks to the erosion of its industrial base following the end of protectionism and the derestriction of capital controls. A similar self-indulgence can be seen in the English clubs' willingness - also in the wake of deregulation - to imperil their financial stability by paying transfer fees and running up wage bills amounting to an unhealthy percentage of their turnover, while also needing to spend money on upgrading their facilities.
In that state, the only recourse is to outside capital: foreigners buying treasury bonds in the case of the US economy, foreign ownership of the clubs in the case of the Premier League. So now virtually every club that is not already foreign-owned is dreaming of the arrival of billionaires from abroad, with Spurs, Newcastle United and Everton leading the queue.
But already the danger signs are turning from amber to red. The price of oil has fallen sharply in the current crisis, along with that of steel and other minerals; none is likely to recover soon. Football, a direct beneficiary of those industries' prosperity, will find that the investors of the Persian Gulf, China and Russia are no longer wandering around with open chequebooks.
Liverpool's American businessmen have put the plans for a new stadium on hold, and the American Insurance Group, whose initials adorn Manchester United's strip, have just become the beneficiaries of the largest government bailout ever awarded to a private company. West Ham United actually lost their shirt sponsor as a consequence of last month's collapse of the XL leisure company, in which the Icelandic businessman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who owns a majority of the club's shares, had an interest. This week Iceland's banks have gone into meltdown, which may be much worse news for Upton Park than the team's failure to get a point from a home match against Bolton at the weekend.
"The swirling financial currents are even threatening to cause disruption in the Championship, supposedly a repository of the values of "real football". Until the sovereign wealth of Abu Dhabi descended upon Manchester City, the combined funds of Lakshmi Mittal, Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore enabled Queens Park Rangers to describe themselves as Britain's richest club. The value of Mittal's family holdings in steel, however, dropped from £33bn in June to £16bn this week. That still makes him as rich as Roman Abramovich, but possibly more inclined to watch the pennies for a while.
In the short term, football's only reliable source of major revenue is likely to be television. The networks need the audience the game delivers and will pay handsomely to secure the supply line. But if broadcasting rights brought in enough money to keep the clubs in the style to which they have become accustomed, the likes of Mike Ashley and Bill Kenwright would not be lifting their skirts to investors. At Reading, John Madejski failed to find a buyer last year and saw the club relegated.
Football, our economics editor concluded, is the one bubble that has yet to burst. It may be a while before the Rooneys and the Lampards need to downsize, but for the fans of those clubs who yearn to join the big four but have not quite managed it so far, the frustration is likely to get worse." Guardian Blog
Also supposedly in the frame: Ian Holloway
Essex Echo/Rob Pritchard - Former Hammer Lomas wants Colchester job
FORMER West Ham United favourite Steve Lomas wants to be Colchester United’s next manager.
And the ex-Northern Ireland midfielder believes he can follow in the footsteps of Phil Parkinson and Geraint Williams and prove his worth with the U’s as a young, up-and-coming boss.
The 34-year-old has sent his CV to the U’s, in the hope of succeeding Williams in the hot-seat.
He is still waiting to hear whether he will be invited for interview, as chairman Robbie Cowling narrows down his search for a new man to lead the club.
Lomas told the Echo: “I would be very interested.
“Colchester is a great club and I’m looking to get into that side of things.
“I see it as a good starting position.
“Colchester United has a history of giving young managers a chance, like Phil Parkinson and Geraint Williams in the past.”...
“I was always up for a battle as a player and I would certainly be up for the challenge,” said Lomas, whose left his last club Gillingham in January.
“I always worked hard and gave 100 per cent and I would throw myself at it with a desire and a will to win.
“Being an international player doesn’t always mean you will be a good manager. But it does help when it comes to having football experience.
“And I think it helps that I’ve only just finished playing, because I’m very aware of the importance diet and fitness have in today’s game.”
Lomas said he is already familiar with several members of the current Colchester squad.He knows Johnnie Jackson and Mark Yeates and played with U’s captain Chris Coyne during his eight-and-a-half year spell with West Ham.
Lomas added: “Colchester have a great new ground and they definitely have a squad that is better than their current league position.” Essex Echo
"Myths and Facts About Football"
-
What looks to be a fascinating forthcoming book: 'Myths and Facts about Football: The Economics and Psychology of the World's Greatest Sport', edited by Patric Andersson, Peter Ayton and Carsten Schmidt See from the Publisher: "Myths and Facts About Football" -- Amazon.co.uk
BBC Gossip "Academic research for the book Myths and Facts About Football has found that teams who celebrate goals collectively achieve better results, while teams are no more likely to concede just after scoring than at any other time. (The Independent)" - BBC Gossip
The Independent - Fact or fiction? 'Form' in football
-Always back a striker in form to score... or should you? A new book explodes some of the widely held beliefs about the game, as Nick Harris discovers
- It is a fact, according to Professor Ayton, that teams who celebrate goals collectively achieve better results
- The leading striker at your club – or for your country – has just banged in a hat-trick. He must be in "form", mustn't he? And thus more likely than average to score in his next game as well? No, actually.
- According to a new book, the concept of "form" in football is a myth. Analysis suggests that the goalscoring runs of even the supposed "hottest" strikers are no more attributable to a "form streak" than they are to chance.
- The book, Myths and Facts About Football, draws together academic research from around the world, taking to task widely held notions about the beautiful game. Many intuitive beliefs are shown to be flawed. Teams do not run a greater risk of conceding just after scoring. Home teams in penalty shoot-outs have no advantage.
- By subjecting what happens in football to scientific and mathematical tests, economists and psychologists argue that other "football phenomena" are indeed provable. Second-leg home advantage in two-legged cup ties is real. Teams that celebrate goals collectively achieve better results. Penalty takers who shoot down the middle have the best chance of scoring.
- "There really is a gap in the understanding of football that could be filled with more rigorous scientific analysis of what happens," says Professor Peter Ayton, a psychologist at City University, London, and one of the book's editors and contributors.
- "These days on television, you see discussions about football that are more prominent than the football itself, but most of it is just opinion. My field, psychology, shows judgement, even of so-called experts, shouldn't be trusted on its own. Where you can actually check something with data, why not?"
- Professor Ayton accepts that the work of "data fiends" in football is in its infancy, and that only when larger-scale studies on more aspects of the game are completed will it gain wider acceptance. But as one of his fellow "fiends" writes in the book's preface: "Data can tell you far more than commentators, experts, former players or casual pundits. Objective measurement is not just a way to rank and value players, but the only way. A statement made about football that can't be quantified and tested using data is a non-statement.
- "Over the next 10 years, managers are going to twig to this. When there are millions of pounds at stake they aren't going to go on valuing players by reading football magazines and watching a video, are they? So we, the data fiends, are going to take over the world... Starting with this book."
Fiction: Strikers have periods of 'hot' form when they are more likely to score
- A widely held belief in strikers' "form" was echoed by a researcher's survey of Premier League players, a large majority of whom believed scoring goals increased the chances of goals in the next game. But a statistical analysis of goals "by the 12 leading forwards in the Premiership for 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons" showed "no significant association" between one goal and another.
- For example, Alan Shearer scored in 79 per cent of home games (34/43). But when he had failed to score in his previous home game his rate was 85 per cent (17/20). In other words, his form was "hotter" when he had not scored, although not significantly hotter, statistically. The same pattern was observed for Shearer away from home, and overall. The same analysis was done on 11 other players – Beardsley, Cantona, Fowler, Le Tissier and Sheringham among them – and "none of the associations for any player, home or away, show a pattern of scoring such that players are more likely to score if they scored in their previous game."
- Ayton accepts there is a "plausible" logic in the belief in form – in other words, that goals lead to confidence and goals and a virtuous cycle – but says it is just as plausible to say that goals lead to complacency. The stats show neither. "Form" as a generic concept in football is as likely as "form" for heads or tails in a series of coin tosses.
Fact: Second-leg home advantage exists
- Home advantage is a well established phenomenon across many sports, including football. But it is also statistically and significantly true that in two-legged cup ties the overall advantage falls to the team playing at home in the second leg.
- Research led by a London-based French academic, Lional Page, considered 6,182 European ties (12,364 matches) between 1955 and 2006, and found a probability of 53.77 (against an expected 50) that the home team in the second leg wins. The phenomenon, which has declined over time, cannot be attributed exclusively to extra time and penalties in some second legs. One theory is that more is at stake in the second leg and "home advantage" factors (crowd, familiarity with the pitch, referee bias) intensify in the decisive, second match.
Fiction: Teams run a greater risk of conceding just after scoring
- The common gesture of a manager pointing urgently to his head just after his team has scored appears to convey a particular need for "cool" and "focus" at such times. But a study of 127 Premiership matches finishing 1-1 between 1994 and 1996 showed teams are no more likely to concede just after scoring than at any other time. The time remaining after the first goal in each of those games was divided in four. If the myth were true, more equalisers should be observed in the first quartile. In fact, that period produced the fewest goals (16.54 per cent), with the highest percentage (31.5) in the fourth quartile.
Fact: Goalkeepers dive too often for penalties, as opposed to standing still, which is more effective
- Two German economists, Wolfgang Leininger and Axel Ockenfels, suggest that the very nature of the penalty kick altered when Johan Neeskens became the first player in a truly high-profile match – for the Netherlands in the 1974 World Cup final – to shoot down the middle, as opposed to one side. He scored.
- This "clever innovation" was then successfully replicated by Czechoslovakia's Antonin Panenka in the final of the 1976 European Championship.
- To simplify a hugely complicated subject, the perception of the "penalty game" shifted from being two-strategy (left or right) to three (middle as well), and the theoretical chances of success for strikers rose. One study of 459 penalties in France and Italy from 1997-2000 (Chiappori et al, 2002), showed that kicking down the middle, on average, has the highest success rate, of 81 per cent, against 70.1 per cent success aiming to the right corner, and 76.7 per cent to the left. But the convention of "right or left" holds sway, generally. A separate study by two Israeli academics suggests staying in the centre of the goal might enhance a goalkeeper's chances of making a save.
- In a study of 286 spot-kicks, they observed that goalkeepers who stayed in the middle saved a much higher proportion of kicks aimed at the middle compared to keepers making dives for shots placed to the sides. But to simplify again, numerous studies suggest an "action bias" in goalkeepers: they would rather move and fail to save than stay put and fail, even knowing that staying put might be a better strategy.
Fact: Teams who celebrate goals collectively achieve better results
- A psychological study of scorers' behaviour following each of 125 goals in the Israeli Premier League in 1992 assessed where the player immediately went (crowd/coach/team-mates), his destination (off field/toward crowd but not off pitch/where most team-mates were) and number of players making contact with the scorer.
- Post-scoring behaviour was found to be a fairly good predictor of team success," the researchers found. Whether cohesion equals success, or vice versa, needs further study, although coaches are advised that post-scoring behaviour can provide "useful information about the players' attitude towards the team".
Fiction: Taking the lead just before half-time makes a win much more likely
- An analysis of Premiership games between August 1992 and October 1995 showed that 355 matches had a 1-0 scoreline at half-time. A survey of Premier League players showed that footballers had a belief that scoring just before half-time was better than earlier in the game. But the researchers say: "The time when that goal was scored doesn't have any effect on the game; rates of win, lose or draw hardly vary at all [statistically] as a function of when the first goal was scored."
- However, while this study suggests that success via late first-half goals is myth, Professor Ayton also cites a larger, more recent study, of almost 20,000 games, that suggests a discernible, but not large, advantage in scoring just before half-time.
Fact: Player performance is strongly affected by relative income
- Or in other words, when a player's salary rises (or drops) relative to his team-mates' pay, his performance improves (or declines). German and Swiss economists demonstrated this by studying goals, assists and ball usage (and salaries) of players at 28 clubs in the German Bundesliga between 1995 and 2004. The "robust findings" show the relationship is not simply that "better players earn more" but that the "causality runs from pay to performance, not the other way round". Willingness to perform, as in many jobs, depends on relative pay.
Fiction: Starting a penalty shoot-out is an advantage
- A study into performance under pressure examined 95 penalty shootouts in the German FA Cup between 1986 and 2006. The results found "no grain of truth" in the idea that taking the first kick in a shoot-out held any advantage. Nor did home teams fare any better, statistically, than visitors. The researchers said: "It is particularly noteworthy that the relative frequency of the home team winning in a shoot-out, is, in fact, considerably smaller than the frequency of home teams winning in a match during the regular season... 'choking' could influence penalty conversion of home team players negatively."
'Myths and Facts about Football: The Economics and Psychology of the World's Greatest Sport', edited by Patric Andersson, Peter Ayton and Carsten Schmidt (Cambridge Scholars Publishing), will be published on 1 November. Paperback £12.99; hardback £39.99. Available via http://www.c-s-p.org, at amazon.co.uk, or order in any bookshop (ISBN 9781847186225) -- The Independent
[Comment on or discuss this book on the new QPR Report Messageboard
What looks to be a fascinating forthcoming book: 'Myths and Facts about Football: The Economics and Psychology of the World's Greatest Sport', edited by Patric Andersson, Peter Ayton and Carsten Schmidt See from the Publisher: "Myths and Facts About Football" -- Amazon.co.uk
BBC Gossip "Academic research for the book Myths and Facts About Football has found that teams who celebrate goals collectively achieve better results, while teams are no more likely to concede just after scoring than at any other time. (The Independent)" - BBC Gossip
The Independent - Fact or fiction? 'Form' in football
-Always back a striker in form to score... or should you? A new book explodes some of the widely held beliefs about the game, as Nick Harris discovers
- It is a fact, according to Professor Ayton, that teams who celebrate goals collectively achieve better results
- The leading striker at your club – or for your country – has just banged in a hat-trick. He must be in "form", mustn't he? And thus more likely than average to score in his next game as well? No, actually.
- According to a new book, the concept of "form" in football is a myth. Analysis suggests that the goalscoring runs of even the supposed "hottest" strikers are no more attributable to a "form streak" than they are to chance.
- The book, Myths and Facts About Football, draws together academic research from around the world, taking to task widely held notions about the beautiful game. Many intuitive beliefs are shown to be flawed. Teams do not run a greater risk of conceding just after scoring. Home teams in penalty shoot-outs have no advantage.
- By subjecting what happens in football to scientific and mathematical tests, economists and psychologists argue that other "football phenomena" are indeed provable. Second-leg home advantage in two-legged cup ties is real. Teams that celebrate goals collectively achieve better results. Penalty takers who shoot down the middle have the best chance of scoring.
- "There really is a gap in the understanding of football that could be filled with more rigorous scientific analysis of what happens," says Professor Peter Ayton, a psychologist at City University, London, and one of the book's editors and contributors.
- "These days on television, you see discussions about football that are more prominent than the football itself, but most of it is just opinion. My field, psychology, shows judgement, even of so-called experts, shouldn't be trusted on its own. Where you can actually check something with data, why not?"
- Professor Ayton accepts that the work of "data fiends" in football is in its infancy, and that only when larger-scale studies on more aspects of the game are completed will it gain wider acceptance. But as one of his fellow "fiends" writes in the book's preface: "Data can tell you far more than commentators, experts, former players or casual pundits. Objective measurement is not just a way to rank and value players, but the only way. A statement made about football that can't be quantified and tested using data is a non-statement.
- "Over the next 10 years, managers are going to twig to this. When there are millions of pounds at stake they aren't going to go on valuing players by reading football magazines and watching a video, are they? So we, the data fiends, are going to take over the world... Starting with this book."
Fiction: Strikers have periods of 'hot' form when they are more likely to score
- A widely held belief in strikers' "form" was echoed by a researcher's survey of Premier League players, a large majority of whom believed scoring goals increased the chances of goals in the next game. But a statistical analysis of goals "by the 12 leading forwards in the Premiership for 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons" showed "no significant association" between one goal and another.
- For example, Alan Shearer scored in 79 per cent of home games (34/43). But when he had failed to score in his previous home game his rate was 85 per cent (17/20). In other words, his form was "hotter" when he had not scored, although not significantly hotter, statistically. The same pattern was observed for Shearer away from home, and overall. The same analysis was done on 11 other players – Beardsley, Cantona, Fowler, Le Tissier and Sheringham among them – and "none of the associations for any player, home or away, show a pattern of scoring such that players are more likely to score if they scored in their previous game."
- Ayton accepts there is a "plausible" logic in the belief in form – in other words, that goals lead to confidence and goals and a virtuous cycle – but says it is just as plausible to say that goals lead to complacency. The stats show neither. "Form" as a generic concept in football is as likely as "form" for heads or tails in a series of coin tosses.
Fact: Second-leg home advantage exists
- Home advantage is a well established phenomenon across many sports, including football. But it is also statistically and significantly true that in two-legged cup ties the overall advantage falls to the team playing at home in the second leg.
- Research led by a London-based French academic, Lional Page, considered 6,182 European ties (12,364 matches) between 1955 and 2006, and found a probability of 53.77 (against an expected 50) that the home team in the second leg wins. The phenomenon, which has declined over time, cannot be attributed exclusively to extra time and penalties in some second legs. One theory is that more is at stake in the second leg and "home advantage" factors (crowd, familiarity with the pitch, referee bias) intensify in the decisive, second match.
Fiction: Teams run a greater risk of conceding just after scoring
- The common gesture of a manager pointing urgently to his head just after his team has scored appears to convey a particular need for "cool" and "focus" at such times. But a study of 127 Premiership matches finishing 1-1 between 1994 and 1996 showed teams are no more likely to concede just after scoring than at any other time. The time remaining after the first goal in each of those games was divided in four. If the myth were true, more equalisers should be observed in the first quartile. In fact, that period produced the fewest goals (16.54 per cent), with the highest percentage (31.5) in the fourth quartile.
Fact: Goalkeepers dive too often for penalties, as opposed to standing still, which is more effective
- Two German economists, Wolfgang Leininger and Axel Ockenfels, suggest that the very nature of the penalty kick altered when Johan Neeskens became the first player in a truly high-profile match – for the Netherlands in the 1974 World Cup final – to shoot down the middle, as opposed to one side. He scored.
- This "clever innovation" was then successfully replicated by Czechoslovakia's Antonin Panenka in the final of the 1976 European Championship.
- To simplify a hugely complicated subject, the perception of the "penalty game" shifted from being two-strategy (left or right) to three (middle as well), and the theoretical chances of success for strikers rose. One study of 459 penalties in France and Italy from 1997-2000 (Chiappori et al, 2002), showed that kicking down the middle, on average, has the highest success rate, of 81 per cent, against 70.1 per cent success aiming to the right corner, and 76.7 per cent to the left. But the convention of "right or left" holds sway, generally. A separate study by two Israeli academics suggests staying in the centre of the goal might enhance a goalkeeper's chances of making a save.
- In a study of 286 spot-kicks, they observed that goalkeepers who stayed in the middle saved a much higher proportion of kicks aimed at the middle compared to keepers making dives for shots placed to the sides. But to simplify again, numerous studies suggest an "action bias" in goalkeepers: they would rather move and fail to save than stay put and fail, even knowing that staying put might be a better strategy.
Fact: Teams who celebrate goals collectively achieve better results
- A psychological study of scorers' behaviour following each of 125 goals in the Israeli Premier League in 1992 assessed where the player immediately went (crowd/coach/team-mates), his destination (off field/toward crowd but not off pitch/where most team-mates were) and number of players making contact with the scorer.
- Post-scoring behaviour was found to be a fairly good predictor of team success," the researchers found. Whether cohesion equals success, or vice versa, needs further study, although coaches are advised that post-scoring behaviour can provide "useful information about the players' attitude towards the team".
Fiction: Taking the lead just before half-time makes a win much more likely
- An analysis of Premiership games between August 1992 and October 1995 showed that 355 matches had a 1-0 scoreline at half-time. A survey of Premier League players showed that footballers had a belief that scoring just before half-time was better than earlier in the game. But the researchers say: "The time when that goal was scored doesn't have any effect on the game; rates of win, lose or draw hardly vary at all [statistically] as a function of when the first goal was scored."
- However, while this study suggests that success via late first-half goals is myth, Professor Ayton also cites a larger, more recent study, of almost 20,000 games, that suggests a discernible, but not large, advantage in scoring just before half-time.
Fact: Player performance is strongly affected by relative income
- Or in other words, when a player's salary rises (or drops) relative to his team-mates' pay, his performance improves (or declines). German and Swiss economists demonstrated this by studying goals, assists and ball usage (and salaries) of players at 28 clubs in the German Bundesliga between 1995 and 2004. The "robust findings" show the relationship is not simply that "better players earn more" but that the "causality runs from pay to performance, not the other way round". Willingness to perform, as in many jobs, depends on relative pay.
Fiction: Starting a penalty shoot-out is an advantage
- A study into performance under pressure examined 95 penalty shootouts in the German FA Cup between 1986 and 2006. The results found "no grain of truth" in the idea that taking the first kick in a shoot-out held any advantage. Nor did home teams fare any better, statistically, than visitors. The researchers said: "It is particularly noteworthy that the relative frequency of the home team winning in a shoot-out, is, in fact, considerably smaller than the frequency of home teams winning in a match during the regular season... 'choking' could influence penalty conversion of home team players negatively."
'Myths and Facts about Football: The Economics and Psychology of the World's Greatest Sport', edited by Patric Andersson, Peter Ayton and Carsten Schmidt (Cambridge Scholars Publishing), will be published on 1 November. Paperback £12.99; hardback £39.99. Available via http://www.c-s-p.org, at amazon.co.uk, or order in any bookshop (ISBN 9781847186225) -- The Independent
[Comment on or discuss this book on the new QPR Report Messageboard
Again Denying Any QPR Name Change Plan
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The Independent
"...Ecclestone tries to calm QPR fans' fears
Supporters of Queen's Park Rangers football club say they see a lot of Flavio Briatore around the club's West London home, but very little of his co-owners, Lakshmi Mittal and Bernie Ecclestone.
Maybe so, but that doesn't mean the Formula One tycoon isn't tetchy about reports which claim that he and his business partners are planning to change the side's name to Queen's Park City.
"No, No. Don't believe everything you read in the papers," he told me at the recent launch of Form menswear at Harrods. "Who's saying that anyway? It can't be true."
His comments might keep his club's patrons happy for now, but he'll need to reach into his famously deep pockets to keep the wolves from the door. They're also moaning about the recent hike in season ticket prices." Independent
The Independent
"...Ecclestone tries to calm QPR fans' fears
Supporters of Queen's Park Rangers football club say they see a lot of Flavio Briatore around the club's West London home, but very little of his co-owners, Lakshmi Mittal and Bernie Ecclestone.
Maybe so, but that doesn't mean the Formula One tycoon isn't tetchy about reports which claim that he and his business partners are planning to change the side's name to Queen's Park City.
"No, No. Don't believe everything you read in the papers," he told me at the recent launch of Form menswear at Harrods. "Who's saying that anyway? It can't be true."
His comments might keep his club's patrons happy for now, but he'll need to reach into his famously deep pockets to keep the wolves from the door. They're also moaning about the recent hike in season ticket prices." Independent
Forty Year Flashback to QPR's First-Ever Division One Win
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Forty Ago Today: October 8, 1968 - QPR, FINALLY, WIN In Division One...
QPR - after two months and twelve games without a win (five draws and seven losses)in what was then known as the First Division (including a humiliating 0-4 home defeat against Chelsea)..newly-promoted QPR finally won their first-ever Division One game.
In a midweek game at Loftus Road (at a time, when QPR always played their midweek games on Tuesdays), QPR beat Ipswich 2-1. Barry Bridges and Roger Morgan scoring for QPR. QPR's team against Ipswich:
Mike Kelly:
Alan Harris - Tony Hazell- Bobby Keetch - Ian Watson
Mike Keen - Roger Morgan - Les Allen
Mick Leach - Barry Bridges - Alan Wilks
[Three days later, QPR defeated Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 at Loftus Road, with Wilks, Bridges and Leach scoring, and QPR seemed to be surging. (Unfortuantely QPR lost their next 3 games 3-2 at Newcastle 3-2 at home to Man United and 3-4 at West Ham...and in fact won only two other games the rest of the season as they were relegated with a then record-lowest number of points in the First Division: 18 points!)
Forty Ago Today: October 8, 1968 - QPR, FINALLY, WIN In Division One...
QPR - after two months and twelve games without a win (five draws and seven losses)in what was then known as the First Division (including a humiliating 0-4 home defeat against Chelsea)..newly-promoted QPR finally won their first-ever Division One game.
In a midweek game at Loftus Road (at a time, when QPR always played their midweek games on Tuesdays), QPR beat Ipswich 2-1. Barry Bridges and Roger Morgan scoring for QPR. QPR's team against Ipswich:
Mike Kelly:
Alan Harris - Tony Hazell- Bobby Keetch - Ian Watson
Mike Keen - Roger Morgan - Les Allen
Mick Leach - Barry Bridges - Alan Wilks
[Three days later, QPR defeated Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 at Loftus Road, with Wilks, Bridges and Leach scoring, and QPR seemed to be surging. (Unfortuantely QPR lost their next 3 games 3-2 at Newcastle 3-2 at home to Man United and 3-4 at West Ham...and in fact won only two other games the rest of the season as they were relegated with a then record-lowest number of points in the First Division: 18 points!)
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Baidoo Released...QPR vs Manchester United Information...Dowie Wanting to Bounce Back...Delaney Called Up....QPR Reserves Home Loss to Southampton
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- Shabbaz Baidoo released by Lewes: For a player who was so highly rated, just 2-3 years ago, he's certainly fallen a long, long way.
The Argus/Howard Griggs - Lewes release Baidoo
Lewes have released striker Shabazz Baidoo.
The former QPR and Dagenham forward made five appearances for the Rooks after joining a month ago.
The return of Chamal Fenelon from a loan spell at Tonbridge Angels meant manager Kevin Keehan had to trim his squad.
Keehan said: "It was a financial thing. I can't keep Chamal and Shabazz." Argus
QPR Official Site - CARLING CUP TICKET NEWS
Carling Cup 4th Round Manchester United v QPR
Tuesday 11th November 2008 Kick Off 8:00pm
Initial allocation of 6000 Tickets priced: Adults: £40.00 Senior Citizens over 65's: £22.50 Junior Under 16's: £10.00
Tickets will go on sale as follows:
Away Season Ticket Holders will automatically be sent their ticket.
Season Ticket Holders - Wednesday 8th October - 1 Ticket per Season Ticket Holder
Members - Wednesday 22nd October - 1 Ticket per Member Non - Members with Loyalty Points sales to be determined after demand of the above - the number of points required to be confirmed....
Tickets can be booked in the following ways....:.... Payment, Booking Fee and Postage Options
.... QPR
TEAMTALK - Dowie wants Hoops to bounce back
QPR boss Iain Dowie admits his side need to bounce back from their poor run when they host rock-bottom Nottingham Forest in a fortnight.
Rangers have taken just one point from their last four games and are desperate for a victory to ensure they do not fall any further off the promotion pace.
"One point in four is not good enough and should fire us up for our next home game," said Dowie.
"We can't buy a goal at the minute but we will keep working at it.
"Forest at home is a big, big game for us. We have to make sure we play with a defensive intensity and with creativity." Teamtalk
Irish Times - Trapattoni reveals squad to face Cyprus
....next week's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus.... Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni today named a panel of 21 for the match at Croke Park but is short on defensive options at full-back with Steve Finnan and Stephen Kelly ruled out through injury. ....
Republic of Ireland squad : Shay Given (Newcastle United), Dean Kiely (West Brom), Joe Murphy (Scunthorpe United), Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town), Damien Delaney (QPR), Richard Dunne (Manchester City) , Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic), Joey O'Brien (Bolton Wanderers), John O'Shea (Manchester United), Paul McShane (Sunderland), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Aiden McGeady (Glasgow Celtic), Damien Duff (Newcastle United), Liam Miller (Sunderland), Andy Reid (Sunderland), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Kevin Doyle (Reading), Robbie Keane (Liverpool), Andy Keogh (Wolves), Shane Long (Reading), Daryl Murphy (Sunderland). Irish Times
QPR Reserves Lose to Southampton
Southampton Official Site - Saints Reserves made it three wins out of four as they saw off an experienced QPR side 3-2 at Loftus Road.
Mark Wotte fielded a young team, with an average age of just 18, against a Rangers side that contained the likes of Damiano Tommasi, Lee Camp, Hogan Ephraim and Samuel Di Carmine.
Following the final whistle the Dutchman was impressed by his side's overall team performance and was delighted with the win that puts them joint top of the totesport.com Combination.
"It was a good team performance," Wotte said. "We've made it three wins in a row now and it was great experience for some of the younger players like Callum McNish and Oscar Gobern to play at a place like Loftus Road and get a result against a quality opposition side.
"We performed well in all positions and Tommy Forecast made several good saves," he added. "Jeffrey Imudia and Kyle Davies won everything at the back and the lads in the middle and up front ran their socks off."
New signing Ryan Smith also put in a good shift on his debut Saints performance, setting up the first goal in the process.
"Smith came in and made a good impression," Wotte continued. "He has a good dribble and was always a threat on the wing, as was Jake Thomson on the other side."
Saints took the lead towards the end of an evenly match first half, as Smith crossed the ball in from the left and Thomson headed home at the far post.
The visitors then doubled their lead in the 73rd minute from a corner on the left that Jamie White skilfully pulled back for Oscar Gobern to fire past Lee Camp and into the bottom left-hand corner.
Columbian striker Angelo Balanta later pulled it back to 2-1 to give the hosts hope of staging a late comeback, as he picked up Gareth Ainsworths's delivery from the right and unleashed a shot that Forecast could do nothing about.
Saints regained their two goal advantage straight away though, with a good cross from Jamie Hatch that picked out Kayne McLaggon, who in turn teed-up Jake Thomson.
Thomson's first shot unfortunately hit the bar, but Matt Paterson was in the right position to fire home the rebound with Lee Camp already beaten.
Adam Bolder then scored a second goal for Rangers with five minutes remaining, as the London side kept up the pressure, but Saints were able to hold on to record a memorable victory.
Saints Reserves: Forecast, Hatch, Imudia, Davies, Reeves, McNish, Gobern (Argent, 70), Smith (McLaggon, 75), White (Garrod, 85), Thomson, Paterson. Southampton
QPR Official Site IN RESERVE: SAINTS EDGE 5-GOAL THRILLER
Gareth Ainsworth's reserve side succumbed to a 3-2 defeat at a cold and wet Loftus Road as two second half goals were enough to clinch it for visitors Southampton.
Saints took the lead minutes before halftime and added a second not long after the restart, but Angelo Balanta pulled a goal back from an Ainsworth pass.
Saints hit back to notch a third from the resultant kick-off however, to seal the win, despite Adam Bolder making things interesting with a finely taken goal.
It was Ainsworth's men who threatened first as Damiano Tommasi lost then won back the ball in midfield and strode toward the Saints goal. He let rip from 20 yards but his shot was wild and didn't worry visiting keeper Tommy Forecast.
Rangers did worry Forecast minutes later as good build-up play involving Balanta and Hogan Ephraim saw the latter cross for the unmarked Bolder. The midfielder jumped well but could not quite guide his header into the net.
The R's were getting closer. A strong driving run from Matt Connolly led to the defender feeding Samuel Di Carmine whose left footed shot was slightly miscued and so narrowly missed the right upright.
The home side continued to press and Ephraim cut inside from the left, picking up a pass from Balanta as he went and hit a right foot shot that needed a strong parry from Forecast.
A long Camp punt was flicked on by Balanta, minutes later, and Di Carmine was only stopped from pulling the trigger by a superb Saints recovery tackle. From the resultant corner, Balanta found himself in space as the ball fell kindly to him but his shot on the turn was superbly tipped over by Forecast.
Minutes before half-time, the ever dangerous Ephraim picked up the ball from Tommasi's pass and ran towards the Saints box, shimmying one way then the other before firing off a shot that was well saved by Forecast.
As the half drew to a close, Balanta felt obliged to squeeze one more chance in. Di Carmine fed him the ball, he tricked himself out of the challenge of two Saints players and laid off Ephraim who, in return, teed him up on the edge of the box and the striker bent a shot wide of the target.
With missed chances comes the risk you might regret it and seconds before half-time, Rangers did just that. Ryan Smith escaped down the left and hung up a cross that was nodded home by Jake Thomson to put Saints ahead.
The second half opened with a downpour and a Rangers chance as an Bolder free-kick found Balanta whose header flashed across the Saints goal and wide.
Balanta was hungry for more seconds later, as he went on a mazy run into the box and fired off a snap-shot that stung the palms of Forecast.
Di Carmine, eager to follow his strike partner's example fired off a shot of his own moments later as a Tommasi free-kick found him with his back to goal. The Italian turned well but couldn't squeeze his shot inside the near post.
Suddenly Rangers came to life. Camp's long throw to Balanta saw the Columbian stride in-field and slip a reverse pass into the path of Di Carmine. A cute back heel from the on-loan man found Balanta once more but he could only poke his effort wide.
Back came Saints and Matt Paterson blazed wide from 20 yards.
Southampton extended their lead on 73 minutes as a neat one-two resulted in Oscar Gobern lashing beyond Camp from 7 yards.
Chris Flood tried to get the R's back in it but his thumping strike flew just wide.
The Hoops tried again seconds later as Bolder threaded a pass through for Balanta but his early shot once again was off target.
The two combined again as Bolder chipped a pass into the six-yard box for the s triker to control and tamely shoot straight at Forecast.
Finally the R's supporters who had braved the cold had something cheer about as Ainsworth escaped own the right and cut the ball back for Balanta, who had probably deserved a goal by now, to fire home to half the deficit.
Unfortunately Saints once again regained a two goal margin within seconds as Paterson nodded into an unguarded net after Camp and the cross bar had denied Smith.
The R's fought back but despite a Bolder goal five minutes from time, Saints hung on to claim the win.
QPR Reserves: Camp, Oastler, Arthur, Bolder, Harris, Connolly, Ephraim, Tommasi, Balanta, Rose Subs: Crowther, Flood, Ilesanmi, Ainsworth QPR
- Shabbaz Baidoo released by Lewes: For a player who was so highly rated, just 2-3 years ago, he's certainly fallen a long, long way.
The Argus/Howard Griggs - Lewes release Baidoo
Lewes have released striker Shabazz Baidoo.
The former QPR and Dagenham forward made five appearances for the Rooks after joining a month ago.
The return of Chamal Fenelon from a loan spell at Tonbridge Angels meant manager Kevin Keehan had to trim his squad.
Keehan said: "It was a financial thing. I can't keep Chamal and Shabazz." Argus
QPR Official Site - CARLING CUP TICKET NEWS
Carling Cup 4th Round Manchester United v QPR
Tuesday 11th November 2008 Kick Off 8:00pm
Initial allocation of 6000 Tickets priced: Adults: £40.00 Senior Citizens over 65's: £22.50 Junior Under 16's: £10.00
Tickets will go on sale as follows:
Away Season Ticket Holders will automatically be sent their ticket.
Season Ticket Holders - Wednesday 8th October - 1 Ticket per Season Ticket Holder
Members - Wednesday 22nd October - 1 Ticket per Member Non - Members with Loyalty Points sales to be determined after demand of the above - the number of points required to be confirmed....
Tickets can be booked in the following ways....:.... Payment, Booking Fee and Postage Options
.... QPR
TEAMTALK - Dowie wants Hoops to bounce back
QPR boss Iain Dowie admits his side need to bounce back from their poor run when they host rock-bottom Nottingham Forest in a fortnight.
Rangers have taken just one point from their last four games and are desperate for a victory to ensure they do not fall any further off the promotion pace.
"One point in four is not good enough and should fire us up for our next home game," said Dowie.
"We can't buy a goal at the minute but we will keep working at it.
"Forest at home is a big, big game for us. We have to make sure we play with a defensive intensity and with creativity." Teamtalk
Irish Times - Trapattoni reveals squad to face Cyprus
....next week's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus.... Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni today named a panel of 21 for the match at Croke Park but is short on defensive options at full-back with Steve Finnan and Stephen Kelly ruled out through injury. ....
Republic of Ireland squad : Shay Given (Newcastle United), Dean Kiely (West Brom), Joe Murphy (Scunthorpe United), Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town), Damien Delaney (QPR), Richard Dunne (Manchester City) , Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic), Joey O'Brien (Bolton Wanderers), John O'Shea (Manchester United), Paul McShane (Sunderland), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Aiden McGeady (Glasgow Celtic), Damien Duff (Newcastle United), Liam Miller (Sunderland), Andy Reid (Sunderland), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Kevin Doyle (Reading), Robbie Keane (Liverpool), Andy Keogh (Wolves), Shane Long (Reading), Daryl Murphy (Sunderland). Irish Times
QPR Reserves Lose to Southampton
Southampton Official Site - Saints Reserves made it three wins out of four as they saw off an experienced QPR side 3-2 at Loftus Road.
Mark Wotte fielded a young team, with an average age of just 18, against a Rangers side that contained the likes of Damiano Tommasi, Lee Camp, Hogan Ephraim and Samuel Di Carmine.
Following the final whistle the Dutchman was impressed by his side's overall team performance and was delighted with the win that puts them joint top of the totesport.com Combination.
"It was a good team performance," Wotte said. "We've made it three wins in a row now and it was great experience for some of the younger players like Callum McNish and Oscar Gobern to play at a place like Loftus Road and get a result against a quality opposition side.
"We performed well in all positions and Tommy Forecast made several good saves," he added. "Jeffrey Imudia and Kyle Davies won everything at the back and the lads in the middle and up front ran their socks off."
New signing Ryan Smith also put in a good shift on his debut Saints performance, setting up the first goal in the process.
"Smith came in and made a good impression," Wotte continued. "He has a good dribble and was always a threat on the wing, as was Jake Thomson on the other side."
Saints took the lead towards the end of an evenly match first half, as Smith crossed the ball in from the left and Thomson headed home at the far post.
The visitors then doubled their lead in the 73rd minute from a corner on the left that Jamie White skilfully pulled back for Oscar Gobern to fire past Lee Camp and into the bottom left-hand corner.
Columbian striker Angelo Balanta later pulled it back to 2-1 to give the hosts hope of staging a late comeback, as he picked up Gareth Ainsworths's delivery from the right and unleashed a shot that Forecast could do nothing about.
Saints regained their two goal advantage straight away though, with a good cross from Jamie Hatch that picked out Kayne McLaggon, who in turn teed-up Jake Thomson.
Thomson's first shot unfortunately hit the bar, but Matt Paterson was in the right position to fire home the rebound with Lee Camp already beaten.
Adam Bolder then scored a second goal for Rangers with five minutes remaining, as the London side kept up the pressure, but Saints were able to hold on to record a memorable victory.
Saints Reserves: Forecast, Hatch, Imudia, Davies, Reeves, McNish, Gobern (Argent, 70), Smith (McLaggon, 75), White (Garrod, 85), Thomson, Paterson. Southampton
QPR Official Site IN RESERVE: SAINTS EDGE 5-GOAL THRILLER
Gareth Ainsworth's reserve side succumbed to a 3-2 defeat at a cold and wet Loftus Road as two second half goals were enough to clinch it for visitors Southampton.
Saints took the lead minutes before halftime and added a second not long after the restart, but Angelo Balanta pulled a goal back from an Ainsworth pass.
Saints hit back to notch a third from the resultant kick-off however, to seal the win, despite Adam Bolder making things interesting with a finely taken goal.
It was Ainsworth's men who threatened first as Damiano Tommasi lost then won back the ball in midfield and strode toward the Saints goal. He let rip from 20 yards but his shot was wild and didn't worry visiting keeper Tommy Forecast.
Rangers did worry Forecast minutes later as good build-up play involving Balanta and Hogan Ephraim saw the latter cross for the unmarked Bolder. The midfielder jumped well but could not quite guide his header into the net.
The R's were getting closer. A strong driving run from Matt Connolly led to the defender feeding Samuel Di Carmine whose left footed shot was slightly miscued and so narrowly missed the right upright.
The home side continued to press and Ephraim cut inside from the left, picking up a pass from Balanta as he went and hit a right foot shot that needed a strong parry from Forecast.
A long Camp punt was flicked on by Balanta, minutes later, and Di Carmine was only stopped from pulling the trigger by a superb Saints recovery tackle. From the resultant corner, Balanta found himself in space as the ball fell kindly to him but his shot on the turn was superbly tipped over by Forecast.
Minutes before half-time, the ever dangerous Ephraim picked up the ball from Tommasi's pass and ran towards the Saints box, shimmying one way then the other before firing off a shot that was well saved by Forecast.
As the half drew to a close, Balanta felt obliged to squeeze one more chance in. Di Carmine fed him the ball, he tricked himself out of the challenge of two Saints players and laid off Ephraim who, in return, teed him up on the edge of the box and the striker bent a shot wide of the target.
With missed chances comes the risk you might regret it and seconds before half-time, Rangers did just that. Ryan Smith escaped down the left and hung up a cross that was nodded home by Jake Thomson to put Saints ahead.
The second half opened with a downpour and a Rangers chance as an Bolder free-kick found Balanta whose header flashed across the Saints goal and wide.
Balanta was hungry for more seconds later, as he went on a mazy run into the box and fired off a snap-shot that stung the palms of Forecast.
Di Carmine, eager to follow his strike partner's example fired off a shot of his own moments later as a Tommasi free-kick found him with his back to goal. The Italian turned well but couldn't squeeze his shot inside the near post.
Suddenly Rangers came to life. Camp's long throw to Balanta saw the Columbian stride in-field and slip a reverse pass into the path of Di Carmine. A cute back heel from the on-loan man found Balanta once more but he could only poke his effort wide.
Back came Saints and Matt Paterson blazed wide from 20 yards.
Southampton extended their lead on 73 minutes as a neat one-two resulted in Oscar Gobern lashing beyond Camp from 7 yards.
Chris Flood tried to get the R's back in it but his thumping strike flew just wide.
The Hoops tried again seconds later as Bolder threaded a pass through for Balanta but his early shot once again was off target.
The two combined again as Bolder chipped a pass into the six-yard box for the s triker to control and tamely shoot straight at Forecast.
Finally the R's supporters who had braved the cold had something cheer about as Ainsworth escaped own the right and cut the ball back for Balanta, who had probably deserved a goal by now, to fire home to half the deficit.
Unfortunately Saints once again regained a two goal margin within seconds as Paterson nodded into an unguarded net after Camp and the cross bar had denied Smith.
The R's fought back but despite a Bolder goal five minutes from time, Saints hung on to claim the win.
QPR Reserves: Camp, Oastler, Arthur, Bolder, Harris, Connolly, Ephraim, Tommasi, Balanta, Rose Subs: Crowther, Flood, Ilesanmi, Ainsworth QPR
QPR's 2008/09 Stats Thus Far
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QPR STATS in 2008/2009 - From Football 365
QPR currently have the 6th best home record and 19th "best" away record in the Championship.
League Record 2008-2009
Pld W D L F A GD GFA GAA PpG Pts Rank
Home Record 5 3 1 1 9 5 4 1.80 1.00 2.00 10 6
Away Record 5 1 1 3 2 6 -4 0.40 1.20 0.80 4 19
Overall Record 10 4 2 4 11 11 0 1.10 1.10 1.40 14 11
League Record 2007-2008 [for the same period]
[This time last year, QPR were bottom of the table, seeking their first win of the season]
Pld W D L F A GD GFA GAA PpG Pts Rank
Home Record 4 0 1 3 1 8 -7 0.25 2.00 0.25 1 24
Away Record 4 0 2 2 6 12 -6 1.50 3.00 0.50 2 20
Overall Record 8 0 3 5 7 20 -13 0.87 2.50 0.37 3 24
See Complete QPR STATS in 2008/2009 - From Football 365
QPR STATS in 2008/2009 - From Football 365
QPR currently have the 6th best home record and 19th "best" away record in the Championship.
League Record 2008-2009
Pld W D L F A GD GFA GAA PpG Pts Rank
Home Record 5 3 1 1 9 5 4 1.80 1.00 2.00 10 6
Away Record 5 1 1 3 2 6 -4 0.40 1.20 0.80 4 19
Overall Record 10 4 2 4 11 11 0 1.10 1.10 1.40 14 11
League Record 2007-2008 [for the same period]
[This time last year, QPR were bottom of the table, seeking their first win of the season]
Pld W D L F A GD GFA GAA PpG Pts Rank
Home Record 4 0 1 3 1 8 -7 0.25 2.00 0.25 1 24
Away Record 4 0 2 2 6 12 -6 1.50 3.00 0.50 2 20
Overall Record 8 0 3 5 7 20 -13 0.87 2.50 0.37 3 24
See Complete QPR STATS in 2008/2009 - From Football 365
QPR Captain Urgings Fans Not to Boo?
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The London Informer reports "A QPR fans’ website is claiming Martin Rowlands has pleaded with fans not to boo the team." Regardless of the exact nature of Rowlands reported comments, it is undoubtedly a plea which every player at every club would urge of its own fans
[A note in passing: This particular blogger (QPR Report) has just been banned from accessing that particular QPR Fans website!]
London Informer/Paul Warburton - QPR boss wants cheers not jeers
A QPR fans’ website is claiming Martin Rowlands has pleaded with fans not to boo the team.
The Rangers captain remonstrated with Hoops supporters following the 2-0 home defeat to Derby 10 days ago, and according to qprdot.org wants fans to cheer rather than jeer.
He said: "Three days earlier we beat Aston Villa 1-0 and everyone was ecstatic.
"Three days later the fans booed the players off. OK, we didn't play that well but there was no need to boo."
Rangers have taken just one point in the last 12, after losing 1-0 at Birmingham on Saturday." [London Informer]
The London Informer reports "A QPR fans’ website is claiming Martin Rowlands has pleaded with fans not to boo the team." Regardless of the exact nature of Rowlands reported comments, it is undoubtedly a plea which every player at every club would urge of its own fans
[A note in passing: This particular blogger (QPR Report) has just been banned from accessing that particular QPR Fans website!]
London Informer/Paul Warburton - QPR boss wants cheers not jeers
A QPR fans’ website is claiming Martin Rowlands has pleaded with fans not to boo the team.
The Rangers captain remonstrated with Hoops supporters following the 2-0 home defeat to Derby 10 days ago, and according to qprdot.org wants fans to cheer rather than jeer.
He said: "Three days earlier we beat Aston Villa 1-0 and everyone was ecstatic.
"Three days later the fans booed the players off. OK, we didn't play that well but there was no need to boo."
Rangers have taken just one point in the last 12, after losing 1-0 at Birmingham on Saturday." [London Informer]
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