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If you're interested in getting cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! Just Read. Or also post! All views genuinely welcomed!
- Posted Articles - Updated Throughout the Day
- QPR Fall to Chelsea (In closed-door Training Ground Game):
- Football Fan Census: If Happy With QPR's Summer Transfers?
- A Year Ago: ABC Loan Paid Off
- Year ago: Bizarre "Dowie Out" rumours and a denial
- QPR's 1999-2000 Season
- Three Years Ago: The season kicked off for Gary Waddock's QPR
- David Nugent Sent Home
- Danny Shittu Set to Leave Bolton
- Crystal Palace Transfer Ban
- Amazing Gesture by Northampton Players
- A look at Bank Services Offered by Football clubs
- Martin Ling Departs as Cambridge Manager after a week! "Irreconciliable Differences"
Gulf Weekly/Patrick Cummings - QPR in hunt for promotion
- With the start of the Premiership season still 10 days away there is always a very small window for the Championship teams to sneak some of the headlines.
Only at play-off weekend do they manage to get this opportunity and if they are to have a decent run at promotion it is always vital to get a good start.
This year is particularly fascinating as there are so many clubs in with a chance and it is as open as it as ever been.
The main reason for this is that the teams who were relegated from the Premiership have a lot of problems themselves.
Newcastle, WBA and Middlesbrough whilst favourites to go back up at the first attempt are far from this when their individual situations are closely examined.
Of course the parachute payment from the Premier League gives them a massive advantage but they are not as far ahead of the chasing pack as is usual at the start of the season.
In particular Newcastle are in disarray with no manager to speak of, the owner trying to unsuccessfully sell the club and a group of players who could not be more discontented if they tried. The 6-1 defeat to Leyton Orient may well have only happened in a friendly but nonetheless it is still a shocking result and one that may well have more significance come the end of the season.
The sad loss of Sir Bobby Robson from cancer has rightly taken over the emotions of the Newcastle faithful but football is an ever changing world and if the team do not perform, then sympathy will not be close at hand.
They could not have a tougher first game away at West Brom, live on the BBC, who themselves have lost manager Tony Mowbray to Celtic over the summer. WBA though have a habit of making this seasonal relegation and promotion work for them and in Roberto Di Matteo they have a manager with huge prospects.
This could end up being a chastening experience for Newcastle fans and they may well get well beaten leaving the season and club in tatters.
For any doubters to this scenario you need only mention Leeds to them and watch the blood drain from their faces.
Middlesbrough are better placed but not much more and it is only the blind loyalty of Chairman Mike Gibson that allowed Southgate to keep his job.
I am not sure this will last too long if the season does not start well and they kick off the season with a home match to Sheffield United on Friday night. United having come so close last year may well be the team to watch this year as often a close encounter with promotion leads to success the following year.
One of the most intriguing fixtures on day one is Derby versus Peterborough as both managers are sons of former greats namely Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson. Nigel and Darren do not have the status yet but their teams do play attractive football and because of their pedigree they will be able to engender more loyalty if things do not start off so well.
This is an essential factor in a season so long as if pressure mounts too early when things are not going so well then the whole team under performs.
The influx of young ambitious managers is a particular focus for the Championship this year as 16 are either under 40 or in their mid forties and one of these includes Roy Keane at Ipswich.
Having had an unhappy ending at Sunderland it is worth remembering that he did get the Black Cats promoted and this will be invaluable experience through this tight campaign.
- And so to QPR who, being sponsored by Gulf Air under the stewardship of Flavio Briatore, would you would think have every opportunity to muscle their way into the shake up.
- This has proved beyond then to date and having five managers and two caretakers since 2007 will hardly be helping their cause.
- However, the appointment of Jim Magilton may buck this trend as he is a solid manager with decent credentials who demands his team play good football. He will not be daunted by this job and four wins in four friendly games conceding only one goal and scoring eleven bodes very well.
- They may well only be friendlies but momentum is an important factor for any club and it does not matter when you get it as long as you do. A home fixture to Blackpool on Saturday may well be the perfect start for them.
- This season really is wide open and there is no reason to think that Magilton's team cannot take advantage of this and they have solid reasons, more than Newcastle and Middlesbrough anyway, to believe they will get into the play-offs at least and if they start well who knows they may well challenge for an automatic slot. Gulf Weekly
- Previewing QPR's 2009/2010 Championship Prospects - Compilation
Bet365 - Championship Leading Goalscerer Odds
-Helguson 25-1; Vine 33-1; Agyemang 40-1; Taarbat 80-1 (Blackstock 33-1)
Shane Long (Reading) 12/1
Simon Cox (West Brom) 12/1
Ched Evans (Sheff Utd) 14/1
Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 16/1
Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) 16/1
Freddie Sears (Crystal Palace) 18/1
Luke Moore (West Brom) 18/1
Neil Mellor (Preston) 20/1
Marvin Emnes (Middlesbrough) 20/1
Andrew Carroll (Newcastle) 20/1
Shola Ameobi (Newcastle) 20/1
Jeremie Aliadiere (Middlesbrough) 20/1
Leroy Lita (Middlesbrough) 20/1
Nicky Maynard (Bristol City) 22/1
Gary Hooper (Scunhorpe) 25/1
Heidar Helguson (QPR) 25/1
Robert Earnshaw (Nottm Forest) 25/1
Matt Fryatt (Leicester) 25/1
Darius Henderson (Sheff Utd) 28/1
Noel Hunt (Reading) 28/1
Billy Sharp (Sheff Utd) 33/1
Aaron McLean (Peterborough) 33/1
Alan Smith (Newcastle) 33/1
Stephen Elliott (Preston) 33/1
Rowan Vine (QPR) 33/1
Simon Church (Reading) 33/1
Jon Stead (Ipswich) 33/1
Dexter Blackstock (Nottm Forest) 33/1
Rob Hulse (Derby) 33/1
David Clarkson (Bristol City) 33/1
Kevin Nolan (Newcastle) 33/1
Jamie Ward (Sheff Utd) 33/1
James Hayter (Doncaster) 40/1
Iain Hume (Barnsley) 40/1
Eddie Johnson (Cardiff) 40/1
Leon Clarke (Sheff Wed) 40/1
Jonathan Franks (Middlesbrough) 40/1
Marcus Tudgay (Sheff Wed) 40/1
Craig Beattie (West Brom) 40/1
Guillem Bauza (Swansea) 40/1
Gorka Pintado (Swansea) 40/1
Patrick Agyemang (QPR) 40/1
Luke Varney (Derby) 40/1
Pablo Counago (Ipswich) 40/1
Craig Mackail-Smith (Peterborough) 40/1
Jonathan Walters (Ipswich) 50/1
Clinton Morrison (Coventry) 50/1
Tamas Priskin (Watford) 50/1
Stephen Dobbie (Swansea) 50/1
Tommy Smith (Watford) 50/1
David McGoldrick (Nottm Forest) 50/1
Akpo Sodje (Sheff Wed) 50/1
Chris Brown (Preston) 50/1
Chris Porter (Derby) 50/1
Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff) 66/1
Nicholas Bignall (Reading) 66/1
Alan Lee (Crystal Palace) 66/1
Nathan Ellington (Watford) 66/1
Steve Davies (Derby) 66/1
Jordan Robertson (Sheff Utd) 66/1
Jon Parkin (Preston) 66/1
Mark Yeates (Middlesbrough) 66/1
Paul Heffernan (Doncaster) 66/1
Steven MacLean (Plymouth) 66/1
Bradley Wright-Phillips (Plymouth) 66/1
Jonathan Macken (Barnsley) 66/1
Steve Howard (Leicester) 66/1
Nathan Tyson (Nottm Forest) 66/1
Ben May (Scunhorpe) 66/1
Don Cowie (Watford) 80/1
Adel Taarabt (QPR) 80/1
Danny Haynes (Bristol City) 80/1
Leon Best (Coventry) 80/1
Ben Burgess (Blackpool) 80/1
Paul Hayes (Scunthorpe) 80/1
Danny Graham (Watford) 80/1
Billy Clarke (Blackpool) 80/1
Ashley Barnes (Plymouth) 80/1
Ben Wright (Peterborough) 80/1
Jermaine Johnson (Sheff Wed) 80/1
Francis Jeffers (Sheff Wed) 100/1
Dany N'Guessan (Leicester) 100/1
George Boyd (Peterborough) 100/1
Jonathan Forte (Scunthorpe) 125/1
Jason Euell (Blackpool) 125/1
Onome Sodje (Barnsley) 150/1 -- Betfair365
- Ex-QPR Nikki Bull Joins Brentford
- Paul Furlong Decides to Keep Playing
- Ex-QPR Goalie and Coach, Tony Roberts Turns 40
- Ex-QPR, John Curtis Glad His Nightmare is Over
- Ali Russell Reportedly Now QPR Holding Board Member
- Flashback: QPR's 1994-95 Season - QPR finish 8th
- Year Flashback: Parejo Signs for QPR - "We are delighted to have agreed a deal to sign arguably the hottest prospect in European football"
- Ultimate Sports Websites Winners
- Extending Premiership Transfer Deadline a Day?
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
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
QPR Fall to Chelsea
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If you're interested in getting cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! Just Read. Or also post! All views genuinely welcomed!
Chelsea Official Site PLENTY IN RESERVE
A combination of first and reserve team players ran out comfortable 4-0 winners against a QPR XI at Cobham on Tuesday.
Despite dominating for the full 90 minutes, it wasn't until the second half that our superiority showed, as goals from Jacob Mellis, Salomon Kalou, Fabio Borini and Jeffrey Bruma sealed the victory.
It was a strong team put out by Paul Clement, in charge for the game, which included first team regulars Michael Ballack and Salomon Kalou, as well as Daniel Sturridge, Hilario, Michael Mancienne and Sam Hutchinson.
Chelsea, who were being watched by Carlo Ancelotti and John Terry, started well with a number of slick passing moves on the perfect Cobham turf.
Sturridge and Kalou were both finding space between and behind the QPR backline, which featured last season's caretaker player-manager Gareth Ainsworth, but could not quite get shots away.
In midfield Ballack's calming influence was clear to see, while at the back Mancienne and Bruma were doing a good job of cleaning up any QPF forays forwards.
All that was missing was a goal, Ballack's cross was diverted wide and then Scott Sinclair shot high, before the German released Sturridge, who beat his man and chipped the goalkeeper, only to see his shot rebound back off the crossbar. His next chance took only another five minutes to materialise, this time forcing a fantastic low save from the QPR keeper.
At half-time Ross Turnbull replaced Hilario in goal, while Shaun Cummings and Carl Magnay came in for Hutchinson and Mancienne at the back
The pattern of play remained the same, Chelsea on top but unable to convert chances. A break involving Patrick van Aanholt, Kalou and Sturridge eventually ended with Ballack firing wide when well-placed.
Moments later Cork won midfield possession, releasing Kalou who jinked down the left and shot, hit effort cleared off the line.
Finally the opener arrived, Jacob Mellis the man to finish, half-volleying low beneath the keeper from Sturridge's early cross. Once again the move had begun with an interception, this time Bruma on the edge of his own area before advancing with the ball and releasing the summer signing.
Within a few minutes the lead was doubled. Sinclair swung in a free-kick from the left and Kalou, unmarked, side-footed home the easiest of finishes from close range.
Clement immediately made changes, with four youngsters given match time, allowing those with first team summer experience a break.
Magnay and sub Michael Woods both had half-chances, the latter coming after a smart exchange between central midfielders, he picking up the ball and spreading to Mellis before receiving a pinpoint return 12 yards out. The shot was impressively pushed away to safety.
With a little under 15 minutes remaining Chelsea were awarded a penalty, Fabio Borini brought down by the goalkeeper, and firing the spot kick home himself, before Bruma made it four with another burst forward.
For a second time he won possession, but this time decided to follow his pass forwards, eventually running on to Jacopo Sala's through-ball and clipping around the advancing goalkeeper.
Finally Turnbull was tested, going down low to his left to prevent a volley, before Borini had another chance at the other end, taking advantage of lax QPR defending but unable to beat the keeper.
That was the last action of a satisfying afternoon for the Blues
Chelsea (4-4-2 diamond): Hilario (Turnbull h-t); Hutchinson (Cummings h-t), Bruma, Mancienne (Magnay h-t), Van Aanholt; Cork, Sinclair (Woods 60), Mellis (McEachran 70), Ballack (Sala 60); Kalou (Borini 60), Sturridge (Philliskirk 60). Chelsea
Posted Articles - Updated Throuhout the Day
- Another Assessment of QPR's 2009/10 Chances
- See also: Previewing QPR's 2009/2010 Championship Prospects - Compilation
- Martin Ling Departs as Cambridge Manager after a week! "Irreconciliable Differences"
- Amazing Gesture by Northampton Players
- Ex-QPR Nikki Bull Joins Brentford
- Paul Furlong Decides to Keep Playing
- Ex-QPR Goalie and Coach, Tony Roberts Turns 40
- Ex-QPR, John Curtis Glad His Nightmare is Over
- Ali Russell Reportedly Now QPR Holding Board Member
- Flashback: QPR's 1994-95 Season - QPR finish 8th
- Year Flashback: Parejo Signs for QPR - "We are delighted to have agreed a deal to sign arguably the hottest prospect in European football"
- Ultimate Sports Websites Winners
- Extending Premiership Transfer Deadline a Day?
If you're interested in getting cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! Just Read. Or also post! All views genuinely welcomed!
Chelsea Official Site PLENTY IN RESERVE
A combination of first and reserve team players ran out comfortable 4-0 winners against a QPR XI at Cobham on Tuesday.
Despite dominating for the full 90 minutes, it wasn't until the second half that our superiority showed, as goals from Jacob Mellis, Salomon Kalou, Fabio Borini and Jeffrey Bruma sealed the victory.
It was a strong team put out by Paul Clement, in charge for the game, which included first team regulars Michael Ballack and Salomon Kalou, as well as Daniel Sturridge, Hilario, Michael Mancienne and Sam Hutchinson.
Chelsea, who were being watched by Carlo Ancelotti and John Terry, started well with a number of slick passing moves on the perfect Cobham turf.
Sturridge and Kalou were both finding space between and behind the QPR backline, which featured last season's caretaker player-manager Gareth Ainsworth, but could not quite get shots away.
In midfield Ballack's calming influence was clear to see, while at the back Mancienne and Bruma were doing a good job of cleaning up any QPF forays forwards.
All that was missing was a goal, Ballack's cross was diverted wide and then Scott Sinclair shot high, before the German released Sturridge, who beat his man and chipped the goalkeeper, only to see his shot rebound back off the crossbar. His next chance took only another five minutes to materialise, this time forcing a fantastic low save from the QPR keeper.
At half-time Ross Turnbull replaced Hilario in goal, while Shaun Cummings and Carl Magnay came in for Hutchinson and Mancienne at the back
The pattern of play remained the same, Chelsea on top but unable to convert chances. A break involving Patrick van Aanholt, Kalou and Sturridge eventually ended with Ballack firing wide when well-placed.
Moments later Cork won midfield possession, releasing Kalou who jinked down the left and shot, hit effort cleared off the line.
Finally the opener arrived, Jacob Mellis the man to finish, half-volleying low beneath the keeper from Sturridge's early cross. Once again the move had begun with an interception, this time Bruma on the edge of his own area before advancing with the ball and releasing the summer signing.
Within a few minutes the lead was doubled. Sinclair swung in a free-kick from the left and Kalou, unmarked, side-footed home the easiest of finishes from close range.
Clement immediately made changes, with four youngsters given match time, allowing those with first team summer experience a break.
Magnay and sub Michael Woods both had half-chances, the latter coming after a smart exchange between central midfielders, he picking up the ball and spreading to Mellis before receiving a pinpoint return 12 yards out. The shot was impressively pushed away to safety.
With a little under 15 minutes remaining Chelsea were awarded a penalty, Fabio Borini brought down by the goalkeeper, and firing the spot kick home himself, before Bruma made it four with another burst forward.
For a second time he won possession, but this time decided to follow his pass forwards, eventually running on to Jacopo Sala's through-ball and clipping around the advancing goalkeeper.
Finally Turnbull was tested, going down low to his left to prevent a volley, before Borini had another chance at the other end, taking advantage of lax QPR defending but unable to beat the keeper.
That was the last action of a satisfying afternoon for the Blues
Chelsea (4-4-2 diamond): Hilario (Turnbull h-t); Hutchinson (Cummings h-t), Bruma, Mancienne (Magnay h-t), Van Aanholt; Cork, Sinclair (Woods 60), Mellis (McEachran 70), Ballack (Sala 60); Kalou (Borini 60), Sturridge (Philliskirk 60). Chelsea
Posted Articles - Updated Throuhout the Day
- Another Assessment of QPR's 2009/10 Chances
- See also: Previewing QPR's 2009/2010 Championship Prospects - Compilation
- Martin Ling Departs as Cambridge Manager after a week! "Irreconciliable Differences"
- Amazing Gesture by Northampton Players
- Ex-QPR Nikki Bull Joins Brentford
- Paul Furlong Decides to Keep Playing
- Ex-QPR Goalie and Coach, Tony Roberts Turns 40
- Ex-QPR, John Curtis Glad His Nightmare is Over
- Ali Russell Reportedly Now QPR Holding Board Member
- Flashback: QPR's 1994-95 Season - QPR finish 8th
- Year Flashback: Parejo Signs for QPR - "We are delighted to have agreed a deal to sign arguably the hottest prospect in European football"
- Ultimate Sports Websites Winners
- Extending Premiership Transfer Deadline a Day?
Another Assessment of QPR's Championship Prospects...Furlong and Bull In at Brenftord..Ex-QPR Tony Roberts Turns 40
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If you're interested in getting cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! Just Read. Or also post! All views genuinely welcomed!
- QPR played Chelsea Behind Closed Doors at the Chelsea Training Ground - and QPR Reportedly lost 0-4!
- ESPN - SEASON PREVIEW Championship 2009-10: Club by club By Richard Jolly
QPR
Manager: Jim Magilton
Position last season: 11th
Players in: Alejandro Faurlin (Instituto, £3.5 million), Adel Taarabt (Tottenham, loan), Alessandro Pellicori (free).
Players out: Liam Miller (released), Zesh Rehman (Bradford, free), Jake Cole (released), Danny Maguire (released), Chris Arthur (released), Damien Delaney (Ipswich, undisclosed), Lee Camp (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed), Dexter Blackstock (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed).
Jim Magilton could be forgiven for keeping the number of a removal firm handy. As he is QPR's ninth manager, including caretakers, in four years, he is unlikely to rival Sir Alex Ferguson for longevity.
Immediate improvement must be the aim. Despite the wealth of owners Flavio Briatore, Bernie Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal, QPR were abject away from home last season, failing to score for three months towards the end of 2008.
If a supply line that includes Lee Cook, Akos Buzsaky, Wayne Routledge and Martin Rowlands suggests QPR should not be as impotent in attack, it is worth remembering that the top scorer, Dexter Blackstock, was sold. Unless Alessandro Pellicori finds goals as easy to come by as they were in Italy's lower leagues, it is a reason why mid-table may beckon again.
Key Man: Alejandro Faurlin - The Argentine is Magilton's first and biggest buy. Given his £3.5m price tag, much will be expected.
One to watch: Adel Taarabt - A product of Tottenham's scattergun approach to recruitment, the Moroccan midfielder should have a greater opportunity to impress at Loftus Road -
The final standings?
1. West Brom
2. Sheff Utd
3. Cardiff
4. Reading
5. Middlesbrough
6. Nottm Forest
7. Derby
8. Ipswich
9. QPR
10. Leicester
11. C Palace
12. Bristol C
13. Sheff Wed
14. Newcastle
15. Preston
16. Peterborough
17. Watford
18. Coventry
19. Swansea
20. Doncaster
21. Sunthorpe
22. Blackpool
23. Plymouth
24. Barnsley
Soccernet
- See also: Previewing QPR's 2009/2010 Championship Prospects - Compilation
Posted Articles - Updated Throuhout the Day
- Martin Ling Departs as Cambridge Manager after a week! "Irreconciliable Differences"
- Ex-QPR Nikki Bull Joins Brentford
- Paul Furlong Decides to Keep Playing
- Ex-QPR Goalie and Coach, Tony Roberts Turns 40
- Ex-QPR, John Curtis Glad His Nightmare is Over
- Ali Russell Reportedly Now QPR Holding Board Member
- Amazing Gesture by Northampton Players
- Flashback: QPR's 1994-95 Season - QPR finish 8th
- Year Flashback: Parejo Signs for QPR - "We are delighted to have agreed a deal to sign arguably the hottest prospect in European football"
- Ultimate Sports Websites Winners
- Extending Premiership Transfer Deadline a Day?
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
- The Ref for the QPR Opener vs Blackpool is....A P Durso
- Leeds' Delph to Aston Villa
- Another "Incident" in China
- Dave Clement's Son (Coaching at Chelsea) Interviewed
- UEFA Worried by English Club Finances
If you're interested in getting cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! Just Read. Or also post! All views genuinely welcomed!
- QPR played Chelsea Behind Closed Doors at the Chelsea Training Ground - and QPR Reportedly lost 0-4!
- ESPN - SEASON PREVIEW Championship 2009-10: Club by club By Richard Jolly
QPR
Manager: Jim Magilton
Position last season: 11th
Players in: Alejandro Faurlin (Instituto, £3.5 million), Adel Taarabt (Tottenham, loan), Alessandro Pellicori (free).
Players out: Liam Miller (released), Zesh Rehman (Bradford, free), Jake Cole (released), Danny Maguire (released), Chris Arthur (released), Damien Delaney (Ipswich, undisclosed), Lee Camp (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed), Dexter Blackstock (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed).
Jim Magilton could be forgiven for keeping the number of a removal firm handy. As he is QPR's ninth manager, including caretakers, in four years, he is unlikely to rival Sir Alex Ferguson for longevity.
Immediate improvement must be the aim. Despite the wealth of owners Flavio Briatore, Bernie Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal, QPR were abject away from home last season, failing to score for three months towards the end of 2008.
If a supply line that includes Lee Cook, Akos Buzsaky, Wayne Routledge and Martin Rowlands suggests QPR should not be as impotent in attack, it is worth remembering that the top scorer, Dexter Blackstock, was sold. Unless Alessandro Pellicori finds goals as easy to come by as they were in Italy's lower leagues, it is a reason why mid-table may beckon again.
Key Man: Alejandro Faurlin - The Argentine is Magilton's first and biggest buy. Given his £3.5m price tag, much will be expected.
One to watch: Adel Taarabt - A product of Tottenham's scattergun approach to recruitment, the Moroccan midfielder should have a greater opportunity to impress at Loftus Road -
The final standings?
1. West Brom
2. Sheff Utd
3. Cardiff
4. Reading
5. Middlesbrough
6. Nottm Forest
7. Derby
8. Ipswich
9. QPR
10. Leicester
11. C Palace
12. Bristol C
13. Sheff Wed
14. Newcastle
15. Preston
16. Peterborough
17. Watford
18. Coventry
19. Swansea
20. Doncaster
21. Sunthorpe
22. Blackpool
23. Plymouth
24. Barnsley
Soccernet
- See also: Previewing QPR's 2009/2010 Championship Prospects - Compilation
Posted Articles - Updated Throuhout the Day
- Martin Ling Departs as Cambridge Manager after a week! "Irreconciliable Differences"
- Ex-QPR Nikki Bull Joins Brentford
- Paul Furlong Decides to Keep Playing
- Ex-QPR Goalie and Coach, Tony Roberts Turns 40
- Ex-QPR, John Curtis Glad His Nightmare is Over
- Ali Russell Reportedly Now QPR Holding Board Member
- Amazing Gesture by Northampton Players
- Flashback: QPR's 1994-95 Season - QPR finish 8th
- Year Flashback: Parejo Signs for QPR - "We are delighted to have agreed a deal to sign arguably the hottest prospect in European football"
- Ultimate Sports Websites Winners
- Extending Premiership Transfer Deadline a Day?
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
- The Ref for the QPR Opener vs Blackpool is....A P Durso
- Leeds' Delph to Aston Villa
- Another "Incident" in China
- Dave Clement's Son (Coaching at Chelsea) Interviewed
- UEFA Worried by English Club Finances
QPR Play Chelsea Today (Closed Doors)....Another 2009/10 Championship Preview...2009 "Ultimate Sport Websites Awards"...FOotball Snippets
-
If you're interested in getting cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! Just Read. Or also post! All views genuinely welcomed!
- Posted Articles - Updated Throuhout the Day
- Martin Ling Departs as Cambridge Manager after a week! "Irreconciliable Differences"
- Ex-QPR, John Curtis Glad His Nightmare is Over
- QPR Play Chelsea today in a closed-door game at Chelsea's Cobhan Training Ground
- Ali Russell Reportedly Now QPR Holding Board Member
- Ex-QPR Nikki Bull Joins Brentford
- Paul Furlong Decides to Keep Playing
- Kilburn Times' Ben Kosky/Vital Football QPR - Season Preview
- Ex-QPR Goalie and Coach, Tony Roberts Turns 40
- Flashback: QPR's 1994-95 Season - QPR finish 8th
- Year Flashback: Parejo Signs for QPR - "We are delighted to have agreed a deal to sign arguably the hottest prospect in European football"
- The Telegraph - The Championship: team-by-team guide to the 2009-10 season
The new Championship season begins on Aug 8 - how will the teams will fare?
By Steve Wilson, Sam Green and David Edbrooke
-"...QPR
- Premier class: Wayne Routledge
- A player signed by Harry Redknapp and Martin O'Neill must have something going for him, even if Routledge has so far failed to live up to his early promise
- Championship fare: The self-styled 'richest club in the world' have so far failed to turn hard cash in to success on the pitch.
- PREDICTION: Play-off contenders but on the outside looking in - Complete Club-by-Club Championship Preview
QPR Official Siite - CERNY PENS EXTENSION
- R's goalkeeper Radek Cerny has penned a one year extension to his QPR contract.
- The 35 year-old stopper, who joined the Club on a free transfer last summer, has inked a deal to the end of the 2010/11 season.
- Cerny enjoyed an excellent maiden campaign at Loftus Road, recording 19 clean sheets from 47 appearances in all competitions" QPR
QPR Official Site - LEGENDS TO RETURN
- Legends from yesteryear will be back at Loftus Road on Saturday lunchtime, as the R's get their Coca Cola Championship season underway in W12 against Ian Holloway's Blackpool side.
- This season marks the 50th successive year of the famous Blue and White Hoops and for that reason alone, some of the R's top performers from the last five decades will be returning to their former home.
- World Cup winner Ron Springett will be in attendance, alongside seventies maverick Stan Bowles; wing wizard Wayne Fereday; tricky Trevor Sinclair; hot-shot striker Clive Allen; and our very own Marc Bircham.
- All six players will be presented to the crowd at 14.30pm, while supporters who purchase tickets in the W12 Club are also likely to meet their heroes, in our stunning hospitality suite.
- Bircham himself is looking forward to the day, commenting: "It'll be great to see the likes of Stan and Clive coming back, as well as the other lads.
"Rangers are steeped in great history and it's excellent to see the Club marking this occasion on the opening day."
Matchday packages for this fixture are still available - contact the Sales Team now on 020 8740 2588.
What's more, there'll be all the usual opening day glitz and glamour, with a special fireworks extravaganza planned as the players enter the stadium at 14.55pm.
- Stunning pyrotechnics, coupled with a pre-match Gulf Air flag ceremony, will really set the tone for the afternoon, as Marketing Manager, Joe Kyle, explained: "The opening day is a really special day in the footballing calendar," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"We're going all-out to make it an afternoon to remember for our supporters."
Kyle added: "The fact it's the 50th successive year of the Blue and White Hoops makes it even more exciting and the former players are all really looking forward to coming back to Loftus Road.
- "The Hoops are an integral part of our identity and this is a great - and in some ways unique - opportunity, for the supporters to come out in great numbers to show their support to both the past and current stars."
- Furthermore, two non-playing squad members will be in the QPR Superstore to sign autographs and pose for photographs between 12.00pm and 13.00pm.
- The popular 'Dennis the Menace' away shirt will be on sale; our new Lotto trainingwear and leisurewear range will also be available; 'The Big Match' DVD, priced just £16.99, will also be on sale for the very first time; whilst Issue Three of QPR: The Official Magazine, which includes exclusive interviews with both Jim Magilton and Holloway, will also be available, priced £3.99.
- Facepainters will also be on hand for our younger supporters when the gates open at 13.30pm, and the all-conquering QPR Ladies side will enjoy a special lap of honour to mark their splendid achievements last season.
- Finally, our official shirt sponsors, Gulf Air, will be giving away 450 promotional packs, for kids aged between six and 10.
It really does promise to be a special day, so to purchase tickets for the big spectacle, call the Box Office now on 08444 777 007 or click here
Supporters are encouraged to arrive at the stadium as early as possible in light of the new Access Control stadium entry system.
- Come on you R's! QPR
- Ultimate Sports Websites Winners
- Extending Premiership Transfer Deadline a Day?
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
- The Ref for the QPR Opener vs Blackpool is....A P Durso
- Leeds' Delph to Aston Villa
- Another "Incident" in China
- Dave Clement's Son (Coaching at Chelsea) Interviewed
- UEFA Worried by English Club Finances
- Ken Bates' Libel Defeat
- Terrorism and the 2010 World Cup
- Various 2009/10 Championship Previews & How QPR Will Do
- Swine Flu Hits Family of Former QPR Goalie
- "QPR Away Kit 1976–78, Third Kit 1978-81"
- Year Flashback: 2008/2009 QPR Championship Previews
- Birthday for Lee Cook
- Twenty Years Ago: The 1989/90 Season (Mullery and Howe)
- Five Papers Preview the 2009/2010 Championship Prospects
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From Barnsley to Newcastle)
If you're interested in getting cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! Just Read. Or also post! All views genuinely welcomed!
- Posted Articles - Updated Throuhout the Day
- Martin Ling Departs as Cambridge Manager after a week! "Irreconciliable Differences"
- Ex-QPR, John Curtis Glad His Nightmare is Over
- QPR Play Chelsea today in a closed-door game at Chelsea's Cobhan Training Ground
- Ali Russell Reportedly Now QPR Holding Board Member
- Ex-QPR Nikki Bull Joins Brentford
- Paul Furlong Decides to Keep Playing
- Kilburn Times' Ben Kosky/Vital Football QPR - Season Preview
- Ex-QPR Goalie and Coach, Tony Roberts Turns 40
- Flashback: QPR's 1994-95 Season - QPR finish 8th
- Year Flashback: Parejo Signs for QPR - "We are delighted to have agreed a deal to sign arguably the hottest prospect in European football"
- The Telegraph - The Championship: team-by-team guide to the 2009-10 season
The new Championship season begins on Aug 8 - how will the teams will fare?
By Steve Wilson, Sam Green and David Edbrooke
-"...QPR
- Premier class: Wayne Routledge
- A player signed by Harry Redknapp and Martin O'Neill must have something going for him, even if Routledge has so far failed to live up to his early promise
- Championship fare: The self-styled 'richest club in the world' have so far failed to turn hard cash in to success on the pitch.
- PREDICTION: Play-off contenders but on the outside looking in - Complete Club-by-Club Championship Preview
QPR Official Siite - CERNY PENS EXTENSION
- R's goalkeeper Radek Cerny has penned a one year extension to his QPR contract.
- The 35 year-old stopper, who joined the Club on a free transfer last summer, has inked a deal to the end of the 2010/11 season.
- Cerny enjoyed an excellent maiden campaign at Loftus Road, recording 19 clean sheets from 47 appearances in all competitions" QPR
QPR Official Site - LEGENDS TO RETURN
- Legends from yesteryear will be back at Loftus Road on Saturday lunchtime, as the R's get their Coca Cola Championship season underway in W12 against Ian Holloway's Blackpool side.
- This season marks the 50th successive year of the famous Blue and White Hoops and for that reason alone, some of the R's top performers from the last five decades will be returning to their former home.
- World Cup winner Ron Springett will be in attendance, alongside seventies maverick Stan Bowles; wing wizard Wayne Fereday; tricky Trevor Sinclair; hot-shot striker Clive Allen; and our very own Marc Bircham.
- All six players will be presented to the crowd at 14.30pm, while supporters who purchase tickets in the W12 Club are also likely to meet their heroes, in our stunning hospitality suite.
- Bircham himself is looking forward to the day, commenting: "It'll be great to see the likes of Stan and Clive coming back, as well as the other lads.
"Rangers are steeped in great history and it's excellent to see the Club marking this occasion on the opening day."
Matchday packages for this fixture are still available - contact the Sales Team now on 020 8740 2588.
What's more, there'll be all the usual opening day glitz and glamour, with a special fireworks extravaganza planned as the players enter the stadium at 14.55pm.
- Stunning pyrotechnics, coupled with a pre-match Gulf Air flag ceremony, will really set the tone for the afternoon, as Marketing Manager, Joe Kyle, explained: "The opening day is a really special day in the footballing calendar," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"We're going all-out to make it an afternoon to remember for our supporters."
Kyle added: "The fact it's the 50th successive year of the Blue and White Hoops makes it even more exciting and the former players are all really looking forward to coming back to Loftus Road.
- "The Hoops are an integral part of our identity and this is a great - and in some ways unique - opportunity, for the supporters to come out in great numbers to show their support to both the past and current stars."
- Furthermore, two non-playing squad members will be in the QPR Superstore to sign autographs and pose for photographs between 12.00pm and 13.00pm.
- The popular 'Dennis the Menace' away shirt will be on sale; our new Lotto trainingwear and leisurewear range will also be available; 'The Big Match' DVD, priced just £16.99, will also be on sale for the very first time; whilst Issue Three of QPR: The Official Magazine, which includes exclusive interviews with both Jim Magilton and Holloway, will also be available, priced £3.99.
- Facepainters will also be on hand for our younger supporters when the gates open at 13.30pm, and the all-conquering QPR Ladies side will enjoy a special lap of honour to mark their splendid achievements last season.
- Finally, our official shirt sponsors, Gulf Air, will be giving away 450 promotional packs, for kids aged between six and 10.
It really does promise to be a special day, so to purchase tickets for the big spectacle, call the Box Office now on 08444 777 007 or click here
Supporters are encouraged to arrive at the stadium as early as possible in light of the new Access Control stadium entry system.
- Come on you R's! QPR
- Ultimate Sports Websites Winners
- Extending Premiership Transfer Deadline a Day?
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
- The Ref for the QPR Opener vs Blackpool is....A P Durso
- Leeds' Delph to Aston Villa
- Another "Incident" in China
- Dave Clement's Son (Coaching at Chelsea) Interviewed
- UEFA Worried by English Club Finances
- Ken Bates' Libel Defeat
- Terrorism and the 2010 World Cup
- Various 2009/10 Championship Previews & How QPR Will Do
- Swine Flu Hits Family of Former QPR Goalie
- "QPR Away Kit 1976–78, Third Kit 1978-81"
- Year Flashback: 2008/2009 QPR Championship Previews
- Birthday for Lee Cook
- Twenty Years Ago: The 1989/90 Season (Mullery and Howe)
- Five Papers Preview the 2009/2010 Championship Prospects
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From Barnsley to Newcastle)
Monday, August 03, 2009
Marshall Deal?...Injury Update...Cook Birthday....Rose Set to Sign for Northampton
-
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- The Ref for the QPR Opener vs Blackpool is....
- Swine Flu Hits Family of Former QPR Goalie
- "QPR Away Kit 1976–78, Third Kit 1978-81"
- Football Snippets Monday: Various 2009/10 Championship Previews & How QPR Will Do
- Birthday for Lee Cook
- Hatrick for Richard Pacquette
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
- Twenty Years Ago: The 1989/90 Season (Mullery and Howe)
- Five Papers Preview the 2009/2010 Championship Prospects
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From Barnsley to Newcastle)
- Year Flashback: 2008/2009 QPR Championship Previews
David McIntyre - BBC 606 - 02 August 2009 - Marshall offered deal
- Rangers look likely to sign Andy Marshall before the opening-day match against Blackpool.
- The goalkeeper has been offered a one-year contract following his recent trial at the club. He's due to discuss the offer on Monday.
- Players in Marshall's situation tend to push for at least a two-year deal when possible.
- But whatever the terms of the eventual contract, it seems that he will put pen to paper in the next couple of days.
- At 34 and with plenty of Championship experience to offer, Marshall is seen as a good choice to compete with Radek Cerny.
- Rangers' need for another keeper was underlined when Cerny went down with flu-like symptoms last week and was ordered to rest at home, although Marshall had already been pencilled in to play against Southampton.
- Matt Connolly also missed Saturday's match but is tipped to recover from a slight calf problem in time for the Blackpool game.
- Connolly is expected to train fully on Monday and so is Akos Buzsaky, who again missed out on Saturday as he was still nursing a thigh strain.
- But summer signing Alejandro Faurlin has all but been ruled out of the Blackpool game and Mikele Leigertwood is also unlikely to make the squad.
- On a brighter note for Rangers, the injuries to Faurlin, Cook and Buzsaky could open the door for Angelo Balanta, who has looked really good in pre-season and is a player I've always liked.
- Late last season I went along to a couple of reserve games and felt Balanta’s progress was being hampered by the poor quality of Rangers’ other fringe players. He barely touched the ball in a couple of turgid games.
- I thought then that he needed a run of games for Rangers at the start of this season or to go out on a long-term loan.
- His development could stall if he doesn't get regular games now. He did really well on loan at Wycombe last season and has reached the stage where reserve-team football is no use to him.
- Jim Magilton won’t spend the week contemplating who to pick on Saturday – he's already decided his preferred line-up.
-Annoyingly, he won't tell me it.
- But I think Balanta will get the nod and may have done so even if other players had been closer to fitness. BBC606
Official Site BUZZ BACK TRAINING
- Rangers have been handed a huge boost this morning (Monday), with the news that Matt Connolly and Akos Buzsaky have both returned to full training.
- Connolly missed Saturday's final friendly of the pre-season campaign against Southampton owing to a calf injury, whilst Buzsaky has been struggling with a thigh injury in recent weeks.
- However, both players took part in a full session this morning and now look set to be in contention for Saturday's opening day fixture against Blackpool at Loftus Road.
- Jim Magilton also expects Radek Cerny to return to full training on Tuesday following a minor bout of Swine Flu, but the visit of the Seasiders to W12 could come a few days early for Alejandro Faurlin and Mikele Leigertwood, who are both still struggling with thigh injuries. QPR
Romone Rose to Northampton
-[Not clear if it's loan (presumably) - if so how long; or permanently]
Northampton Chronicle - Northampton Town: McCready and Rose set to sign on
03 August 2009
- Chris McCready was notable for his absence at Milton Keynes on Saturday, but Cobblers boss Stuart Gray confirmed he has made a contract offer to the central defender.
- And the manager will also open talks with Romone Rose, a right-winger from Queens Park Rangers who got an hour under his belt at stadium:mk and a man who drew great praise from his potential new gaffer for his attitude in the build-up to the team's final friendly.
- "He started very positively," he said. "He struck a nice shot pretty early, which he was unlucky to miss the target with, and he's come in from a championship club so he's got good pedigree.
- "It was a bit of a last-minute thing because we had the game between QPR and Kettering watched and Jim Magilton has let him come and play for us.
- "Fair play to him, he drove up here and played without really meeting anyone, and ended up getting thrown into it, so I need to sit down with him and talk about where we're going with it."
- But while the manager gave the thumbs-up to Rose, he was less than pleased with the way his side leaked three goals, with every one of Jemal Johnson's hat-trick coming from outside the penalty area...." Northampton Chronicle
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- The Ref for the QPR Opener vs Blackpool is....
- Swine Flu Hits Family of Former QPR Goalie
- "QPR Away Kit 1976–78, Third Kit 1978-81"
- Football Snippets Monday: Various 2009/10 Championship Previews & How QPR Will Do
- Birthday for Lee Cook
- Hatrick for Richard Pacquette
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
- Twenty Years Ago: The 1989/90 Season (Mullery and Howe)
- Five Papers Preview the 2009/2010 Championship Prospects
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From Barnsley to Newcastle)
- Year Flashback: 2008/2009 QPR Championship Previews
David McIntyre - BBC 606 - 02 August 2009 - Marshall offered deal
- Rangers look likely to sign Andy Marshall before the opening-day match against Blackpool.
- The goalkeeper has been offered a one-year contract following his recent trial at the club. He's due to discuss the offer on Monday.
- Players in Marshall's situation tend to push for at least a two-year deal when possible.
- But whatever the terms of the eventual contract, it seems that he will put pen to paper in the next couple of days.
- At 34 and with plenty of Championship experience to offer, Marshall is seen as a good choice to compete with Radek Cerny.
- Rangers' need for another keeper was underlined when Cerny went down with flu-like symptoms last week and was ordered to rest at home, although Marshall had already been pencilled in to play against Southampton.
- Matt Connolly also missed Saturday's match but is tipped to recover from a slight calf problem in time for the Blackpool game.
- Connolly is expected to train fully on Monday and so is Akos Buzsaky, who again missed out on Saturday as he was still nursing a thigh strain.
- But summer signing Alejandro Faurlin has all but been ruled out of the Blackpool game and Mikele Leigertwood is also unlikely to make the squad.
- On a brighter note for Rangers, the injuries to Faurlin, Cook and Buzsaky could open the door for Angelo Balanta, who has looked really good in pre-season and is a player I've always liked.
- Late last season I went along to a couple of reserve games and felt Balanta’s progress was being hampered by the poor quality of Rangers’ other fringe players. He barely touched the ball in a couple of turgid games.
- I thought then that he needed a run of games for Rangers at the start of this season or to go out on a long-term loan.
- His development could stall if he doesn't get regular games now. He did really well on loan at Wycombe last season and has reached the stage where reserve-team football is no use to him.
- Jim Magilton won’t spend the week contemplating who to pick on Saturday – he's already decided his preferred line-up.
-Annoyingly, he won't tell me it.
- But I think Balanta will get the nod and may have done so even if other players had been closer to fitness. BBC606
Official Site BUZZ BACK TRAINING
- Rangers have been handed a huge boost this morning (Monday), with the news that Matt Connolly and Akos Buzsaky have both returned to full training.
- Connolly missed Saturday's final friendly of the pre-season campaign against Southampton owing to a calf injury, whilst Buzsaky has been struggling with a thigh injury in recent weeks.
- However, both players took part in a full session this morning and now look set to be in contention for Saturday's opening day fixture against Blackpool at Loftus Road.
- Jim Magilton also expects Radek Cerny to return to full training on Tuesday following a minor bout of Swine Flu, but the visit of the Seasiders to W12 could come a few days early for Alejandro Faurlin and Mikele Leigertwood, who are both still struggling with thigh injuries. QPR
Romone Rose to Northampton
-[Not clear if it's loan (presumably) - if so how long; or permanently]
Northampton Chronicle - Northampton Town: McCready and Rose set to sign on
03 August 2009
- Chris McCready was notable for his absence at Milton Keynes on Saturday, but Cobblers boss Stuart Gray confirmed he has made a contract offer to the central defender.
- And the manager will also open talks with Romone Rose, a right-winger from Queens Park Rangers who got an hour under his belt at stadium:mk and a man who drew great praise from his potential new gaffer for his attitude in the build-up to the team's final friendly.
- "He started very positively," he said. "He struck a nice shot pretty early, which he was unlucky to miss the target with, and he's come in from a championship club so he's got good pedigree.
- "It was a bit of a last-minute thing because we had the game between QPR and Kettering watched and Jim Magilton has let him come and play for us.
- "Fair play to him, he drove up here and played without really meeting anyone, and ended up getting thrown into it, so I need to sit down with him and talk about where we're going with it."
- But while the manager gave the thumbs-up to Rose, he was less than pleased with the way his side leaked three goals, with every one of Jemal Johnson's hat-trick coming from outside the penalty area...." Northampton Chronicle
Football Snippets Monday...2009/10 Championship Previews (One Preview: QPR 18th)
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For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- Hatrick for Richard Pacquette
- Birthday for Lee Cook
- Twenty Years Ago: The 1989/90 Season (Mullery and Howe)
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
2009/2010 CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEWS
The Times, August 03, 2009 - Team-by-team guide to the Coca-Cola Championship
"....Queen’s Park Rangers
The QPR revolution hasn’t really worked yet, has it? Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore came in as if they were going to blow Chelsea out the water; instead they have been upstaged by Fulham. Word has it that Jim Magilton, hardly an unequivocal success in three years in charge of Ipswich Town, is likely to have to dance to his employers’ tune. His first three signings this summer have been Alejandro Faurlin, an Argentinian midfield player costing a distinctly un-Championship £3.5 million, Abel Taarabt, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, and Alessandro Pellicori, an Italian journeyman forward. Proof that rich owners does not necessarily mean rich pickings.
Prediction: 18 - Full Season Preview
- Five Papers Preview the 2009/2010 Championship Prospects
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From Barnsley to Newcastle)
- What Were Predicting a Year ago: 2008/2009 Championship Previews
- Other Betting: Current Championship Promotion Odds
- Preview of QPR's 2009-2010 Season
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
- Sheffield MAD Championship Club-by-Club Assessment: Today QPR
OTHER
- QPR 3 Southampton 0: Match Reports and Managerial Comments
- Sousa Talking about he wants to Develop at Swansea, pressure and his weekly call to Bobby Robson
- Three Year Flashback: Danny Shittu Off to WBA (then Watford)
- Two Year Flashback: QPR Statement "No [Transfer] Embargo"
- QPR's Romone Rose Trialing/Playing for Northampton
- U-19 Championship Final: England vs Ukraine
- Some Old QPR Photos (Updated)
- Lower Division Bargains: "Unplumbed talent pool in League One and Two"
- Cut Price Football Clubs Desperate to Sell
- Ex-QPR Mark Lazarus Interviewed (Indys Excellent Two-Part Interview with 1967 Hero)
- "Street Crime Reduction Key for London Clubs"
- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- QPR's Matt Connolly Opens Shop
- Football in Argentina
- Football League Rule re Publicizing Transfer Fees
- Flashback: Twenty-Five Years Ago: The 1984-85 (Alan Mullery/Frank Sibley) Season
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- Hatrick for Richard Pacquette
- Birthday for Lee Cook
- Twenty Years Ago: The 1989/90 Season (Mullery and Howe)
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
2009/2010 CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEWS
The Times, August 03, 2009 - Team-by-team guide to the Coca-Cola Championship
"....Queen’s Park Rangers
The QPR revolution hasn’t really worked yet, has it? Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore came in as if they were going to blow Chelsea out the water; instead they have been upstaged by Fulham. Word has it that Jim Magilton, hardly an unequivocal success in three years in charge of Ipswich Town, is likely to have to dance to his employers’ tune. His first three signings this summer have been Alejandro Faurlin, an Argentinian midfield player costing a distinctly un-Championship £3.5 million, Abel Taarabt, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, and Alessandro Pellicori, an Italian journeyman forward. Proof that rich owners does not necessarily mean rich pickings.
Prediction: 18 - Full Season Preview
- Five Papers Preview the 2009/2010 Championship Prospects
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From Barnsley to Newcastle)
- What Were Predicting a Year ago: 2008/2009 Championship Previews
- Other Betting: Current Championship Promotion Odds
- Preview of QPR's 2009-2010 Season
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
- Sheffield MAD Championship Club-by-Club Assessment: Today QPR
OTHER
- QPR 3 Southampton 0: Match Reports and Managerial Comments
- Sousa Talking about he wants to Develop at Swansea, pressure and his weekly call to Bobby Robson
- Three Year Flashback: Danny Shittu Off to WBA (then Watford)
- Two Year Flashback: QPR Statement "No [Transfer] Embargo"
- QPR's Romone Rose Trialing/Playing for Northampton
- U-19 Championship Final: England vs Ukraine
- Some Old QPR Photos (Updated)
- Lower Division Bargains: "Unplumbed talent pool in League One and Two"
- Cut Price Football Clubs Desperate to Sell
- Ex-QPR Mark Lazarus Interviewed (Indys Excellent Two-Part Interview with 1967 Hero)
- "Street Crime Reduction Key for London Clubs"
- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- QPR's Matt Connolly Opens Shop
- Football in Argentina
- Football League Rule re Publicizing Transfer Fees
- Flashback: Twenty-Five Years Ago: The 1984-85 (Alan Mullery/Frank Sibley) Season
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Assessing 2009/2010 Championship Prospects - QPR Included!
-
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From barnsley to Newcastle)
- QPR Vs Blackpool: The Record. Recalling Blackpool's Last Victory at Loftus Road
- Sousa Talking about he wants to Develop at Swansea, pressure and his weekly call to Bobby Robson
- Flashback: Twenty-Five Years Ago: The 1984-85 (Alan Mullery/Frank Sibley) Season
- QPR 3 Southampton 0: Match Reports and Managerial Comments
- Birthdays for Ex-QPR Ron Abbott and Peter Eastoe
- QPR's Romone Rose Trialing/Playing for Northampton
- Lower Division Bargains: "Unplumbed talent pool in League One and Two"
- Cut Price Football Clubs Desperate to Sell
- U-19 Championship Final Today: England vs Ukraine
- Some Old QPR Photos (Updated)
PREVIEWING THE 2009/10 CHAMPIONSHIP
SPORTING LIFE/Pete Thompson, Press Association - RELEGATED TRIO HAVE TALL ORDER
- Much will be expected of the three clubs relegated from the Barclays Premier League when the new Coca-Cola Championship season kicks off.
- All eyes will be on Newcastle after a miserable season of turmoil on and off the pitch and their supporters will expect an immediate return to the top flight.
- But with Mike Ashley failing to sell the club over the summer and no manager in place a repeat of the 1992-93 campaign, in which they so impressively won the title under Kevin Keegan, would appear unlikely.
- Of the three teams relegated in 2007-08, only Birmingham managed to secure promotion last season, with Reading missing out in the play-offs and Derby finishing in the lower reaches.
- The previous season Charlton, Sheffield United and Watford all failed to regain their places in the top flight.
- Middlesbrough will be expected to mount a challenge in what will be a big season for manager Gareth Southgate.
- Stewart Downing has left for Aston Villa, but the likes of homegrown duo David Wheater and Adam Johnson are sure to play a key role for Boro, who will be playing in the second tier for the first time in 11 years.
- It will also be a period of transition for West Brom, who were relegated in their first season back in the top flight and have since lost manager Tony Mowbray to Celtic.
- Roberto di Matteo has replaced Mowbray after impressing during his first managerial role at MK Dons.
- The former Chelsea and Italy midfielder wasted little time in bringing in highly-rated striker Simon Cox in a £1.9million deal from Swindon and he will be expected to hit the ground running at The Hawthorns.
- Roy Keane will also be under the microscope having returned to management at Ipswich and he will be looking to make the sort of impact he did at Sunderland in his first spell in the Championship.
- Keane took the Black Cats from the bottom of the table to the title in his first season in charge and has taken on the challenge of taking the ambitious Suffolk outfit back into the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
- Sheffield United are expected to mount a promotion push after suffering play-off heartbreak at the hands of Burnley in May.
- Boss Kevin Blackwell considered his future after the 1-0 defeat to the Clarets but the former Leeds boss opted to stay on at Bramall Lane.
- Blackwell has lost highly-rated full-back Kyle Naughton over the summer but still has plenty of experience in his squad and will be targeting a tilt at promotion once again.
- Derby manager Nigel Clough will be looking to make strides in his first full season in charge at Pride Park.
- The Rams stressed the need for stability when Clough was appointed as Paul Jewell's successor in January but with season ticket sales soaring once again at Pride Park supporters will demand an improvement from last season's 18th-place finish.
- Derby's arch-rivals Nottingham Forest have been busy in the transfer market, with Billy Davies also preparing for his first full season at the helm.
- Forest flirted with relegation last season and Davies has brought in the likes of Paul McKenna, Chris Gunter, Dele Adebola, David McGoldrick and Paul Anderson to ensure there is no repeat performance this time round.
- Dave Jones' Cardiff missed out on the play-offs on the last day of last season and they will be looking for Michael Chopra to fire them into the top six this time round after he completed a permanent switch back to Ninian Park from Sunderland.
- New QPR manager Jim Magilton will also be under pressure to succeed as the wealthy Londoners look to return to the Premier League for the first time since 1996.
- Magilton has splashed out £3.5million on Argentinian playmaker Alejandro Faurlin to raise expectations levels even higher at Loftus Road.- Brendan Rodgers will also be aiming for the top six after leaving Watford to become Steve Coppell's successor at Reading.
- Paulo Sousa has a hard act to follow at Swansea having replaced Roberto Martinez and a mid-table finish looks the best they can hope for along with Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry and Crystal Palace.
- Preston's most important piece of business of the summer was keeping manager Alan Irvine and they will be striving for the top six once again, as will Gary Johnson's Bristol City.
- Of the newly-promoted clubs, Leicester have more than enough quality to survive and Peterborough could spring a surprise or two, but Sc***horpe may struggle.
- Plymouth also look set for a difficult campaign along with Malky Mackay's Watford and Barnsley, who only just avoided the drop last season.
- Blackpool could be up against it and it would be no surprise to see Doncaster struggle in their second season at this level." Sporting Life
News of The World/Martin Hardy - Championship Preview
"...QPR
- JIM MAGILTON has the task of returning Rangers to the Premier League for the first time in 14 years after a season which saw three managers fail to deliver Flavio Briatore's vision of "boutique football".
- He sets out to succeed where Iain Dowie, Paulo Sousa and Gareth Ainsworth could not - and having failed to deliver in three years at Ipswich.
- Magilton will not complain at Briatore's rumoured meddling in team affairs. He said: "I value the opinions of everyone at the club - but in the end they'll agree that I'm right!"
- KEY MAN: Akos Buzsaky
Click To read entire club by club Championship Preview
Sunday Mirror - Ian Holloway to Ralph Ellis - Championship Preview
"....QPR
- Manager: Jim Magilton
- Unknown quantities. What will that money bring them? Too many changes too much instability. Jim Magilton has good players and if he gets a chance can give them leadership.
- MY KEY MAN: MARTIN ROWLANDS
ODDS: 12/1
Click to Read entire Championship Preview
Sunday Mirror/Kevin Price and John Curle - BETTING ODDS
- Outright Betting: 9/2 Newcastle, 6/1 West Brom, Middlesbrough, 10/1 Ipswich, 11/1 Sheff Utd, 14/1 Reading, 16/1 Nottm Forest, 18/1 QPR, 20/1 Derby, 22/1 Cardiff, Leicester, 28/1 Preston, Bristol City, 33/1 Swansea, Crystal Palace, Sheff Wed, Peterborough, 50/1 Watford, 66/1 Doncaster, Plymouth, 80/1 Coventry, 100/1 Scunthorpe, Barnsley, 125-1 Blackpool. Ladbrokes.
- Relegation Betting: 6/4 Scunthorpe, 7/4 Barnsley, 9/4 Blackpool, Doncaster, 5/2 Plymouth, 4/1 Watford, Sheff Wed. 9/2 Bar. Coral.
- Top Goalscorer Betting: 12/1 A Alves (Middlesbrough), 14/1 M Chopra (Cardiff), S Cox (West Brom), 18/1 A Carroll (Newcastle), R McCormack (Cardiff), 20/1 S Long (Reading), C Evans (Sheff Utd), R Bednar (West Brom), M Fryatt (Leicester), R Earnshaw (Nottm Forest), L Moore (West Brom), F Sears (Crystal Palace). SkyBet. Sunday Mirror
- Other Betting: Current Championship Promotion Odds
The Times/John Aizelwood - The Championship Countdown
- Big spenders
- Cardiff City Never knowingly under-bought, chairman Peter Ridsdale has acquired David Marshall from Norwich to solve a long-standing goalkeeping problem, while Paul Quinn’s progress on and off the pitch will enthral. The former Motherwell captain was spared jail last year after being convicted of assault for attacking a man at a teammate’s birthday party. Mark Hudson and Anthony Gerrard had fine seasons at Charlton and Walsall respectively and if Michael Chopra has exorcised his demons, his return might make all the difference. Oh, and don’t forget their shiny new stadium.
- Ipswich Town Roy Keane’s new-face count stands at five. Surely by coincidence, three — Damien Delaney, Shane O’Connor and Colin Healy — hail from Keane’s Cork heartland. Former reserve Fulham defender Troy Brown is for the future, but Manchester United’s perpetually loaned Lee Martin could prove one of the summer’s better buys.
- Nottingham Forest An outlay of £4m has brought eight permanent new faces and Polish loanee Radoslaw Majewski. Dexter Blackstock should score goals, Paul McKenna should make them and Lee Camp should stop them. Even Forest were surprised Spurs allowed Chris Gunter to leave.
- Queens Park Rangers The Loftus Road money men are yet to flash the silly cash but the temperamental Adel Taarabt has arrived from Tottenham for another loan spell. The £3.5m spent on the Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin and the arrival of Italian striker Alessandro Pellicori have excited and baffled in equal measure.
- Sheffield United So close to promotion last season, they have bought boldly: West Ham’s Kyel Reid, Manchester City’s Ched Evans, Watford’s nippy Lee Williamson and Keith Treacy, on loan from Blackburn. Hull’s Ryan France is injury-prone but Tranmere’s Andy Taylor looks a genuine coup.
Teams to watch
- West Brom Roberto di Matteo might not have been Albion’s first choice for head coach but his love of silk and steel should make him the right one. If he can merge the two, Albion will bounce back whence they came.
- Crystal Palace Neil Warnock seems to have lost his managerial vim, while owner Simon Jordan has certainly mislaid his wallet. May be trouble ahead.
- Leicester City They ended last season as Division One champions, seven points clear. They scored the most goals in the division and conceded the fewest, losing just four times. They’ve bought cannily, so the only way is up, possibly to the playoffs.
- Newcastle United Last season they were sunk under the weight of off-the-field chaos, shockingly bad buys and the sense that however bad things got, they were about to get worse. Now they have no manager, an owner keen to sell and no summer signings. Still, a closely fought 6-1 pre-season defeat at mighty Leyton Orient suggests there is no cause for any concern. At all.
- Preston North End They overachieved last season and although manager Alan Irvine spurned West Bromwich Albion’s come hither beckonings, Deepdale has enjoyed an ominously quiet summer.
Players to treasure
- Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) Gareth Southgate spent £12m of Steve Gibson’s money on the lumbering Brazilian, who last season scored his fourth and last league goal in January. Last month, he neglected to return on time for pre-season training. Boro fans, not entirely unreasonably perceiving a lack of commitment, tend to wish he’d neglected to return at all.
- Freddy Eastwood (Coventry City) Spent the summer being fined £1,599 for fly-tipping offences. Spent last season scoring four goals and struggling for form, pace and confidence, leaving City fans to reflect through the Ricoh gloom that they might just as well have fly-tipped Eastwood’s £1.2m fee.
- Ben Burgess (Blackpool) At a cake-friendly 14st 4lb, Burgess ought to cause fireworks in rival penalty areas, but Blackpool’s No 9 hasn’t scored since just before Bonfire Night.
- Simon Walton (Plymouth) Being omitted from Argyle’s pre-season tour hardly augurs well for last summer’s record signing. Neither does a dispute over his best position with manager Paul Sturrock, who described him as ‘stupid . . . petulant . . . a big disappointment’ after a red card at Barnsley.
- Gorka Pintado (Swansea) This time last year, Swansea’s then manager Roberto Martinez said Pintado was worth £7m. The Spanish striker turned out to be an injury-prone 30-something journeyman. This summer somebody — one Senor Pintado, to be precise — has suggested he is the man to assume the departed Jason Scotland’s mantle. He could be wrong.
- Borja Valero (West Brom) Albion paid a whopping £4.7m for the not-so-great Valero. Albion fans could forgive Leon Barnett’s howlers and Pele for not playing like Pele, but they struggled with someone whose lackadaisical performances displayed all the urgency of an especially slothful deck chair attendant.
- To go up
West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United
Playoffs
Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Cardiff City
To go down
Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Barnsley
Sunday Times
INDEPENDENT on SUNDAY - Independent/Tom Jones - Championship preview: The season ahead
Excerpt "....Queens Park Rangers.... Key man: Damion Stewart.
Last season: 10th. Title odds: 19-1. Prediction: 10th. Pressure will be on Magilton if expectations exceed results."
Barnsley
In: O Sodje (York, free).
Out: H Muller (Mainz, £600,000), D Souza (Qatar, free), D Leon (Palmas, free), M Van Homoet, K Letheren (both released).
Manager: Simon Davey. Key man: Brian Howard
Last season: 20th. Title odds: 101-1 (Ladbrokes). Prediction: 22nd. The Tykes may lack the inspiration and goals to stay up.
Blackpool
In: J Euell (Southampton, free).
Out: S Barker (Derby, undisclosed), S Green (Wycombe, free), D Fox (Colchester, free), M Broomes (released).
Manager: Ian Holloway. Key Man: Paul Rachubka.
Last season: 16th. Title odds: 126-1. Prediction: 23rd. Holloway must settle fast to give the Seasiders any chance.
Bristol City
In: L Nyatanga (Derby, undisc), D Haynes (Ipswich, undisc), P Hartley (Celtic, free), D Gerken (Colchester, undisc), D Clarkson (Motherwell, free), A Blackman (Portsmouth, free).
Out: I Irekpen (Hamilton, free), D Adebola (Nottm Forest, free), C Weale (Leicester, free), J Myrie-Williams (Dundee Utd, free), S Murray (Yeovil, free), P Styvar (Xanthi, loan).
Manager: Gary Johnson. Key man: Nicky Maynard.
Last season: 12th. Title odds: 29-1. Prediction: 14th. Mid-table finish beckons as Robins lack real quality in key positions.
Cardiff City
In: M Chopra (Sunderland, £4m), A Gerrard (Walsall, undisc), P Quinn (Motherwell, undisc), M Hudson (Charlton, undisc), D Marshall (Norwich, undisc).
Out: R Johnson (Birmingham, £5m), D Dennehy (Hereford, loan), D Purse (Sheffield Wed, free).
Manager: Dave Jones. Key man: Ross McCormack.
Last season: 7th. Title odds: 23-1. Prediction: 7th. Keeping hold of McCormack could prove vital.
Coventry City
In: S Clingan (Norwich, undisc).
Out: S Dann (Birmingham, undisc), D Fox (Celtic, £1.5m), S Fraser (Falkirk, free), R Simpson (Huddersfield, undisc), D Simmonds (released).
Manager: Chris Coleman. Key man: Keiren Westwood. Last season: 17th. Title odds: 81-1. Prediction: 18th. Goalkeeper Westwood must continue his excellent form to ensure safety.
Crystal Palace
In: S John (Southampton, undisc), D Ambrose (Charlton, free), F Sears (West Ham, loan).
Out: R Wiggins (Norwich, undisc), P Ifill (Wellington, free), J Scowcroft (Leyton Orient, free), C Fletcher (Plymouth, free), S Flinders (released).
Manager: Neil Warnock. Key man: Shaun Derry
Last season: 15th. Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 16th. Play-offs a pipedream for Warnock's men.
Derby County
In: S Barker (Blackpool, £1m), D Moxey (Exeter, undisc), J Buxton (Burton, undisc), B Pringle (Ilkeston, undisc), L Croft (Norwich, free).
Out: T Mears (Burnley, undisc), L Putzinson (Brighton, undisc), L Nyatanga (Bristol City, undisc), E Villa (Cruz Azul, undisc), A Todd (Perth Glory, free), L Price (Brentford, loan).
Manager: Nigel Clough. Key man: Giles Barnes.
Last season: 18th. Title odds: 21-1. Prediction: 8th. Exciting blend make the Rams an outside bet for playoffs.
Doncaster Rovers
In: None.
Out: R Wellens (Leicester, £1.2m), J Price (Millwall, free), G Greer (Swindon, free).
Manager: Sean O'Driscoll. Key man: Brian Stock
Last season: 14th. Title odds: 67-1. Prediction: 20th. Home form crucial to survival chances.
Ipswich Town
In: C Healy (Cork, undisc), L Martin (Man Utd, undisc), D Delaney (QPR, undisc), S O'Connor (Liverpool, free).
Out: J Rhodes (Huddersfield, undisc), D Harding (Soton, free), D Haynes (Bristol City, free), T Miller (Sheff Wed, free), M Richards, I Campo, C Casement, K Robinson, D Bowditch (all released).
Manager: Roy Keane. Key man: Richard Wright.
Last season: 9th. Title odds: 11-1. Prediction: 6th. Tractor Boys should motor into play-offs with Keane momentum.
Leicester City
In: R Wellens (Doncaster, £1.2m), D N'Guessan (Lincoln, undisc), J Hobbs (Liverpool, undisc), W Brown (Hull, free), C Weale (Bristol City, free), R Neilson (Hearts, free), A Ajdaveric (Liverpool, free).
Out: P Kisnorbo (Leeds, free), B McKay (Northampton, free), B Hayles (Cheltenham, free), J Cobb (Wycombe, free).
Manager: Nigel Pearson. Key man: Matt Fryatt
Last season: 1st (League One)
Title odds: 23-1. Prediction: 12th. Mid-table finish should be certain.
Middlesbrough
In: D Coyne (Tranmere, free), M Yeates (Colchester, undisc).
Out: S Downing (Aston Villa, £12m), R Turnbull (Chelsea, free), G Owens (Kilmarnock, free).
Manager: Gareth Southgate. Key man: David Wheater.
Last season: 19th (Premier League). Title odds: 7-1. Prediction: 2nd. Southgate's young side need to adapt quickly.
Newcastle United
In: None.
Out: O Martins (Wolfsburg, £9m), M Owen (Man Utd, free), D Edgar (Burnley, free), M Viduka, P Lovenkrands (both released).
Manager: Chris Hughton (caretaker). Key man: Steven Taylor.
Last season: 18th (Premier League). Title odds: 11-2. Prediction: 1st. Toon should still gain promotion, despite off-field woes.
Nottingham Forest
In: C Gunter (Spurs, £1.75m), P McKenna (Preston, £750,000), P Anderson (Liverpool, £250,000), J Lynch (Brighton, £200,000), D Blackstock (QPR, undisc), L Camp (QPR, undisc), D McGoldrick (Southampton, undisc), D Adebola (Bristol City, free), R Majewski (Warsaw, loan).
Out: H Bencherif (Macclesfield, free), M Thornhill (Brighton, loan), M Byrne (Rushden and Diamonds, loan), S Redmond (Burton, loan), J Reid (Rushden and Diamonds, loan), J Heath (Lincoln, loan), B Moloney (Notts County, loan), L Hook, R Whitehurst, R Tait, T Sharpe, E Sinclair, A Newbold, P Gamble, I Breckin (all released).
Manager: Billy Davies. Key man: Chris Gunter.
Last season: 19th. Title odds: 17-1. Prediction: 9th. Could be a danger this season.
Peterborough United
In: D Mills (Crawley, undisc), R McCrae (Crawley, undisc), T Rowe (Stockport, undisc), L Frecklington (Lincoln, undisc), T Diagouraga (Hereford, undisc), K Pearce (Birmingham, loan).
Out: C Westwood (Wycombe, free), S Rendell (Torquay, loan), A Potter (Oxford United, loan).
Manager: Darren Ferguson. Key man: Craig Mackail-Smith.
Last season: 2nd (League One). Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 15th. All eyes will be on Ferguson as his youthful Posh look to continue their rapid rise.
Plymouth Argyle
In: R Johnson (Amiens, undisc), B Wright-Phillips (Southampton, free), C Fletcher (Crystal Palace, free), K Arnason (Aarhus, free).
Out: J Easter (MK Dons, undisc), Mpenza (Sion, free), R Douala (released).
Manager: Paul Sturrock. Key man: Roman Larrieu.
Last season: 21st. Title odds: 67-1. Prediction: 21st. Lack of funds signals a season of stuggle.
Preston North End
In: None.
Out: P McKenna (Nottm Forest, £750,000), C Neal (Shrewsbury, free), S Whaley (Norwich, undisc).
Manager: Alan Irvine. Key man: Neil Mellor.
Last season: 6th. Title odds: 29-1. Prediction: 13th. Loss of captain McKenna leaves play-offs chances looking remote.
Queens Park Rangers
In: A Pellicori (Avellimo, free), A Taarabt (Spurs, loan).
Out: D Blackstock (Nottm Forest, undisc), L Camp (Nottm Forest, undisc), D Delaney (Ipswich, undisc), J Cole (Barnet, free), Z Rehman (Bradford, free)
Manager: Jim Magilton. Key man: Damion Stewart.
Last season: 10th. Title odds: 19-1. Prediction: 10th. Pressure will be on Magilton if expectations exceed results.
Reading
In: None.
Out: K Doyle (Wolves, undisc), M Hahnemann (Wolves, free), M Duberry (Wycombe, free), S Golbourne (Exeter, free), D Spence (Salisbury, free), McCarthy (Yeovil, loan).
Manager: Brendan Rodgers. Key man: Stephen Hunt.
Last season: 4th. Title odds: 15-1. Prediction: 5th. Hunt brothers at heart of push for promotion.
Sc***horpe United
In: A Boyes (York, undisc), R Jones (Hibernian, undisc), M O'Connor (Crewe, undisc), J Wright (Charlton, free).
Out: None.
Manager: Nigel Adkins. Key man: Matt Sparrow.
Last season: 6th (League One). Title odds: 101-1. Prediction: 24th. Relegation favourites will struggle to survive with small squad.
Sheffield United
In: C Evans (Man City, £3m), L Williamson (Watford, undisc), A Taylor (Tranmere, undisc), R France (Hull, free), K Reid (West Ham, free), K Treacy (Blackburn, loan), K Walker (Spurs, loan).
Out: K Naughton (Spurs, undisc), K Walker (Spurs, undisc), J Anderson (Rotherham, free), N Law (Rotherham, free), A Chapman (Oxford, £15,000), K Quinn, B Starosta, D Webber, U Ehiogu (all released).
Manager: Kevin Blackwell. Key man: Ched Evans.
Last season: 3rd. Title odds: 12-1. Prediction: 3rd. Arrival of Evans will sharpen the Blades' promotion efforts.
Sheffield Wednesday
In: D Potter (Wolves, undisc), T Miller (Ipswich, free), D Purse (Cardiff, free).
Out: K Lunt (Hereford, free).
Manager: Brian Laws. Key man: Marcus Tudgay.
Last season: 11th. Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 17th. Owls supporters likely to languish in neighbours' shadow.
Swansea City
In: N Dyer (Southampton, £400,000), J Lopez (Real Mallorca, undisc), S Dobie (Queen of the South, free).
Out: J Scotland (Wigan, £2m), O Tudor-Jones (Norwich, undisc), C Jones (Grimsby, free).
Manager: Paulo Sousa. Key man: Ferrie Bodde.
Last season: 8th. Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 11th. High-profile exits likely to hamper their promotion hopes.
Watford
In: J Travner (CMC Publikum Celje, undisc), D Graham (Carlisle, free), S Severin (Aberdeen, free).
Out: T Robinson (Huddersfield, undisc), L Williamson (Sheffield United, undisc), S Searle (MK Dons, free).
Manager: Malky Mackay. Key man: Jay DeMerit.
Last season: 13th. Title odds: 51-1. Prediction: 19th. Another transitional year.
West Bromwich Albion
In: S Cox (Swindon, £1.5m).
Out: S MacDonald (Germinal, £650,000), Kim Do-Heon (Suwon Samsung Bluewings, £360,000), L Daniels (Tranmere, loan), P Robinson (Bolton, loan).
Manager: Roberto Di Matteo. Key man: Jonathan Greening.
Last season: 20th (Premier League). Title odds: 7-1. Prediction: 4th. May just miss out. Independent
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- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- Three Year Flasback: QPR Chairman Paladini's Lengthy Statement
- Some of the Past Official Site statements by Flavio Briatore
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
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- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- Dave Barton's Queens Park Rangers FC Championship Preview: Parts I & II (From barnsley to Newcastle)
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- Sousa Talking about he wants to Develop at Swansea, pressure and his weekly call to Bobby Robson
- Flashback: Twenty-Five Years Ago: The 1984-85 (Alan Mullery/Frank Sibley) Season
- QPR 3 Southampton 0: Match Reports and Managerial Comments
- Birthdays for Ex-QPR Ron Abbott and Peter Eastoe
- QPR's Romone Rose Trialing/Playing for Northampton
- Lower Division Bargains: "Unplumbed talent pool in League One and Two"
- Cut Price Football Clubs Desperate to Sell
- U-19 Championship Final Today: England vs Ukraine
- Some Old QPR Photos (Updated)
PREVIEWING THE 2009/10 CHAMPIONSHIP
SPORTING LIFE/Pete Thompson, Press Association - RELEGATED TRIO HAVE TALL ORDER
- Much will be expected of the three clubs relegated from the Barclays Premier League when the new Coca-Cola Championship season kicks off.
- All eyes will be on Newcastle after a miserable season of turmoil on and off the pitch and their supporters will expect an immediate return to the top flight.
- But with Mike Ashley failing to sell the club over the summer and no manager in place a repeat of the 1992-93 campaign, in which they so impressively won the title under Kevin Keegan, would appear unlikely.
- Of the three teams relegated in 2007-08, only Birmingham managed to secure promotion last season, with Reading missing out in the play-offs and Derby finishing in the lower reaches.
- The previous season Charlton, Sheffield United and Watford all failed to regain their places in the top flight.
- Middlesbrough will be expected to mount a challenge in what will be a big season for manager Gareth Southgate.
- Stewart Downing has left for Aston Villa, but the likes of homegrown duo David Wheater and Adam Johnson are sure to play a key role for Boro, who will be playing in the second tier for the first time in 11 years.
- It will also be a period of transition for West Brom, who were relegated in their first season back in the top flight and have since lost manager Tony Mowbray to Celtic.
- Roberto di Matteo has replaced Mowbray after impressing during his first managerial role at MK Dons.
- The former Chelsea and Italy midfielder wasted little time in bringing in highly-rated striker Simon Cox in a £1.9million deal from Swindon and he will be expected to hit the ground running at The Hawthorns.
- Roy Keane will also be under the microscope having returned to management at Ipswich and he will be looking to make the sort of impact he did at Sunderland in his first spell in the Championship.
- Keane took the Black Cats from the bottom of the table to the title in his first season in charge and has taken on the challenge of taking the ambitious Suffolk outfit back into the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
- Sheffield United are expected to mount a promotion push after suffering play-off heartbreak at the hands of Burnley in May.
- Boss Kevin Blackwell considered his future after the 1-0 defeat to the Clarets but the former Leeds boss opted to stay on at Bramall Lane.
- Blackwell has lost highly-rated full-back Kyle Naughton over the summer but still has plenty of experience in his squad and will be targeting a tilt at promotion once again.
- Derby manager Nigel Clough will be looking to make strides in his first full season in charge at Pride Park.
- The Rams stressed the need for stability when Clough was appointed as Paul Jewell's successor in January but with season ticket sales soaring once again at Pride Park supporters will demand an improvement from last season's 18th-place finish.
- Derby's arch-rivals Nottingham Forest have been busy in the transfer market, with Billy Davies also preparing for his first full season at the helm.
- Forest flirted with relegation last season and Davies has brought in the likes of Paul McKenna, Chris Gunter, Dele Adebola, David McGoldrick and Paul Anderson to ensure there is no repeat performance this time round.
- Dave Jones' Cardiff missed out on the play-offs on the last day of last season and they will be looking for Michael Chopra to fire them into the top six this time round after he completed a permanent switch back to Ninian Park from Sunderland.
- New QPR manager Jim Magilton will also be under pressure to succeed as the wealthy Londoners look to return to the Premier League for the first time since 1996.
- Magilton has splashed out £3.5million on Argentinian playmaker Alejandro Faurlin to raise expectations levels even higher at Loftus Road.- Brendan Rodgers will also be aiming for the top six after leaving Watford to become Steve Coppell's successor at Reading.
- Paulo Sousa has a hard act to follow at Swansea having replaced Roberto Martinez and a mid-table finish looks the best they can hope for along with Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry and Crystal Palace.
- Preston's most important piece of business of the summer was keeping manager Alan Irvine and they will be striving for the top six once again, as will Gary Johnson's Bristol City.
- Of the newly-promoted clubs, Leicester have more than enough quality to survive and Peterborough could spring a surprise or two, but Sc***horpe may struggle.
- Plymouth also look set for a difficult campaign along with Malky Mackay's Watford and Barnsley, who only just avoided the drop last season.
- Blackpool could be up against it and it would be no surprise to see Doncaster struggle in their second season at this level." Sporting Life
News of The World/Martin Hardy - Championship Preview
"...QPR
- JIM MAGILTON has the task of returning Rangers to the Premier League for the first time in 14 years after a season which saw three managers fail to deliver Flavio Briatore's vision of "boutique football".
- He sets out to succeed where Iain Dowie, Paulo Sousa and Gareth Ainsworth could not - and having failed to deliver in three years at Ipswich.
- Magilton will not complain at Briatore's rumoured meddling in team affairs. He said: "I value the opinions of everyone at the club - but in the end they'll agree that I'm right!"
- KEY MAN: Akos Buzsaky
Click To read entire club by club Championship Preview
Sunday Mirror - Ian Holloway to Ralph Ellis - Championship Preview
"....QPR
- Manager: Jim Magilton
- Unknown quantities. What will that money bring them? Too many changes too much instability. Jim Magilton has good players and if he gets a chance can give them leadership.
- MY KEY MAN: MARTIN ROWLANDS
ODDS: 12/1
Click to Read entire Championship Preview
Sunday Mirror/Kevin Price and John Curle - BETTING ODDS
- Outright Betting: 9/2 Newcastle, 6/1 West Brom, Middlesbrough, 10/1 Ipswich, 11/1 Sheff Utd, 14/1 Reading, 16/1 Nottm Forest, 18/1 QPR, 20/1 Derby, 22/1 Cardiff, Leicester, 28/1 Preston, Bristol City, 33/1 Swansea, Crystal Palace, Sheff Wed, Peterborough, 50/1 Watford, 66/1 Doncaster, Plymouth, 80/1 Coventry, 100/1 Scunthorpe, Barnsley, 125-1 Blackpool. Ladbrokes.
- Relegation Betting: 6/4 Scunthorpe, 7/4 Barnsley, 9/4 Blackpool, Doncaster, 5/2 Plymouth, 4/1 Watford, Sheff Wed. 9/2 Bar. Coral.
- Top Goalscorer Betting: 12/1 A Alves (Middlesbrough), 14/1 M Chopra (Cardiff), S Cox (West Brom), 18/1 A Carroll (Newcastle), R McCormack (Cardiff), 20/1 S Long (Reading), C Evans (Sheff Utd), R Bednar (West Brom), M Fryatt (Leicester), R Earnshaw (Nottm Forest), L Moore (West Brom), F Sears (Crystal Palace). SkyBet. Sunday Mirror
- Other Betting: Current Championship Promotion Odds
The Times/John Aizelwood - The Championship Countdown
- Big spenders
- Cardiff City Never knowingly under-bought, chairman Peter Ridsdale has acquired David Marshall from Norwich to solve a long-standing goalkeeping problem, while Paul Quinn’s progress on and off the pitch will enthral. The former Motherwell captain was spared jail last year after being convicted of assault for attacking a man at a teammate’s birthday party. Mark Hudson and Anthony Gerrard had fine seasons at Charlton and Walsall respectively and if Michael Chopra has exorcised his demons, his return might make all the difference. Oh, and don’t forget their shiny new stadium.
- Ipswich Town Roy Keane’s new-face count stands at five. Surely by coincidence, three — Damien Delaney, Shane O’Connor and Colin Healy — hail from Keane’s Cork heartland. Former reserve Fulham defender Troy Brown is for the future, but Manchester United’s perpetually loaned Lee Martin could prove one of the summer’s better buys.
- Nottingham Forest An outlay of £4m has brought eight permanent new faces and Polish loanee Radoslaw Majewski. Dexter Blackstock should score goals, Paul McKenna should make them and Lee Camp should stop them. Even Forest were surprised Spurs allowed Chris Gunter to leave.
- Queens Park Rangers The Loftus Road money men are yet to flash the silly cash but the temperamental Adel Taarabt has arrived from Tottenham for another loan spell. The £3.5m spent on the Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin and the arrival of Italian striker Alessandro Pellicori have excited and baffled in equal measure.
- Sheffield United So close to promotion last season, they have bought boldly: West Ham’s Kyel Reid, Manchester City’s Ched Evans, Watford’s nippy Lee Williamson and Keith Treacy, on loan from Blackburn. Hull’s Ryan France is injury-prone but Tranmere’s Andy Taylor looks a genuine coup.
Teams to watch
- West Brom Roberto di Matteo might not have been Albion’s first choice for head coach but his love of silk and steel should make him the right one. If he can merge the two, Albion will bounce back whence they came.
- Crystal Palace Neil Warnock seems to have lost his managerial vim, while owner Simon Jordan has certainly mislaid his wallet. May be trouble ahead.
- Leicester City They ended last season as Division One champions, seven points clear. They scored the most goals in the division and conceded the fewest, losing just four times. They’ve bought cannily, so the only way is up, possibly to the playoffs.
- Newcastle United Last season they were sunk under the weight of off-the-field chaos, shockingly bad buys and the sense that however bad things got, they were about to get worse. Now they have no manager, an owner keen to sell and no summer signings. Still, a closely fought 6-1 pre-season defeat at mighty Leyton Orient suggests there is no cause for any concern. At all.
- Preston North End They overachieved last season and although manager Alan Irvine spurned West Bromwich Albion’s come hither beckonings, Deepdale has enjoyed an ominously quiet summer.
Players to treasure
- Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough) Gareth Southgate spent £12m of Steve Gibson’s money on the lumbering Brazilian, who last season scored his fourth and last league goal in January. Last month, he neglected to return on time for pre-season training. Boro fans, not entirely unreasonably perceiving a lack of commitment, tend to wish he’d neglected to return at all.
- Freddy Eastwood (Coventry City) Spent the summer being fined £1,599 for fly-tipping offences. Spent last season scoring four goals and struggling for form, pace and confidence, leaving City fans to reflect through the Ricoh gloom that they might just as well have fly-tipped Eastwood’s £1.2m fee.
- Ben Burgess (Blackpool) At a cake-friendly 14st 4lb, Burgess ought to cause fireworks in rival penalty areas, but Blackpool’s No 9 hasn’t scored since just before Bonfire Night.
- Simon Walton (Plymouth) Being omitted from Argyle’s pre-season tour hardly augurs well for last summer’s record signing. Neither does a dispute over his best position with manager Paul Sturrock, who described him as ‘stupid . . . petulant . . . a big disappointment’ after a red card at Barnsley.
- Gorka Pintado (Swansea) This time last year, Swansea’s then manager Roberto Martinez said Pintado was worth £7m. The Spanish striker turned out to be an injury-prone 30-something journeyman. This summer somebody — one Senor Pintado, to be precise — has suggested he is the man to assume the departed Jason Scotland’s mantle. He could be wrong.
- Borja Valero (West Brom) Albion paid a whopping £4.7m for the not-so-great Valero. Albion fans could forgive Leon Barnett’s howlers and Pele for not playing like Pele, but they struggled with someone whose lackadaisical performances displayed all the urgency of an especially slothful deck chair attendant.
- To go up
West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United
Playoffs
Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Cardiff City
To go down
Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Barnsley
Sunday Times
INDEPENDENT on SUNDAY - Independent/Tom Jones - Championship preview: The season ahead
Excerpt "....Queens Park Rangers.... Key man: Damion Stewart.
Last season: 10th. Title odds: 19-1. Prediction: 10th. Pressure will be on Magilton if expectations exceed results."
Barnsley
In: O Sodje (York, free).
Out: H Muller (Mainz, £600,000), D Souza (Qatar, free), D Leon (Palmas, free), M Van Homoet, K Letheren (both released).
Manager: Simon Davey. Key man: Brian Howard
Last season: 20th. Title odds: 101-1 (Ladbrokes). Prediction: 22nd. The Tykes may lack the inspiration and goals to stay up.
Blackpool
In: J Euell (Southampton, free).
Out: S Barker (Derby, undisclosed), S Green (Wycombe, free), D Fox (Colchester, free), M Broomes (released).
Manager: Ian Holloway. Key Man: Paul Rachubka.
Last season: 16th. Title odds: 126-1. Prediction: 23rd. Holloway must settle fast to give the Seasiders any chance.
Bristol City
In: L Nyatanga (Derby, undisc), D Haynes (Ipswich, undisc), P Hartley (Celtic, free), D Gerken (Colchester, undisc), D Clarkson (Motherwell, free), A Blackman (Portsmouth, free).
Out: I Irekpen (Hamilton, free), D Adebola (Nottm Forest, free), C Weale (Leicester, free), J Myrie-Williams (Dundee Utd, free), S Murray (Yeovil, free), P Styvar (Xanthi, loan).
Manager: Gary Johnson. Key man: Nicky Maynard.
Last season: 12th. Title odds: 29-1. Prediction: 14th. Mid-table finish beckons as Robins lack real quality in key positions.
Cardiff City
In: M Chopra (Sunderland, £4m), A Gerrard (Walsall, undisc), P Quinn (Motherwell, undisc), M Hudson (Charlton, undisc), D Marshall (Norwich, undisc).
Out: R Johnson (Birmingham, £5m), D Dennehy (Hereford, loan), D Purse (Sheffield Wed, free).
Manager: Dave Jones. Key man: Ross McCormack.
Last season: 7th. Title odds: 23-1. Prediction: 7th. Keeping hold of McCormack could prove vital.
Coventry City
In: S Clingan (Norwich, undisc).
Out: S Dann (Birmingham, undisc), D Fox (Celtic, £1.5m), S Fraser (Falkirk, free), R Simpson (Huddersfield, undisc), D Simmonds (released).
Manager: Chris Coleman. Key man: Keiren Westwood. Last season: 17th. Title odds: 81-1. Prediction: 18th. Goalkeeper Westwood must continue his excellent form to ensure safety.
Crystal Palace
In: S John (Southampton, undisc), D Ambrose (Charlton, free), F Sears (West Ham, loan).
Out: R Wiggins (Norwich, undisc), P Ifill (Wellington, free), J Scowcroft (Leyton Orient, free), C Fletcher (Plymouth, free), S Flinders (released).
Manager: Neil Warnock. Key man: Shaun Derry
Last season: 15th. Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 16th. Play-offs a pipedream for Warnock's men.
Derby County
In: S Barker (Blackpool, £1m), D Moxey (Exeter, undisc), J Buxton (Burton, undisc), B Pringle (Ilkeston, undisc), L Croft (Norwich, free).
Out: T Mears (Burnley, undisc), L Putzinson (Brighton, undisc), L Nyatanga (Bristol City, undisc), E Villa (Cruz Azul, undisc), A Todd (Perth Glory, free), L Price (Brentford, loan).
Manager: Nigel Clough. Key man: Giles Barnes.
Last season: 18th. Title odds: 21-1. Prediction: 8th. Exciting blend make the Rams an outside bet for playoffs.
Doncaster Rovers
In: None.
Out: R Wellens (Leicester, £1.2m), J Price (Millwall, free), G Greer (Swindon, free).
Manager: Sean O'Driscoll. Key man: Brian Stock
Last season: 14th. Title odds: 67-1. Prediction: 20th. Home form crucial to survival chances.
Ipswich Town
In: C Healy (Cork, undisc), L Martin (Man Utd, undisc), D Delaney (QPR, undisc), S O'Connor (Liverpool, free).
Out: J Rhodes (Huddersfield, undisc), D Harding (Soton, free), D Haynes (Bristol City, free), T Miller (Sheff Wed, free), M Richards, I Campo, C Casement, K Robinson, D Bowditch (all released).
Manager: Roy Keane. Key man: Richard Wright.
Last season: 9th. Title odds: 11-1. Prediction: 6th. Tractor Boys should motor into play-offs with Keane momentum.
Leicester City
In: R Wellens (Doncaster, £1.2m), D N'Guessan (Lincoln, undisc), J Hobbs (Liverpool, undisc), W Brown (Hull, free), C Weale (Bristol City, free), R Neilson (Hearts, free), A Ajdaveric (Liverpool, free).
Out: P Kisnorbo (Leeds, free), B McKay (Northampton, free), B Hayles (Cheltenham, free), J Cobb (Wycombe, free).
Manager: Nigel Pearson. Key man: Matt Fryatt
Last season: 1st (League One)
Title odds: 23-1. Prediction: 12th. Mid-table finish should be certain.
Middlesbrough
In: D Coyne (Tranmere, free), M Yeates (Colchester, undisc).
Out: S Downing (Aston Villa, £12m), R Turnbull (Chelsea, free), G Owens (Kilmarnock, free).
Manager: Gareth Southgate. Key man: David Wheater.
Last season: 19th (Premier League). Title odds: 7-1. Prediction: 2nd. Southgate's young side need to adapt quickly.
Newcastle United
In: None.
Out: O Martins (Wolfsburg, £9m), M Owen (Man Utd, free), D Edgar (Burnley, free), M Viduka, P Lovenkrands (both released).
Manager: Chris Hughton (caretaker). Key man: Steven Taylor.
Last season: 18th (Premier League). Title odds: 11-2. Prediction: 1st. Toon should still gain promotion, despite off-field woes.
Nottingham Forest
In: C Gunter (Spurs, £1.75m), P McKenna (Preston, £750,000), P Anderson (Liverpool, £250,000), J Lynch (Brighton, £200,000), D Blackstock (QPR, undisc), L Camp (QPR, undisc), D McGoldrick (Southampton, undisc), D Adebola (Bristol City, free), R Majewski (Warsaw, loan).
Out: H Bencherif (Macclesfield, free), M Thornhill (Brighton, loan), M Byrne (Rushden and Diamonds, loan), S Redmond (Burton, loan), J Reid (Rushden and Diamonds, loan), J Heath (Lincoln, loan), B Moloney (Notts County, loan), L Hook, R Whitehurst, R Tait, T Sharpe, E Sinclair, A Newbold, P Gamble, I Breckin (all released).
Manager: Billy Davies. Key man: Chris Gunter.
Last season: 19th. Title odds: 17-1. Prediction: 9th. Could be a danger this season.
Peterborough United
In: D Mills (Crawley, undisc), R McCrae (Crawley, undisc), T Rowe (Stockport, undisc), L Frecklington (Lincoln, undisc), T Diagouraga (Hereford, undisc), K Pearce (Birmingham, loan).
Out: C Westwood (Wycombe, free), S Rendell (Torquay, loan), A Potter (Oxford United, loan).
Manager: Darren Ferguson. Key man: Craig Mackail-Smith.
Last season: 2nd (League One). Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 15th. All eyes will be on Ferguson as his youthful Posh look to continue their rapid rise.
Plymouth Argyle
In: R Johnson (Amiens, undisc), B Wright-Phillips (Southampton, free), C Fletcher (Crystal Palace, free), K Arnason (Aarhus, free).
Out: J Easter (MK Dons, undisc), Mpenza (Sion, free), R Douala (released).
Manager: Paul Sturrock. Key man: Roman Larrieu.
Last season: 21st. Title odds: 67-1. Prediction: 21st. Lack of funds signals a season of stuggle.
Preston North End
In: None.
Out: P McKenna (Nottm Forest, £750,000), C Neal (Shrewsbury, free), S Whaley (Norwich, undisc).
Manager: Alan Irvine. Key man: Neil Mellor.
Last season: 6th. Title odds: 29-1. Prediction: 13th. Loss of captain McKenna leaves play-offs chances looking remote.
Queens Park Rangers
In: A Pellicori (Avellimo, free), A Taarabt (Spurs, loan).
Out: D Blackstock (Nottm Forest, undisc), L Camp (Nottm Forest, undisc), D Delaney (Ipswich, undisc), J Cole (Barnet, free), Z Rehman (Bradford, free)
Manager: Jim Magilton. Key man: Damion Stewart.
Last season: 10th. Title odds: 19-1. Prediction: 10th. Pressure will be on Magilton if expectations exceed results.
Reading
In: None.
Out: K Doyle (Wolves, undisc), M Hahnemann (Wolves, free), M Duberry (Wycombe, free), S Golbourne (Exeter, free), D Spence (Salisbury, free), McCarthy (Yeovil, loan).
Manager: Brendan Rodgers. Key man: Stephen Hunt.
Last season: 4th. Title odds: 15-1. Prediction: 5th. Hunt brothers at heart of push for promotion.
Sc***horpe United
In: A Boyes (York, undisc), R Jones (Hibernian, undisc), M O'Connor (Crewe, undisc), J Wright (Charlton, free).
Out: None.
Manager: Nigel Adkins. Key man: Matt Sparrow.
Last season: 6th (League One). Title odds: 101-1. Prediction: 24th. Relegation favourites will struggle to survive with small squad.
Sheffield United
In: C Evans (Man City, £3m), L Williamson (Watford, undisc), A Taylor (Tranmere, undisc), R France (Hull, free), K Reid (West Ham, free), K Treacy (Blackburn, loan), K Walker (Spurs, loan).
Out: K Naughton (Spurs, undisc), K Walker (Spurs, undisc), J Anderson (Rotherham, free), N Law (Rotherham, free), A Chapman (Oxford, £15,000), K Quinn, B Starosta, D Webber, U Ehiogu (all released).
Manager: Kevin Blackwell. Key man: Ched Evans.
Last season: 3rd. Title odds: 12-1. Prediction: 3rd. Arrival of Evans will sharpen the Blades' promotion efforts.
Sheffield Wednesday
In: D Potter (Wolves, undisc), T Miller (Ipswich, free), D Purse (Cardiff, free).
Out: K Lunt (Hereford, free).
Manager: Brian Laws. Key man: Marcus Tudgay.
Last season: 11th. Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 17th. Owls supporters likely to languish in neighbours' shadow.
Swansea City
In: N Dyer (Southampton, £400,000), J Lopez (Real Mallorca, undisc), S Dobie (Queen of the South, free).
Out: J Scotland (Wigan, £2m), O Tudor-Jones (Norwich, undisc), C Jones (Grimsby, free).
Manager: Paulo Sousa. Key man: Ferrie Bodde.
Last season: 8th. Title odds: 34-1. Prediction: 11th. High-profile exits likely to hamper their promotion hopes.
Watford
In: J Travner (CMC Publikum Celje, undisc), D Graham (Carlisle, free), S Severin (Aberdeen, free).
Out: T Robinson (Huddersfield, undisc), L Williamson (Sheffield United, undisc), S Searle (MK Dons, free).
Manager: Malky Mackay. Key man: Jay DeMerit.
Last season: 13th. Title odds: 51-1. Prediction: 19th. Another transitional year.
West Bromwich Albion
In: S Cox (Swindon, £1.5m).
Out: S MacDonald (Germinal, £650,000), Kim Do-Heon (Suwon Samsung Bluewings, £360,000), L Daniels (Tranmere, loan), P Robinson (Bolton, loan).
Manager: Roberto Di Matteo. Key man: Jonathan Greening.
Last season: 20th (Premier League). Title odds: 7-1. Prediction: 4th. May just miss out. Independent
- Preview of QPR's 2009-2010 Season
- Sheffield MAD Championship Club-by-Club Assessment: Today QPR
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
- AKUTRS Dave Thomas Blog ("Flog") Week #3
- Ex-QPR Mark Lazarus Interviewed (Indys Excellent Two-Part Interview with 1967 Hero)
- "Street Crime Reduction Key for London Clubs"
- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- Three Year Flasback: QPR Chairman Paladini's Lengthy Statement
- Some of the Past Official Site statements by Flavio Briatore
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
- QPR's Matt Connolly Opens Shop
- Football in Argentina
- Football League Rule re Publicizing Transfer Fees
- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
Saturday, August 01, 2009
QPR Crush Southampton - Reports and Comments
-
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
- QPR's Romone Rose on trial at Northampton, where he came on as sub Today
- Preview of QPR's 2009-2010 Season
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
QPR 3 Southampton 0
QPR won 3-0 at Loftus Road, before a crowd of just over 3,000. QPR's scorers: Gorkss, Balanta and Taarabt.
QPR Official Site - Magilton's Comments GAFFER HARD TO PLEASE
- Jim Magilton was understandably pleased with his team following their 3-0 win over Southampton this afternoon, although he did feel they were capable of better.
- Goals from Kaspars Gorkss, Angelo Balanta and Adel Taarabt guided the R's to victory but Magilton told www.qpr.co.uk: "We were 2-0 up at half-time but I don't think we really played as well as we have done over the last couple of games.
- "Kaspars scored a nice goal from a set-piece, which was good to see.
- "Angelo has been a constant threat for us throughout pre-season and I thought he took his goal very, very well.
- "His form has been a major plus for us.
- "I thought we played better in the second-half, and Adel scored a wonderful goal.
- "He has outstanding individual ability, that's very clear to see."
- The R's boss also revealed that he believes the squad he has inherited at Loftus Road is superior to the one he left behind at Ipswich Town.
- "There is more quality here," he said, "without any shadow of a doubt. There's more quality all over the park, and more experience too.
- "The application and attitude of the players has been first class from the moment I arrived.
- "We're now hoping to get off to a good start, and build from there.
- "I feel we're ready for next week now. The players have set the standard." - QPR
QPR Official Site - QPR 3, SOUTHAMPTON 0
- Rangers finished their pre-season campaign in style, as goals from Kaspars Gorkss, Angelo Balanta and Adel Taarabt were enough to see off Southampton.
- Gorkss put Rangers ahead as early as the ninth minute with a bullet header, before Balanta coolly slotted home before the interval.
- Taarabt then sent home Rangers' third after a splendid run, in a match where Jim Magilton's men were more than value for their win.
- R's manager Magilton made just two changes from the side that overcame Wycombe Wanderers by two goals to one in midweek, though both were enforced on him.
- Trialist goalkeeper Andy Marshall replaced Radek Cerny, who missed the game owing to illness.
- Elsewhere, Gary Borrowdale came in for Matt Connolly, who picked up an ankle knock in Rangers' 2-1 win on Tuesday at Adams Park.
- The game was marked pre kick-off with a minute's silence for both Sir Bobby Robson and Antony Lillis, who both sadly passed away on Wednesday and Friday respectively.
- As the rain lashed down on the Loftus Road playing surface in front of the watching Bernie Ecclestone, it was the R's who were faster out of the blocks with some neat, intricate play.
- And indeed, it was such dominance that not only led to the first chance of the game - but football that also saw Rangers take an early opening lead in the ninth minute.
- When Patrick Agyemang won a corner off the back of a Saints defender, Wayne Routledge sent over a teasing cross from the left.
- The ball seemed to be rising above every man in the box - but not Gorkss, as the Latvian defender rose highest to expertly thump a header into the top right-hand corner of the net.
- It was a goal that seemed to spur on the R's who at times played some lovely stuff along the deck, not least when only a last-ditch tackle from the Southampton defence stopped Rowan Vine from being through on goal after good play between himself, Borrowdale and Balanta.
- Rangers in truth didn't have it all there on way - especially when after good work down the right from Saints full-back Lloyd James, Joseph Mills could only head wide of Marshall's left-hand post.
- Though it was short lived, and the R's found themselves two goals to the good in the 34th minute.
- After a cross from Borrowdale caused confusion within the Saints back four, the ball fell kindly to Balanta, who made no mistake from 10-yards and slotted home into the bottom right-hand corner to double Rangers' advantage just before the half-time whistle.
- As unfamiliar as it may sound in pre-season, Rangers made just one change at the break - but nevertheless it was a substitution, as Heidar Helguson replaced Agyemang.
- That though, did mean that Rangers were afforded the chance to carry on where they left off in the first half.
- Indeed, that was the case early on in the second half when Routledge sent over a cross-field ball to Balanta that sat up lovely for the Colombian to hit on the half volley, but he could only shoot just over Kelvin Davis' crossbar.
- Soon after, Balanta beat several challenges from the Saints backline to feed Vine out wide.
- The Rangers front made teased his full-back before cutting in to cross dangerously into the area, but that effort deceived everyone and went safely out of play.
- It wasn't exactly total dominance, though Rangers were having the lion's share of possession and indeed, the more chances.
- This time after good work out wide from the newly introduced Hogan Ephraim, he fed Taarabt, but the Tottenham loanee could only blast high and wide of the target.
- Moments later however, the Moroccan starlet wasn't to make the same mistake - scoring a quite fantastic goal to put the R's three up on 77 minutes.
- Twisting and turning three men with relative ease, Taarabt found himself in space before calmly slotting home past Davies in the visitors' goal from the edge of the area.
- Taarabt could have added a second when he received the ball some 20-yards out, but he shot just wide of the goal.
- Though it wasn't to matter, as the R's ended their pre-season campaign with performance that gives great confidence to all ahead of next Saturday's opener at home to Blackpool.
- - QPR: Marshall, Ramage (Ainsworth 77), Borrowdale (Brown 77), Mahon (Alberti 77), Hall (Stewart 69), Gorkss, Routledge (Ephraim 69), Rowlands, Vine (Taarabt 63), Balanta (Pellicori 77), Agyemang (Helguson 46).
Subs not used: Putnins.
- Goals: Gorkss (9), Balanta (34), Taarabt (70).
- Southampton: Davis, James (Murty 46), Harding, Wotton (Gillett 46), Lancashire, Perry, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Saganowski (Thomson 75), Paterson (Rasiak 63), Mills (Gobern 81).
Subs not used: Bialkowski. Referee: Mr P Crossley
Att: 3,164. - QPR
[b]Southampton Official Site- Pardew's verdict - QPR [/b]
- Saints boss Alan Pardew felt that the result at QPR was not a true reflection of where his side are at the moment but admits that there is still work to do.
- The former West Ham manager witnessed a 3-0 reverse at Loftus Road and thought that one or two weaknesses were exposed.
- "The limitations of the side were highlighted today," he said. "The first goal was a set play and you could almost predict that, we weren't big enough in defence today without Wayne Thomas in the side.
- "I think the opening goal set us back a bit, that was QPR's best period, they had 20 minutes where they moved it around and switched play too easily and we got pulled around, after that we got a grip on the game and it was much more even, we competed better for bits and pieces but there was a general naivety in some of our play."
- Pardew added the effects of an intense week of training probably took its toll as well.
- "We had one or two missing today and we looked a bit leggy but I have put them through the mill this week and I think that showed.
- "I think that when Graeme Murty came on he made us look so much better, his experience helped one or two of the younger ones and we got better and better as a result.
- "At 2-0 we had a couple of opportunities to perhaps get ourselves back in it Saga had a shot deflected wide and Rasiak headed wide, but would have gone in had it not a deflection.
- "Today just settled in my mind what I knew, we have got some good young players here and there were some moments, but unfortunately we lack experience and power in the team and we need to address that."
- The first game of the League One campaign is now under a week away and Pardew is convinced that his side remain on course for a good start with additions to the squad also likely.
- "I'd like to think we can get a couple of players in this week and maybe have Thomas back, but I don't think it's a case of reacting too harshly or getting too carried away which I made sure that we didn't do after Hearts.
- "We're somewhere in the middle of the two performances, I've got no worries with the group over fitness they were tired today mainly because of the work that we've done with them this week.
- "Today's not important if I'm honest it's all about Millwall and then the questions really do have some meaning to them."
- The Saints boss also revealed that he is also hopeful that trialist Graeme Murty may not be far away from joining the club on a full time basis.
- "It's not close to a decision time, there's a contract there and I don't see it being a problem." - Southampton
Southampton Official Site QPR 3-0 Saints - Full Time
- QPR: Marshall, Ramage, Borrowdale, Mahon, Hall, Gorkss, Routledge, Rowlands, Vine, Balanta, Agyemang. Subs: Ainsworth, Putnins, Alberti, Ephraim, Stewart, Brown, Helguson, Taarabt, Pellicori.
- Saints: Davis, James, Harding, Wotton, Lancashire, Perry, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Saganowski, Paterson, Mills. Subs: Bialkowski, Gobern, Gillett, Thomson, Rasiak, Murty.
- A minute's silence is held in memory of the late Sir Bobby Robson as the hosts prepare to kick things off at Loftus Road....." Southampton
Updated throughout the Day
- AKUTRS Dave Thomas Blog ("Flog") Week #3
- Ex-QPR Mark Lazarus Interviewed (Indys Two-Part Great Interview)
- Cook's Recovery....Buzsaky Staying?...Vignal Leaving...Marshall...QPR Southampton Squad
- "Street Crime Reduction Key for London Clubs"
- Three Year Flasback: QPR Chairman Paladini's Lengthy Statement
- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
- QPR's Matt Connolly Opens Shop
- Ex-QPR Junior Agogo Turns 30
- RIP: Bobby Robson
- Holloway Set to Splurge?
- Football in Argentina
- Ex-QPR (Dean) Wilkins Appointed Southampton Assistant Manager
- No Lejsal to Bristol City
- Simon Walton to Millwall?
- Chelsea Awarded Millions in Compensation
- Bobby Robson - RIP
- Reading Interest in Fitz Hall?
- QPR vs Southampton...Southampton Season Ticket Sales
- Ex-QPR Loanee Bob Malcolm, off to Australia
- 1992-1993 Video: QPR vs Manchester United
- Year Flashback: Gorkss and Parejo Join QPR
- Ex-QPR Schoolboy, Michael Bryan now at Watford: Profile/Interview
- Football League Rule re Publicizing Transfer Fees
- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
- England U-19s Progess vs France
- Fans' Views of Future of the Game
- Some of the Past Official Site statements by Flavio Briatore
- QPR Player Contracts
- Current Promotion Odds
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
- QPR's Romone Rose on trial at Northampton, where he came on as sub Today
- Preview of QPR's 2009-2010 Season
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
QPR 3 Southampton 0
QPR won 3-0 at Loftus Road, before a crowd of just over 3,000. QPR's scorers: Gorkss, Balanta and Taarabt.
QPR Official Site - Magilton's Comments GAFFER HARD TO PLEASE
- Jim Magilton was understandably pleased with his team following their 3-0 win over Southampton this afternoon, although he did feel they were capable of better.
- Goals from Kaspars Gorkss, Angelo Balanta and Adel Taarabt guided the R's to victory but Magilton told www.qpr.co.uk: "We were 2-0 up at half-time but I don't think we really played as well as we have done over the last couple of games.
- "Kaspars scored a nice goal from a set-piece, which was good to see.
- "Angelo has been a constant threat for us throughout pre-season and I thought he took his goal very, very well.
- "His form has been a major plus for us.
- "I thought we played better in the second-half, and Adel scored a wonderful goal.
- "He has outstanding individual ability, that's very clear to see."
- The R's boss also revealed that he believes the squad he has inherited at Loftus Road is superior to the one he left behind at Ipswich Town.
- "There is more quality here," he said, "without any shadow of a doubt. There's more quality all over the park, and more experience too.
- "The application and attitude of the players has been first class from the moment I arrived.
- "We're now hoping to get off to a good start, and build from there.
- "I feel we're ready for next week now. The players have set the standard." - QPR
QPR Official Site - QPR 3, SOUTHAMPTON 0
- Rangers finished their pre-season campaign in style, as goals from Kaspars Gorkss, Angelo Balanta and Adel Taarabt were enough to see off Southampton.
- Gorkss put Rangers ahead as early as the ninth minute with a bullet header, before Balanta coolly slotted home before the interval.
- Taarabt then sent home Rangers' third after a splendid run, in a match where Jim Magilton's men were more than value for their win.
- R's manager Magilton made just two changes from the side that overcame Wycombe Wanderers by two goals to one in midweek, though both were enforced on him.
- Trialist goalkeeper Andy Marshall replaced Radek Cerny, who missed the game owing to illness.
- Elsewhere, Gary Borrowdale came in for Matt Connolly, who picked up an ankle knock in Rangers' 2-1 win on Tuesday at Adams Park.
- The game was marked pre kick-off with a minute's silence for both Sir Bobby Robson and Antony Lillis, who both sadly passed away on Wednesday and Friday respectively.
- As the rain lashed down on the Loftus Road playing surface in front of the watching Bernie Ecclestone, it was the R's who were faster out of the blocks with some neat, intricate play.
- And indeed, it was such dominance that not only led to the first chance of the game - but football that also saw Rangers take an early opening lead in the ninth minute.
- When Patrick Agyemang won a corner off the back of a Saints defender, Wayne Routledge sent over a teasing cross from the left.
- The ball seemed to be rising above every man in the box - but not Gorkss, as the Latvian defender rose highest to expertly thump a header into the top right-hand corner of the net.
- It was a goal that seemed to spur on the R's who at times played some lovely stuff along the deck, not least when only a last-ditch tackle from the Southampton defence stopped Rowan Vine from being through on goal after good play between himself, Borrowdale and Balanta.
- Rangers in truth didn't have it all there on way - especially when after good work down the right from Saints full-back Lloyd James, Joseph Mills could only head wide of Marshall's left-hand post.
- Though it was short lived, and the R's found themselves two goals to the good in the 34th minute.
- After a cross from Borrowdale caused confusion within the Saints back four, the ball fell kindly to Balanta, who made no mistake from 10-yards and slotted home into the bottom right-hand corner to double Rangers' advantage just before the half-time whistle.
- As unfamiliar as it may sound in pre-season, Rangers made just one change at the break - but nevertheless it was a substitution, as Heidar Helguson replaced Agyemang.
- That though, did mean that Rangers were afforded the chance to carry on where they left off in the first half.
- Indeed, that was the case early on in the second half when Routledge sent over a cross-field ball to Balanta that sat up lovely for the Colombian to hit on the half volley, but he could only shoot just over Kelvin Davis' crossbar.
- Soon after, Balanta beat several challenges from the Saints backline to feed Vine out wide.
- The Rangers front made teased his full-back before cutting in to cross dangerously into the area, but that effort deceived everyone and went safely out of play.
- It wasn't exactly total dominance, though Rangers were having the lion's share of possession and indeed, the more chances.
- This time after good work out wide from the newly introduced Hogan Ephraim, he fed Taarabt, but the Tottenham loanee could only blast high and wide of the target.
- Moments later however, the Moroccan starlet wasn't to make the same mistake - scoring a quite fantastic goal to put the R's three up on 77 minutes.
- Twisting and turning three men with relative ease, Taarabt found himself in space before calmly slotting home past Davies in the visitors' goal from the edge of the area.
- Taarabt could have added a second when he received the ball some 20-yards out, but he shot just wide of the goal.
- Though it wasn't to matter, as the R's ended their pre-season campaign with performance that gives great confidence to all ahead of next Saturday's opener at home to Blackpool.
- - QPR: Marshall, Ramage (Ainsworth 77), Borrowdale (Brown 77), Mahon (Alberti 77), Hall (Stewart 69), Gorkss, Routledge (Ephraim 69), Rowlands, Vine (Taarabt 63), Balanta (Pellicori 77), Agyemang (Helguson 46).
Subs not used: Putnins.
- Goals: Gorkss (9), Balanta (34), Taarabt (70).
- Southampton: Davis, James (Murty 46), Harding, Wotton (Gillett 46), Lancashire, Perry, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Saganowski (Thomson 75), Paterson (Rasiak 63), Mills (Gobern 81).
Subs not used: Bialkowski. Referee: Mr P Crossley
Att: 3,164. - QPR
[b]Southampton Official Site- Pardew's verdict - QPR [/b]
- Saints boss Alan Pardew felt that the result at QPR was not a true reflection of where his side are at the moment but admits that there is still work to do.
- The former West Ham manager witnessed a 3-0 reverse at Loftus Road and thought that one or two weaknesses were exposed.
- "The limitations of the side were highlighted today," he said. "The first goal was a set play and you could almost predict that, we weren't big enough in defence today without Wayne Thomas in the side.
- "I think the opening goal set us back a bit, that was QPR's best period, they had 20 minutes where they moved it around and switched play too easily and we got pulled around, after that we got a grip on the game and it was much more even, we competed better for bits and pieces but there was a general naivety in some of our play."
- Pardew added the effects of an intense week of training probably took its toll as well.
- "We had one or two missing today and we looked a bit leggy but I have put them through the mill this week and I think that showed.
- "I think that when Graeme Murty came on he made us look so much better, his experience helped one or two of the younger ones and we got better and better as a result.
- "At 2-0 we had a couple of opportunities to perhaps get ourselves back in it Saga had a shot deflected wide and Rasiak headed wide, but would have gone in had it not a deflection.
- "Today just settled in my mind what I knew, we have got some good young players here and there were some moments, but unfortunately we lack experience and power in the team and we need to address that."
- The first game of the League One campaign is now under a week away and Pardew is convinced that his side remain on course for a good start with additions to the squad also likely.
- "I'd like to think we can get a couple of players in this week and maybe have Thomas back, but I don't think it's a case of reacting too harshly or getting too carried away which I made sure that we didn't do after Hearts.
- "We're somewhere in the middle of the two performances, I've got no worries with the group over fitness they were tired today mainly because of the work that we've done with them this week.
- "Today's not important if I'm honest it's all about Millwall and then the questions really do have some meaning to them."
- The Saints boss also revealed that he is also hopeful that trialist Graeme Murty may not be far away from joining the club on a full time basis.
- "It's not close to a decision time, there's a contract there and I don't see it being a problem." - Southampton
Southampton Official Site QPR 3-0 Saints - Full Time
- QPR: Marshall, Ramage, Borrowdale, Mahon, Hall, Gorkss, Routledge, Rowlands, Vine, Balanta, Agyemang. Subs: Ainsworth, Putnins, Alberti, Ephraim, Stewart, Brown, Helguson, Taarabt, Pellicori.
- Saints: Davis, James, Harding, Wotton, Lancashire, Perry, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Saganowski, Paterson, Mills. Subs: Bialkowski, Gobern, Gillett, Thomson, Rasiak, Murty.
- A minute's silence is held in memory of the late Sir Bobby Robson as the hosts prepare to kick things off at Loftus Road....." Southampton
Updated throughout the Day
- AKUTRS Dave Thomas Blog ("Flog") Week #3
- Ex-QPR Mark Lazarus Interviewed (Indys Two-Part Great Interview)
- Cook's Recovery....Buzsaky Staying?...Vignal Leaving...Marshall...QPR Southampton Squad
- "Street Crime Reduction Key for London Clubs"
- Three Year Flasback: QPR Chairman Paladini's Lengthy Statement
- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
- QPR's Matt Connolly Opens Shop
- Ex-QPR Junior Agogo Turns 30
- RIP: Bobby Robson
- Holloway Set to Splurge?
- Football in Argentina
- Ex-QPR (Dean) Wilkins Appointed Southampton Assistant Manager
- No Lejsal to Bristol City
- Simon Walton to Millwall?
- Chelsea Awarded Millions in Compensation
- Bobby Robson - RIP
- Reading Interest in Fitz Hall?
- QPR vs Southampton...Southampton Season Ticket Sales
- Ex-QPR Loanee Bob Malcolm, off to Australia
- 1992-1993 Video: QPR vs Manchester United
- Year Flashback: Gorkss and Parejo Join QPR
- Ex-QPR Schoolboy, Michael Bryan now at Watford: Profile/Interview
- Football League Rule re Publicizing Transfer Fees
- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
- England U-19s Progess vs France
- Fans' Views of Future of the Game
- Some of the Past Official Site statements by Flavio Briatore
- QPR Player Contracts
- Current Promotion Odds
QPR's 2009/10 Prospects Assessed
-
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
Updated throughout the Day
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
- AKUTRS Dave Thomas Blog ("Flog") Week #3
- Ex-QPR Mark Lazarus Interviewed (Indys Two-Part Great Interview)
- Cook's Recovery....Buzsaky Staying?...Vignal Leaving...Marshall...QPR Southampton Squad
- "Street Crime Reduction Key for London Clubs"
- Three Year Flasback: QPR Chairman Paladini's Lengthy Statement
- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
- QPR's Matt Connolly Opens Shop
- Ex-QPR Junior Agogo Turns 30
- RIP: Bobby Robson
- Holloway Set to Splurge?
- Football in Argentina
Eurosport -The Coca-Cola Football League Championship - Countdown: Queens Park Rangers
- Eurosport.yahoo.com continues its countdown to the Championship season with a look at cash-rich QPR.
- Manager: Jim Magilton
-Last 10 Seasons
(1999/2000 to 2008/2009): 10/19/-/-/-/11/21/18/14/11
POSSIBLE STARTING XI:
Radek Cerny
Damion Stewart - Kaspars Gorkss - Peter Ramage - Matthew Connolly
Mikele Leigertwood - Lee Cook - Alejandro Faurlin - Martin Rowlands
Rowan Vine - Heidar Helguson
- BACK-UPS FROM: Niki-Lee Bulmer - Fitz Hall - Joe Oastler - Gary Borrowdale - Gavin Mahon - Wayne Routledge - Akos Buzsaky - Matteo Alberti - Hogan Ephraim - Gareth Ainsworth - Romone Rose - Patrick Agyemang - Angelo Balanta - Ray Jones - Antonio German
- TRANSFERS:
- In - Alejandro Faurlin (Instituto, £3.5m), Adel Tarabt (Tottenham, loan)
- Out - Dexter Blackstock (Nottingham Forest), Jordi Lopez (Swansea), Jake Cole (Barnet), Lee Camp (Nottingham Forest), Damien Delaney (Ipswich), Zesh Rehman (Bradford)
- POSITIVES: With all their riches, the 'Manchester City of the Championship' will always be able to outbid most clubs in the transfer market. If they can add the right quality to their squad they will no doubt be a team to look out for this season.
- NEGATIVES: A feature of cash-rich teams is often a trigger-happy chairman and R's owner Flavio Briatore (pictured) has already pinned his colours to the mast with a regular procession of fired managers. Since Ian Holloway left the club in 2006 there have been nine managerial changes, culminating in Jim Magilton's appointment. With this kind of instability at the club, it remains to be seen if the latest boss can bring the instant success the owner so craves.
- VERDICT: R's fans have already expressed their disappointment at the appointment of Magilton, but he is a man who knows the division well and, although he is not the big name fans wanted, he may yet prove to be exactly what the ambitious London outfit need at this moment in time to progress. 7th.
Mario Hajiloizis / Eurosport
-- [Agree/Disagree With the Assessment?]
SOUTHAMPTON Official Site - Queens Park Rangers Preview
- Saints final pre-season friendly sees them face QPR this afternoon in a match that will be a 'stern test' of their progress so far...
- New manager Alan Pardew has now had a further week to prepare his squad, and with the opening game of the season now just seven days away he's keen to get down to business.
- "We're professional players and we have to approach every game in a professional manner," he said, "and that's what we're going to do at QPR.
- "We took the players away this week for a few days. We did a bit of bonding, a bit of sport and a lot of work on the team and it was a great couple of days.
- "We need to learn how to win away from home and but those things take time and if I'm totally honest, we're not quite ready for QPR but we've made some big steps already and I hope that's reflected this afternoon."
- The R's are also a team in transition, with ex-Saint Jim Magilton now at the helm, and Pardew is expecting a tough test against a side with Premier League aspirations.
- "I think they will give us a stern test," he continued. "They have some very good players and a new manager too.
- "There are no favourites in the Championship this year, so QPR will be contenders for promotion and they will be a good test for us physically as well.
- "I hope that we stand up to them today," Pardew added. "I was really pleased with our result against Hearts considering we'd only really been able to train together for two days before.
- "We've now had an extra week on top and we're going to be away from home and against better opposition, but I think we'll give a good account of ourselves."
- On the injury front, defender Wayne Thomas is Pardew's only new concern, but his absence has highlighted an area of the squad that the new boss feels needs work.
- "I'm a little bit lacking in cover at centre half because I only have two of what I would consider first team players in Lancashire and Perry," Pardew revealed.
- "Wayne Thomas is injured with a back problem, so that's a worry and that area is something that I'm concentrating on."
- Pardew also took time out to pay tribute to former England boss Sir Bobby Robson, who's death was announced on Friday.
- "My memories of him are as an English gent and a loveable character, albeit a slightly eccentric one" he said.
- "The World Cup campaign that he had with England was the closest that we've come to winning it in my time and he'll be fondly remembered and greatly missed.
- "Bobby was a gentleman of football and whenever I met him socially I found him very engaging. He had time for everyone and that was why he had the response from people that he had in his lifetime." Southampton
QPR vs Southampton
QPR Squad: Ainsworth, Alberti, Agyemang, Balanta, Brown, Borrowdale, Ephraim, Gorkss, Hall, Helguson, Mahon, Marshall, Pellicori, Putnins, Ramage, Routledge, Rowlands, Stewart, Taarabt, Vine.
- Ex-QPR (Dean) Wilkins Appointed Southampton Assistant Manager
- No Lejsal to Bristol City
- Simon Walton to Millwall?
- Chelsea Awarded Millions in Compensation
- Bobby Robson - RIP
- Reading Interest in Fitz Hall?
- QPR vs Southampton...Southampton Season Ticket Sales
- Ex-QPR Loanee Bob Malcolm, off to Australia
- 1992-1993 Video: QPR vs Manchester United
- Year Flashback: Gorkss and Parejo Join QPR
- Ex-QPR Schoolboy, Michael Bryan now at Watford: Profile/Interview
- Football League Rule re Publicizing Transfer Fees
- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
- England U-19s Progess vs France
- Fans' Views of Future of the Game
- Some of the Past Official Site statements by Flavio Briatore
- QPR Player Contracts
- Current Promotion Odds
For a different, genuinely-cutting-edge, continually-updated, football-only - and obsessively-comprehensive! - news about QPR: Visit the QPR Report Messageboard (and quasi blog)! You're welcome to just read. You're also invited to also post your views about the articles (or anything else)! All perspectives genuinely welcomed!
Updated throughout the Day
- Flashback: Thirty Years Ago: The 1979-1980 Season
- AKUTRS Dave Thomas Blog ("Flog") Week #3
- Ex-QPR Mark Lazarus Interviewed (Indys Two-Part Great Interview)
- Cook's Recovery....Buzsaky Staying?...Vignal Leaving...Marshall...QPR Southampton Squad
- "Street Crime Reduction Key for London Clubs"
- Three Year Flasback: QPR Chairman Paladini's Lengthy Statement
- One Year Back: Lee Cook Returns and The "New QPR" Profiled and Assessed
- Former QPR Chairman Bill Power (BP) offers his Season Preview on Vital Football QPR
- QPR's Matt Connolly Opens Shop
- Ex-QPR Junior Agogo Turns 30
- RIP: Bobby Robson
- Holloway Set to Splurge?
- Football in Argentina
Eurosport -The Coca-Cola Football League Championship - Countdown: Queens Park Rangers
- Eurosport.yahoo.com continues its countdown to the Championship season with a look at cash-rich QPR.
- Manager: Jim Magilton
-Last 10 Seasons
(1999/2000 to 2008/2009): 10/19/-/-/-/11/21/18/14/11
POSSIBLE STARTING XI:
Radek Cerny
Damion Stewart - Kaspars Gorkss - Peter Ramage - Matthew Connolly
Mikele Leigertwood - Lee Cook - Alejandro Faurlin - Martin Rowlands
Rowan Vine - Heidar Helguson
- BACK-UPS FROM: Niki-Lee Bulmer - Fitz Hall - Joe Oastler - Gary Borrowdale - Gavin Mahon - Wayne Routledge - Akos Buzsaky - Matteo Alberti - Hogan Ephraim - Gareth Ainsworth - Romone Rose - Patrick Agyemang - Angelo Balanta - Ray Jones - Antonio German
- TRANSFERS:
- In - Alejandro Faurlin (Instituto, £3.5m), Adel Tarabt (Tottenham, loan)
- Out - Dexter Blackstock (Nottingham Forest), Jordi Lopez (Swansea), Jake Cole (Barnet), Lee Camp (Nottingham Forest), Damien Delaney (Ipswich), Zesh Rehman (Bradford)
- POSITIVES: With all their riches, the 'Manchester City of the Championship' will always be able to outbid most clubs in the transfer market. If they can add the right quality to their squad they will no doubt be a team to look out for this season.
- NEGATIVES: A feature of cash-rich teams is often a trigger-happy chairman and R's owner Flavio Briatore (pictured) has already pinned his colours to the mast with a regular procession of fired managers. Since Ian Holloway left the club in 2006 there have been nine managerial changes, culminating in Jim Magilton's appointment. With this kind of instability at the club, it remains to be seen if the latest boss can bring the instant success the owner so craves.
- VERDICT: R's fans have already expressed their disappointment at the appointment of Magilton, but he is a man who knows the division well and, although he is not the big name fans wanted, he may yet prove to be exactly what the ambitious London outfit need at this moment in time to progress. 7th.
Mario Hajiloizis / Eurosport
-- [Agree/Disagree With the Assessment?]
SOUTHAMPTON Official Site - Queens Park Rangers Preview
- Saints final pre-season friendly sees them face QPR this afternoon in a match that will be a 'stern test' of their progress so far...
- New manager Alan Pardew has now had a further week to prepare his squad, and with the opening game of the season now just seven days away he's keen to get down to business.
- "We're professional players and we have to approach every game in a professional manner," he said, "and that's what we're going to do at QPR.
- "We took the players away this week for a few days. We did a bit of bonding, a bit of sport and a lot of work on the team and it was a great couple of days.
- "We need to learn how to win away from home and but those things take time and if I'm totally honest, we're not quite ready for QPR but we've made some big steps already and I hope that's reflected this afternoon."
- The R's are also a team in transition, with ex-Saint Jim Magilton now at the helm, and Pardew is expecting a tough test against a side with Premier League aspirations.
- "I think they will give us a stern test," he continued. "They have some very good players and a new manager too.
- "There are no favourites in the Championship this year, so QPR will be contenders for promotion and they will be a good test for us physically as well.
- "I hope that we stand up to them today," Pardew added. "I was really pleased with our result against Hearts considering we'd only really been able to train together for two days before.
- "We've now had an extra week on top and we're going to be away from home and against better opposition, but I think we'll give a good account of ourselves."
- On the injury front, defender Wayne Thomas is Pardew's only new concern, but his absence has highlighted an area of the squad that the new boss feels needs work.
- "I'm a little bit lacking in cover at centre half because I only have two of what I would consider first team players in Lancashire and Perry," Pardew revealed.
- "Wayne Thomas is injured with a back problem, so that's a worry and that area is something that I'm concentrating on."
- Pardew also took time out to pay tribute to former England boss Sir Bobby Robson, who's death was announced on Friday.
- "My memories of him are as an English gent and a loveable character, albeit a slightly eccentric one" he said.
- "The World Cup campaign that he had with England was the closest that we've come to winning it in my time and he'll be fondly remembered and greatly missed.
- "Bobby was a gentleman of football and whenever I met him socially I found him very engaging. He had time for everyone and that was why he had the response from people that he had in his lifetime." Southampton
QPR vs Southampton
QPR Squad: Ainsworth, Alberti, Agyemang, Balanta, Brown, Borrowdale, Ephraim, Gorkss, Hall, Helguson, Mahon, Marshall, Pellicori, Putnins, Ramage, Routledge, Rowlands, Stewart, Taarabt, Vine.
- Ex-QPR (Dean) Wilkins Appointed Southampton Assistant Manager
- No Lejsal to Bristol City
- Simon Walton to Millwall?
- Chelsea Awarded Millions in Compensation
- Bobby Robson - RIP
- Reading Interest in Fitz Hall?
- QPR vs Southampton...Southampton Season Ticket Sales
- Ex-QPR Loanee Bob Malcolm, off to Australia
- 1992-1993 Video: QPR vs Manchester United
- Year Flashback: Gorkss and Parejo Join QPR
- Ex-QPR Schoolboy, Michael Bryan now at Watford: Profile/Interview
- Football League Rule re Publicizing Transfer Fees
- QPR Thirty-Five Years Ago: The 1974-75 Season (including video)
- England U-19s Progess vs France
- Fans' Views of Future of the Game
- Some of the Past Official Site statements by Flavio Briatore
- QPR Player Contracts
- Current Promotion Odds
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