Neil Warnock has tentatively set a ten point target for his QPR team to reach in the final eight matches which he believes will be enough to secure promotion.
Shaun Derry has been speaking about his Indian summer at the heart of the QPR midfield, and the effect of Neil Warnock on his career.
Derry, who has played at three different clubs for Warnock, told the Metro: “Everyone makes a decision on what they see in the dug-out. We see him in a different light. He knows how to get his point across. The majority of the players, even those out of the team, would speak very highly of him. It would be really terrible for the players, the fans and the owners for us to be in this position and to throw it away now.”
And fellow midfielder Akos Buzsaky has denied reports (which I must admit I must have missed) saying he wants to leave the club. He told Nemzeti Sport: “"This is not true that I wanted to leave my club. I was injured but now I'm over it. I'm committed to QPR. I have one year left on my contract and I'm self-assured. I play regularly at a club which has very good chances for promotion. We've been leading the table through the whole season, and if we earn seven points in our next three games then we're promoted. Our manager knows what he wants, he knows how to develop a team in the Championship. Our defence is the best, we have lost only four times. When our strikers don't score it doesn't mean that we lose the game. This is a league where it's true that the last can beat the first, so balance is an essential condition for success. Neil Warnock could make QPR a balanced team. Our squad is strong as well as the financial conditions of the club."
Today’s loan deadline passed with little movement, despite QPR’s keenness to get Antonio German back out after he was recalled from Yeovil, and Martin Rowlands’ desire to play first team football. Gavin Mahon, who has been on month to month contracts with Rangers all season, has signed for Crystal Palace until the end of the season.
Mahon told the Palace official website: “"I'm very much pleased to have joined. I used to live over Oxted way so I know the area well. It's been stop-start for me this season and I need to be playing and in and amongst the first team. If I can give some input off the pitch as well as on it that will be great."
Tickets go on sale in the morning for QPR’s final home game of the season against Leeds United. Rangers have around 3,000 left for sale after season ticket holders, ticket bundle purchasers and the away allocation has been taken out and they are expected to go quickly for the eagerly anticipated climax to the campaign. Former Leeds clogger Dominic Matteo has told QPR to beware of an “invasion” of Leeds fans on the day though.
He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I was speaking to a few Leeds fans about this the other day and if Leeds need to win that to go up or to get in the play-offs, I don’t think there’ll be anyone in Leeds. I think the whole city will be in London. If QPR have won the league by then they might as well just sell us all the tickets as we’d fill the whole stadium. But it might come down to the last game and I think to be honest that Simon has probably said that to the players. It could come down to QPR and I think he’s probably thinking it might.”
Finally the Brazilian national team followed in the recent footsteps of Barcelona by using Loftus Road as a training base today ahead of their international friendly with Scotland at the weekend. Click here for pictures.
Martin Allen has returned for a second spell in charge of Barnet, charged with saving them from dropping out of the Football League. Allen was previously in charge of the Bees eight years ago when they were a Conference side before leaving for Brentford.
Chairman Tony Kleanthous said: "It is important that everything possible is done to retain our Football League status and we will support Martin thoroughly in his efforts to turn things round and bring in any new players he feels appropriate. We now have to win five or six of our last eight games and everyone is focused on the task ahead.”
Allen’s first job is to find a goalkeeper for the visit of league leaders Chesterfield to Underhill this weekend. Jake Cole has torn a medial ligament and Liam O’Brien has a broken finger.
Kyle Walker’s future appears to lie with Spurs after Harry Redknapp refuted suggestions he will be sold this summer. Walker starred for QPR on loan this season before Aston Villa borrowed him from Spurs in January. Villa have been rumoured to be interested in a permanent deal worth up to £10m but Redknapp is keen for Walker to remain at Spurs in the long term. He said: “Kyle will be back here for sure, he’s still learning and got miles to learn but he is a talent, a real prospect. He has got all the attributes to be an England right-back of the future. He’ll come back here and push for a place.”
A less successful loan signing from our recent history Tamas Priskin has moved from Ipswich to Swansea on loan today until the end of the season. Manager Brendan Rodgers said: “"I looked to bring him in at the start of the season but it's only now that he's become available. I worked with Tamas at Watford where he was outstanding for me and at 6ft 2in he can offer us another threat and balance for the remaining games. He is a player who can add goals to our squad and ensure we have enough cover for the final eight games of the season."
Jim Magilton has accused Ipswich of causing a ‘long and unnecessary dispute’ after finally receiving his compensation for his sacking in 2009 in an out of court settlement. Magilton said: “It was disappointing and upsetting that a club I had served so loyally for so many years, as a player, club captain, and then manager, chose to try and deny me the compensation agreed in my contract, when we sadly parted company in 2009. I tried to obtain a sensible settlement, and even made an offer for less than the sum now agreed, but they still would not agree to my proposals. Instead, they continued to raise more unfounded issues, which they either then abandoned or have now withdrawn. It has been a long, tiring and unnecessary dispute, but I am delighted that I have, with the support of the League Managers Association and its outstanding legal team, entirely cleared my name and put the record straight.”
- Norwich have signed Sam Vokes on loan from Wolves and Dani Pacheco from Liverpool to cover for injuries to Aaron Wilbraham and Chris Martin. They were refused permission to take Coventry striker Clive Platt on a similar deal while the Sky Blues were also said to be in discussions with Cardiff about a move for striker Marlon King. All is clearly not well at the Ricoh with chairman Ray Ranson expected to tender his resignation shortly.
- Burnley have signed defender Shane Duffy on loan from Everton for one month and Preston have signed 24-year-old South Africa defender Bongani Khumalo on loan from Spurs until the end of the season.
- Hull have been granted special permission by the league to recall goalkeeper Matt Duke early from his loan spell at Derby after an injury to their back up keeper Mark Oxley. The Rams have signed Liverpool’s Brad Jones instead and say they will offer anybody who purchases a season ticket this summer the opportunity to get a full refund if they are not satisfied with the transfer activity carried out before the end of August. CEO Tom Glick said: “If you are not happy with the side we put together, you can get your money back. It's about holding us to account and supporters judging us by our actions."
- Jake Livermore has moved from Spurs to Leeds until the end of the season, but the whites will not appeal against Billy Paynter’s sending off at Sheffield United at the weekend so he will now serve a three match ban.