QPR’s promotion hopes received another boost tonight as Nottingham Forest followed Cardiff’s lead by dropping points from a crucial game in hand.
Right back Bradley Orr has admitted to the Kilburn Times that he has found it difficult to fill the void left by Tottenham's Kyle Walker following the end of his loan spell. Walker has since joined Aston Villa and earned a call up to the Enmgland set up while Orr was given a torrid time by David Nugent in the first half of Rangers' 2-0 win against Portsmouth.
Orr said: "Kyle’s performances rightly kept him in the team. It was just a matter of being as professional as possible and being ready when you were called on. There are things Kyle Walker does that I’ll never be able to do. I can’t emulate what Kyle does as far as knocking it down the outside of the left-back and using his blistering pace – I haven’t got that sort of pace. He’s a phenomenon, really, and it shows with him getting selected for the England squad. I think he’s one of, if not the best, right-backs in the country. I suppose I just had to think about doing what I was good at –.my own set of qualities that had got me here in the first place and using them to do my best for the team. I’m delighted to be playing now.”
Orr may have a new team mate playing to his left this Saturday as the R’s face bottom of the table Preston at Deepdale. Neil Warnock was highly critical of his centre backs after the weekend game with Nottingham Forest and the Fulham Chronicle suggests that both Fitz Hall and Danny Shittu will be given a chance to stake a claim for a place against PNE in training this week.
Lee Camp has been cleared to play international football for Northern Ireland. The 26-year-old qualifies through a grandparent but had previously played for the England Under 21s, including in the first ever game at the new Wembley against Italy. He made the decision to switch alliegances after Watford’s Scott Loach was picked ahead of him by Fabio Capello and has since been awaiting the paper work from FIFA which arrived today.
Camp told the BBC: “I am thrilled that I am now able to play international football for Northern Ireland," said Camp who qualifies through a grandparent. I am looking forward to the opportunity to join up with the squad. It seems like I have been waiting forever for the relevant paperwork to be sorted out with Fifa. I would like to thank Nigel Worthington for his patience and for giving me the chance to become involved in the Northern Ireland team."
Manager Nigel Worthington, who currently still picks 39 year old Maik Taylor as his number one, said: “It has taken a bit of time, but the patience has paid off. This is a big plus and it is testament to the quality we have in the squad that players of Lee's calibre want to come and play for Northern Ireland. I have spoken to Lee and he is absolutely delighted that he has been cleared to represent the birthplace of his grandfather."
- What may have started as a good day for Camp, ended in a shock defeat as his Nottingham Forest team were beaten 1-0 at lowly Scunthorpe in one of their much vaunted games in hand. Former Rochdale man Chris Dagnall got the only goal of the game midway through the first half and Scunthorpe then survived a second half onslaught from Forest to record only their second home win of the season. Forest are now seven points behind QPR with just one game in hand.
The game was one of three that Scunthorpe had in hand on those around them with the Glanford Park pitch suffering more than most in the cold snap. Afterwards Forest manager Billy Davies refused to blame the playing surface for his side’s shock defeat. He said: “The pitch is what it was for both sides, we have to be able to play on surfaces like this. But we didn't compete in the opening 30 minutes, we didn't come out and play. We missed a big chance to score from an open goal and then gave away a goal with some naive play. We controlled possession and had many chances but it was one of those nights where things didn't go for us. But it won't be the only strange result between now and the end of the season and every game is going to be a battle."
- Barnsley have signed defender Paul McShane, once of Sunderland, on loan for two months from Hull City after the Tigers completed the loan of Jack Hobbs from Leicester. The Tykes are short of centre half cover after captain Stephen Foster got injured.
- One for the tannoy announcer at Loftus Road to look forward to ahead of next month’s clash with Crystal Palace - the Eagles have signed Fulham’s South African midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi on loan.
- Preston manager Phil Brown remained upbeat despite seeing his side surrender a two goal lead at Watford on Tuesday to cast them further adrift at the bottom and leave him searching for his first win in seven matches as their manager. Brown said: “There's loads of positivity at this club. In the first half we saw the best of Preston and we've got to stick with that for 90 minutes. "I've been involved in relegation battles before and it inhibits a player and stops him doing things he's good at. When you're at the bottom you don't feel as if the luck's on your side and it gets frustrating. When you're at the top things to tend to fall for you and you're more relaxed. The lads are not happy with the point because it was 2-0 at half time, but at least they got something from the game."