Neil Warnock has denied he is lining up a January transfer window bid for Cardiff striker Michael Chopra, despite reports to the contrary in the media today.
Rumours have been circulating since yesterday that Rangers were preparing a bid for Chopra, who has been dropped to the bench by Cardiff City in recent games. However Neil Warnock moved to deny the story this afternoon, saying he would struggle to find room for Chopra in his current team or budget. Chopra is said to be in talks to play international football for India through his parentage, a market that QPR have been keen to exploit since the Mittal family invested in the club.
Warnock told the Fulham Chronicle: “I’ve got nothing against Michael, he’s a fine player. And were he to become available at a knockdown price – it would be worth a look. But he’s better suited to a 4-4-2 set-up – and we don’t really play that here. I think once our people find out what he would cost including wages – and I’m guessing at anything upwards of a £3million transfer - they’ll think again, despite what he might do for Rangers’ profile in India."
Perhaps I’m crediting Warnock with too much cunning here but it seems rather convenient that at a time when there are stories of unrest in the Cardiff camp a story suddenly appears saying QPR are preparing a bid for a striker who has recently been dropped from their team and is known for being outspoken when he doesn’t get his way, only for Warnock to then quash it immediately because Cardiff are asking for too much money. A deliberate attempt to unsettle their camp still further? Who can tell?
Warnock has also admitted today that QPR fans travelling to Blackburn for January’s FA Cup tie there can expect to see a patched up Rangers team in action with focus firmly on the league, but the gaffer doesn’t believe that means QPR are set for a certain defeat on a ground where they lost 3-0 at this stage of the competition in 2006.
Warnock told the Kilburn Times: “I can’t see certain players playing four games in nine days and then a cup game after that. If I have a choice, the fifth one’s the least important to me at the moment. If we were mid-table in the Championship, I’d try and win it, and we’ll still go out and try to win the game – you’ve always got a chance – but it’s not a priority. Blackburn have got a squad of 25 and I’d imagine they’ll want to play as many of those as they can. That’s why we’ve got an opportunity to win it, whatever team we put out. Remember, Ian Holloway played 11 different lads and Blackpool only lost to the last kick of the match. It’s about the squad and I think we’ve got a good squad, but I definitely want to rest some in that game.
“It’ll be good to go there without any points at stake. If we’re still top of the league come the FA Cup, I’ll be absolutely delighted. No disrespect to Blackburn, but QPR’s that type of club – not a massive club but one that could sustain Premier League football. Bolton, West Brom, Stoke City – they’re all great examples of that as well. I think it’ll be a good game for us to go and look at and enjoy the atmosphere.”
QPR have not won an FA Cup game for ten years, the worst run of any team at any level in the country, and the youth team are getting practice in early – they were beaten 5-3 on penalties by Nottingham Forest at Loftus Road last night after drawing 2-2 in normal time in the FA Youth Cup. Gerry Francis’ son Adam skied his spot kick over the cross bar.
Speaking of the FA Cup, our old charge Terrell Forbes played his part in an extraordinary second round replay at Brisbane Road last night. Forbes, QPR Player of the Year in the 2001/02 season, was part of the Leyton Orient side taken to a replay by Conference North side Droylsden.
The Bloods have a reputation for FA Cup shenanigans after a thrice replayed tie against Chesterfield two years ago that featured a suspicious floodlight failure late in the first replay when the league side was winning, and then an expulsion from the competition when they did finally beat the Spirerites but did so with two goals from a suspended player. They seemed to be on to a good thing against League One Orient last night though when they surged into a two goal lead, and Terrell Forbes was sent off.
But late in the second half Droylsden had a man of their own sent off and Orient quickly pulled it back to 2-1. Still, when goalscorer Ben Chorley was sent off himself, the third red card of the game, and time ticked down to the last minute it seemed that the non-league side was set to progress. Not so, Jonathan Tehoue on loan from Spurs fired a late equaliser to force extra time. Droylsden then picked up another red card, reducing it to nine a side, and conceded a third goal before Orient ran riot to eventually run out incredible 8-2 winners.
Forbes signed for QPR on a free transfer from West Ham but despite initial success his rank passing ability and uncertainty over whether he was a better centre half or right back hampered his progress on the pitch while a rape trial and his reaction to the subsequent acquittal brought shame on him and the club. He was released on a free transfer to Grimsby in 2004 and has since spent time with Oldham and Yeovil before returning to East London on a free transfer at the start of this season.
- Derby are close to securing West Brom striker Luke Moore on loan until the end of the season. The 24 year old has scored three eye catching goals in his two months with the club so far and the Rams are keen to extend his deal beyond the end of December. Derby will not be seeing Luke Varney again though despite his loan spell with Blackpool ending in January. The player will either move to Bloomfield Road permanently, or join another side, after being told he is not in Nigel Clough’s plans.
- The capacity of Scunthorpe’s Glanford Park home looks set to be cut by 1,000 if they stay in the Championship this season. The Iron have a terraced end for home fans but current rules state that once a club has played in the Championship for three consecutive seasons it must change terracing to seats. Scunthorpe’s Labour Mp Nic Dakin has been campaigning against the rule. He said: “It seems quite extreme really, given the fact that there's a strong record of safety at the ground. It's a very small ground and doesn't have the issues of large grounds that the all-seater decision was designed to address." Scunthorpe had originally planned to have both ends of Glanford Park as terracing, but were given 2,000 seats in their colours by Aston Villa as part of a transfer deal for Neil Cox.
- Matty Fryatt has elected to stay at Leicester and fight for his place after turning down the chance to join Reading and Hull on loan. Manager Sven Goran Ericsson said: “There were clubs interested. But he said 'I want to stay and fight' and I am more than happy about that. If it will be something different in January I don't know. Maybe he hasn't shown his best so far but I know that last season he did very well. He's young; he is a good talent and if he wants to stay and fight then sooner or later he will play."
- Middlesbrough’s Nicky Bailey says he is confident the Teeside club will climb away from the bottom of the table despite currently sitting in 23rd position. Bailey said: “Teams aren't pulling away in the league and we're not far off getting out of it. There are plenty of games to go and hopefully we can start turning it around in the next few games. We have just got to stick together as a team." QPR fans will be hoping that starts this weekend when Boro face Cardiff, without Jay Bothroyd, at home.