Neil Warnock said he was delighted to go back to Sheffield United and pick up a handsome win on Saturday after being without several key players on international duty in the build up..
News:
Warnock, unaware that the thrashing his team had handed out had cost Kevin Blackwell his job told the club’s official website: It's a great result for us - I thought we played some great football. It's difficult when you buy a lot of players, but they've fitted in well. The only bit of fortune we had was when it was 3-0 and they should have had a penalty, but when you look at it from the referee's angle, it's almost as if Clint Hill gets his foot to the ball. I don't think that would have changed the game. It would have given them a lift, but I thought we very much deserved the result.
"We've had to be a little bit careful. Heidar Helguson played 90 minutes on Wednesday against Liechtenstein, that's fantastic isn't it! It's absolutely pathetic. Adel Taarabt travels all over the world to have a fantastic game that everyone's been waiting to see against Equatorial Guinea. Someone said to me have I missed Taarabt? We're better off when he only comes in on Friday, he doesn't disrupt training as much!
"Last year Hogan Ephraim had two chances to score here when he was through on goal, but Paddy Kenny made two great saves. It was pleasing from my point of view to see him put it away like that. The second goal was a super goal as well."
Speaking before the game in his column for the Independent Warnock again criticised the timing of the international break. He said: “Kaspars Gorkss had to travel to Liberec in the Czech Republic to get beat 4-1 for Latvia. That will do my centre-half's confidence a world of good. Heider Helguson jetted off to Iceland to play in the much-awaited top-class fixture against Liechtenstein. They managed to claw out an excellent 1-1 draw against the team ranked 5,473rd in the world. Finally, Adel Taarabt flew off to Rabat to play for Morocco in their eagerly anticipated fixture against those household names from Equatorial Guinea. Morocco won 2-1 and Adel got back yesterday.
“Am I dreaming all this? What have these countries got out of these games? It is ridiculous that a club the size of QPR loses three players (it would have been four, but Akos Buzsaky had to withdraw from Hungary's squad to play England) at this stage of the season, travelling around the world. No wonder Harry Redknapp and the Premier League boys commented about the needlessness of it all, but at least they have a big squad to choose from. QPR and a lot of Championship clubs do not have that luxury. We even had to put an injured player on the bench last weekend.”
Following the win at Bramall Lane QPR had three players selected in the division’s team of the week – although as Paddy Kenny had little to do in goal his inclusion, and the omission of LFW man of the match Hogan Ephraim who scored one and set another up, seems a little strange. Millwall’s James Henry, who set up all four goals against Hull at the weekend, is also left out.
Full Team: Paddy Kenny (QPR), Eddie Nolan (Scunthorpe), Kaspars Gorkss (QPR), David Wheater (Middlesbrough), Scott Barron (Millwall), Nathan Dyer (Swansea), John Eustace (Watford), Seyi Olofinjana (Cardiff), Adel Taarabt (QPR), Steve Morrison (Millwall), Stephen Dobie (Swansea)
Despite not being recognised for his individual performance, Ephraim told BBC LDN that he is happy with the start he and the club have made to the season and says they are hoping to push on in the coming weeks. Ephraim said: “We won't get carried away, we hope to stay in the pack and by the end of the season we can push up and onwards. There are no teams like West Brom or Newcastle last year, so no-one's going to run away with it. We have expectations of ourselves, the players and the manager all want to be in the Premier League.
"Neil’s come in and done well, he's got his own ideas and its worked well. It's helped the players because nobody likes a change of manager every two weeks. We have a lot of young players in the squad and that affects them and they sometimes need an arm around them and often need to be taught the hard way. Neil's come in and done that brilliantly and long may it continue."
Last season’s QPR Player of the Year Alejandro Faurlin has been reflecting on the club’s impressive start to the new campaign, and admitted that he will have to keep up his work rate if he is to stay in the team. Faurlin told the Fulham Chronicle: “The manager knows how he wants us to play and we know – players maybe like me and Akos - that if we don't play hard for the team, we won't play. We know it's not enough to be skilful. We have to work hard as well. But we have this mix in the way we play and we are prepared to work very hard. We have a big squad that is very competitive and we will have to try and give 100 per cent in every game. I feel more settled here now after a full season and I think I can do better this time. My aim is to score more goals, but it's a question of quietly doing work, work, work.”
Finally youth team full back Aaron Waters, 18, has signed a months loan deal with Thurrock after signing a six month contract with QPR in May. Reserve team boss Ronnie Jepson said: “Aaron is desperate to play football. We've got several left-backs in the development squad, such as Lee Brown and Danny Fitzsimmons, while Gary Borrowdale is not in the team at the moment. In terms of experience, it will be great for Aaron's physical development to play some men's football. That's what he needs.”
Rumours:
QPR continue to be linked with Iswich’s want away attacked Jon Walters. Today’s Mail reports that Rangers are preparing a bid for the player, but are struggling to match the terms of his Ipswich contract which still has two years left to run. Although Walters has fallen out with Roy Keane and been transfer listed by Town a move to QPR would seem unlikely – Walters and his family are keen to return to their native north west, and Premiership sides West Brom and Stoke are interested. Add to that QPR’s reluctance to pay big transfer fees and the £3m or even £4m figures being quoted seem a little unrealistic.
QPR could find themselves sharing Loftus Road with a Rugby Union side again from next season. Saraces’ lease at Vicarage Road is up and negotiations are continuing with Watford about the future of their ground shairing agreement. Saracens are currently looking at five other possibilities around the capital including Loftus Road, where Wasps played home games for a couple of seasons in the late 1990s. Saracens pay Watford £40,000 a game to use Vicarage Road.
Former R’s
Marc Bircham has made a tentative return to playing action, alongside his brother Lee with non-league side Leverstock Green. Bircham, who retired two years ago after persistent injury problems wrecked the latter part of his time with QPR and Yeovil, managed 45 minutes as a striker against Hemel at the weekend but was again troubled by injury. He said: “My wife had a baby on Thursday so I only had a couple of hours sleep Friday - I probably shouldn't have played. I wanted to come off but there were no subs left! I was just limping around. It was enjoyable but I was absolutely shattered afterwards. If I could get some games for this year I would be happy."
After enduring a nightmare debut for Bristol City where he was sent off for a professional foul against Millwall, Damion Stewart enjoyed his second outing a lot more. The Jamaican scored City’s goal in a 1-1 draw at Doncaster Rovers – a late penalty from Billy Sharp denied new City boss Keith Millen a first win in permanent charge.
Championship Shorts:
- Despite their financial problems, and the threat of a winding up order from Motherwell over unpaid transfer fees, Cardiff City have completed the signing of Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy on loan. The Welsh international has been forced into the Championship after City failed to name him in their squads for European or domestic competition and then refused him permission to move to their rivals Spurs.
- Gary Speed has been confirmed as the new manager of Sheffield United following Kevin Blackwell’s sacking at the weekend. The Blades refused to allow Speed to talk to Swansea about their vacant managerial position in the summer and have wasted no time in promoting him into their own number one spot.
- Middlesbrough’s poor start to the season has continued with midfielder Kevin Thomson ruled out for two months with a broken leg. They have conned Liverpool out of £2.5m for dodgy goalkeeper Brad Jones though.
- Polish striker Tomasz Cywaka will play for Derby against Coventry this weekend in a protective mask after having surgery on a fractured cheekbone. The former Wigan man, who scored against Cardiff on Saturday, injured his face in a collision with Kevin McNaughton.