Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry has shed light on the current impasse at Loftus Road after his striker Craig Mackail-Smith rejected the chance to move to QPR in favour of a switch to Brighton.
Fry revealed earlier this month that although Mackail Smith, who scored 33 goals for the Posh in their League One campaign last year, had been given permission to speak to Rangers he decided against the move because of what is currently taking place behind the scenes at Loftus Road. Now the outspoken Peterborough boss has gone further, branding QPR owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone a disgrace for their behaviour this summer.
Fry told Talksport: "Craig first of all met Neil Warnock with his agent. I did a deal with Neil six weeks ago to be quite honest but Briatore and Ecclestone wouldn’t back Neil, he can’t even get a free transfer in, he can’t even get a tea lady in. They’re a disgrace those geezers at QPR in my opinion. If his owners don’t back him Neil can’t do anything. He’s performed miracles to get QPR into the Premier League. He should have all the backing in the world and he’s had none at all, he hasn’t signed anybody, he’s not been able to sign anybody. I don’t know what’s going on there, the QPR fans don’t deserve that. The price hike they’ve put on is an absolute disgrace.”
As another transfer target goes by the wayside Mirror journalist Paul Smith, who had his finger on the pulse during the Faurlin transfer hearing last season, reports that a second bid for the club from the Mittal family has been rejected by Ecclestone and Briatore. Stories of a mystery Russian billionaire showing an interest are wide of the mark though according to Smith, who posts regular updates on his Twitter account @Smudge1962.
In the meantime it's Briatore overseeing negotiations with clubs wishing to buy Adel Taarabt, according to manager Neil Warnock who is increasingly resigned to losing his star man amidst reported interest from Paris SG and Athletico Madrid.
Warnock told the Evening Standard: "I'm more inclined into thinking he will be going rather than staying. He has that many advisors and they're all pushing him to leave. He said to me at the end of last season that over the final six weeks he had been really down and was tired out as well. He played 44 games and I don't think that he had played more than 20 before. The Championship had been so hard and he is missing his family in Marseille. If we get a big offer from a club in France that obviously gives him a chance to be closer to them. That would be a big pull.
"PSG have made an enquiry and they obviously offer him the chance to be nearer to home, although there is a Spanish club being mentioned as well. As far as his talk of wanting to go to Chelsea or Arsenal, I know he has a lot of friends at Arsenal. But Flavio Briatore is dealing with the negotiations. He is keeping me informed of the situation and at this precise moment he won't be leaving because no one has met the asking price. I am not sure what that is but we have to take into account that Tottenham will get around 30-40 per cent of it because of what was agreed when we signed him from Spurs last year.
"Personally, I think he will be better off playing in an environment and under a manager who will persevere with him if he has two or three bad games. He has a number of advisors around him and throughout the summer he hasn't had the best advice. You can tell when he walked out of the Morocco squad ahead of the biggest game in their history against Algeria. Sometimes he does things without thinking, he's only a young lad. My advice to him is to stay until Christmas, get some experience and show people what he can do. That may fall on deaf ears unfortunately. It's sad. I don't think I have ever spent so much time trying to get the best out of one individual and I think he will regret leaving."
Strangely Shaun Derry also continues to be linked with moves away from Rangers, with stories in the press earlier this week saying negotiations over a new deal had broken down. Derry was linked with Millwall, and more recently a surprise return to his former club Crystal Palace, but he told the Fulham Chronicle he is looking forward to pitting his wits against the Premiership for the first time.
He said: "I'm looking forward to the derbies. I've never played at Chelsea, I've never played at The Emirates or White Hart Lane. And the derby days at Loftus Road – they'll be special. The Rangers fans have made it clear they've been waiting 15 years for this."
Wayne Routledge, whose £1.5m transfer to QPR this summer stalled last week apparently over loyalty payments the player feels he is owed by Newcastle, is back in the North East this week amid reported interest from Forest and Leicester. Manager Alan Pardew said: “Has Wayne a future here? Wayne is still a Newcastle United player and he is under contract. He comes back on Monday. After that we will just have to go from there."
Finally, Friday was something of an odd day on the QPR official website. First there was the announcement that unwanted big earner Rowan Vine would be training with Championship side Doncaster this summer in an attempt to earn a deal at the Keepmoat Stadium. Then the laughable trumpeting of the return to Loftus Road of Alessandro Pellicori and Matteo Alberti from their respective season long loan deals. Pellicori managed a typically prolific one goal in 23 appearances for Torino in Serie B, while Alberti made 24 appearances for Lega Pro Prima Divisione A side AC Lumezzane. I say odd, because the QPR Official Website (first and fastest with all your QPR news) has never previously reported on players returning from loan deals, and didn't report last season when Vine went to Portsmouth to train in a similar arrangement. A new policy, a Friday with nothing better to do, or jobs for a work experience boy? Either way I can't imagine either story drove any last minute season ticket sales before last week's renewal deadline.
The dawning realisation that Briatore and Ecclestone won't be throwing money at QPR's Premiership campaign seems to be finally settling in around the sports desks at the gutter press. Nevertheless The Star says the R's are pressing ahead with a move for free agent Jay Bothroyd. The Mirror says that West Brom are ready to hijack that move however.
The Mirror also reports, and here's a Neil Warnock signing if ever I heard one, that Rangers are lining up a season long loan for Real Madrid starlet Dani Parejo, sorry, I mean Sergio Canales. The Spanish Under 20 international is also being linked with Loftus Road in The People. Well scouted Flavio, oh sorry, I mean Neil.
The Guardian, bless em, are still plugging away though with a story linking Rangers with a £6m for striker Carlton Cole. Rumours that QPR have offered three magic beans and a couple of tickets to Silverstone for the Grand Prix for the England striker are unconfirmed.
Elsewhere Spurs have shown their faith in Kyle Walker, who starred on loan for QPR and Aston Villa last season, by awarding the young full back with a new five year contract. Walker recently returned from the Under 21 Championships where he was one of the few English success stories.
Former QPR MD Mark Devlin has been named as the new general manager of our League One neighbours Bretford, leaving his position as commercial and marketing director at Notts County. Those were the days lads…
- Another week, another transfer request from Carlos Tevez at Man City. Inter Milan baulked at his wage demands, and City’s request to set up a swap deal with Samuel Eto’o, although as Tevez swears the only reason for the request is because he misses his daughters who live in Argentina one would expect a move to South America to be his only option. City say they want £40m for him. While they wait for that, they’ve signed Arsenal left back Gael Clichy for £7m, just 12 months after Clichy stated that the only reason any player would ever go near City is for easy money. Stefan Savic, a Motnenegro international defender, is also in Manchester for a medical. Meh.
- Arsenal want to replace Clichy with Newcastle’s Jose Enrique. Magpies boss Alan Pardew said: "There'll be a lot of speculation about who will replace Clichy and the knock on effect. It's not helped our cause. There was a big part of me thinking he would not return for the first day of training but it looks like he is going to take part and that's good news." Liverpool are also keen on the Spaniard.
- Elsewhere at Anfield Kenny Dalglish has appointed former Wes Ham coach Steve Keen to his backroom staff, and confirmed that captain Steven Gerrard will not travel on the pre-season tour of Asia after undergoing two groin operations this summer.
- Wigan have paid £4m to secure the signature of Oman international goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi from Bolton. Al-Habsi was the Latics’ Player of the Year last season during a 12 month loan spell but is unlikely to displace long serving Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen at the Reebok Stadium. Wanderers have extended the contract of 32-year-old Jamaican international Ricardo Gardner for the next 12 months in the face of interest from West Ham.
@loftforwords lost a Twitter follower today, 390 down to 389. Perhaps it was the tragic news of the death of the long serving LFW Towers guard dog what did it. Or maybe the dog itself was following us. Either way, if 11 of you could follow us and push us past 400 that would be marvellous.