 Sunday, 21st Jul 2013 22:01 by Clive Whittingham QPR finally scored goals in open play for the first time since April in friendlies with Besiktas and Udinese in Austria, returning to the UK with a win and a defeat from two matches. NewsEDS graduate Frankie Sutherland scored his first goal for a QPR senior team against Serie A side Udinese on Saturday, but couldn’t prevent the R’s from slipping to a 2-1 defeat. With Harry Redknapp back in the UK recovering from his recent knee surgery Steve McClaren led the team with coaches Joe Jordan and Kevin Bond. Still no action for Loic Remy this pre-season as he continues to nurse an injury and Armand Traore, Jamie Mackie and Richard Dunne also sat out the action. That led to a second half where Rangers essentially played without a striker – Junior Hoilett and another youngster Mo Shariff were left to lead the line once Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson had gone off at half time. Coach Joe Jordan told the club’s official website: “The important thing at this moment in time is to get the players fit, sharp and progressing as we approach the start of the season. The lads have been first class on and off the field in pre-season and although we lost the game tonight, I was pleased with a lot of aspects of our performance. There was a lot to admire against a very good Udinese side. They were a better opposition than Besiktas a few days ago and there wasn’t a lot in it over the course of the 90 minutes. “Frankie’s goal will do him the world of good. He’s shown in the small-sided games in training this week that he can finish and he took his goal really well tonight. He showed good composure and tucked it away like a seasoned pro. When you’re a young lad trying to make you mark in the game there’s nothing better than getting a goal.” QPR: Green, Simpson (Harriman 70), Hill (Ehmer 70), Onuoha, Suk-Young, Park (Mbia 61), Faurlin (Granero 61), Jenas (Derry 61), Hoilett (Sutherland 65), Johnson (Shariff 46), Zamora (Wright-Phillips 46) Subs: Murphy Udinese: Kelava, Heurtaux, Da Silva, Vydra, Larangeira, Lazzari, Marques, Basta, Pereyra, Pinzi, Domizzi Subs (all used): Pawlowski, Pasquale, Gomer, Widmer, Coda, Ranegie, Badu, Zielinski, De Matos, Scuffet Earlier in the week Rangers achieved a more positive result against Turkish side Besiktas – Andy Johnson’s close range header giving the R’s a 1-0 win. It was their first goal in open play in nine attempts since Loic Remy scored against Wigan at the start of April. Assistant manager Kevin Bond told the club’s official website: “Results don’t really matter at this stage of the season – in the grand scheme of things it’s not that important. But it’s always nice to have goals in the side and to get off the mark tonight was pleasing. Bobby and AJ linked up well for the goal. The opposition were a lot stiffer this evening as well – Besiktas are a good side – so it was also very pleasing from that point of view. “We looked a lot more organised with and without the ball tonight. In fairness to the lads, the first two weeks of pre-season were all about fitness, but they’ve taken what we’ve said on board regarding shape and formation in the last few days and that’s very pleasing. The tempo will pick up as the days go on but we were very organised and that’s probably what pleased me most tonight.” “Don’t get me wrong, we’re by no means the finished article after one win in pre-season – we’ve still got lots of work to do on many fronts but as far as our training and preparation is going, it’s very pleasing.” QPR: Murphy, Simpson (Harriman 79), Onuoha (Ehmer 79), Hill, Suk-Young, Wright-Phillips (Sutherland 65), Derry (Jenas 65), Granero (Faurlin 65), Hoilett, Zamora (Shariff 65), Johnson (Park 65). Subs: Green Besiktas: Gonen, Kayhan, Fernandes, Syok, Kaylak, Almeida, Sahan, Escude, Ozyakup, Gulum, Holouko Subs: Guvenc, Toraman, Pertemer, Tore, Suzen, Akgun, Franco, Dentinho, Demirci, Sismanoglu Back at home the EDS squad won 4-0 at non-league Staines in their latest pre-season friendly. Anton Ferdinand and Jose Bosingwa, who had played for the EDS in defeat at Stevenage last week having been left out of the trip to Austria, were absent but there were outings for senior players Luke Young, Hogan Ephraim, Angelo Balata and Tal Ben Haim. It was youngster Tom Hitchock, son of goalkeeping coach Kevin and scorer of three goals in 17 starts on loan at League Two Bristol Rovers last season, who caught the eye with a smart hat trick that included a spectacular bicycle kick. Substitute Michael Petrasso completed grabbed the fourth. Balanta remains as far away from the first team as ever after just ten starts and 19 sub appearances in six years. He has had three separate loan spells with MK Dons and one with Yeovil in that time and temporary spells elsewhere seem to remain his best chance of first team action having not gone on the first team’s pre-season tour of Austria. Balanta told the Fulham Chronicle: “I am still trying to break through to the first team, which is very tough as there are a lot of players ahead of me at the moment, but I will have a chat with the gaffer soon to see where he sees my future. I haven't had much of a chance to talk to Harry since he came in – there are too many other players – although I have had a few training sessions with him, but we will talk in the next few weeks. In the meantime, I will just keep my head down. If it comes to going out on loan again, I'd like to think I can get a Championship club, or at least League One. We would have to see who wants to take me on.” QPR: Lennox (Lumley 46), Magri, Monthe, Laurent (Mitchell 46), Young (Furlong 46), Ben Haim (Brown 59), Balanta (Skapetis 46), Doughty (Carreiro 46), Hitchcock, Ephraim (Petrasso 59), Andrade (Fitzpatrick 59) So still no action of any sort for want away midfielder Joey Barton who is finding interest in his signature limited and his options for a comeback at QPR non-existent. The only support he’s found for his cause this week has come from new arrival Richard Dunne who played with the ill-disciplined midfielder at Manchester City and hopes he can fight his way back into contention at Loftus Road. Dunne is quoted in The Sun saying: ““He’s had problems but on the pitch he’s a winner. If he is still here — which hopefully he is — then he will be a big asset for the club.” That wouldn’t really fit with the idea that QPR only want committed players and “the right sort” involved with their team this season. Chairman Tony Fernandes, manager Harry Redknapp and CEO Philip Beard have beaten that PR line to death this summer and Beard was at it again this weekend with an interview on the PFA site. Beard said: "Whoever comes in has to be the right person and character for the season ahead as it is going to be a really tough year in the Championship. ‪We've learned you've got to want to play for the club for 90 minutes of every game and willing to fight for your place. That's what we've got to try and do, get players who want to wear the shirt with pride. "QPR is a club where a lot of people come and talk to us about a lot of players," he added. There's so many names being thrown around so whoever does come in has to enjoy playing on the new Loftus Road pitch, but also going to grounds on a cold, wet and windy night in midweek. "Some players have been pretty vocal and said they don't want to play for the club, and if we can do the right deals for them we will.” One of those right sorts QPR would like to have on board is Gary Hooper, but with Norwich and other Premier League clubs also interested they’re being forced to wait. Celtic manager Neil Lennon left the player out of last week’s European game against Cliftonville but is keen to see the saga resolved one way or another as soon as possible. Lennon said:“We've had bids in from a few clubs. He' spoken to one club and talks are ongoing. If things don't go well for him in that aspect we still have a very good player on our hands. He'll train tomorrow and he'll be in contention for a starting place on Tuesday.”
Another is Wolves’ Karl Henry, who’s unlikely to have the same warm words as Dunne to say about Barton given their various run ins over the years. New Wolves manager Kenny Jackett told the Birmingham Mail: “Karl Henry had some conversations with QPR. I don’t think it’s come to a head but he’s been there. At present he is still a Wolves player. QPR are interested in him and no deal has been done.” But is this just all PR and spin. The signing of Danny Simpson after a lively 12 months off the field suggests so and the club’s attempts to shift on Jamie Mackie, even if it means selling him to a Championship rival, would add further weight. West London Sport reports that Nottingham Forest currently lead the way for his signature. No move as yet for goalkeeper Julio Cesar whose eggs all seem to be in the Arsenal basket now after Napoli refused to match his wages and moved for Liverpool’s Pepe Reina instead. Arsenal are also unwilling to meet Cesar’s QPR pay packet so the goalkeeper is again angling after a loan move, but may need to alter his stance soon in order to secure high level first team football in a World Cup year. The player’s agent Josias Cardoso told Sky Sports: "We have not yet reached an agreement with Napoli about the sum of the goalkeeper's salary. They made me a proposal but it is really far from what Julio is currently earning. Julio would go also on loan to Napoli.” Former R’sMatt Connolly is determined to make it third time lucky in the Premier League after impressing in a promotion season at Cardiff last term. It’s the third year in a row that Connolly has won the Championship but QPR shipped him out after just half a season in the top flight and Reading opted not to make his loan spell permanent. Given another shot at it with Cardiff, Connolly is determined to make the most of the opportunity. He told Wales Online: “On a personal level I see this as a crucial season. I have been involved in three successive promotions, but now I want to play a full season at Premier League level. I’d swap all three promotions to achieve that, but hopefully this is my time. It wasn’t to be at the previous two, but I believe it will be third time lucky. It was disappointing I didn’t get a massive chance before. I played a few Premier League games for QPR, while I joined Reading on loan and there was talk of a permanent move, but that didn’t happen, It can be funny how things work out. As we go into 2012-13 Reading and QPR are in the Championship and Cardiff are a Premier club. Now our job is to make sure we stay. “There are lessons to learn from how other clubs fared after promotion. You can learn from everybody. QPR decided to spend a lot of money which didn’t work, while Reading kept the same and some people question whether they went for it enough. Maybe it’s about finding the right balance. Even before more players are added, though, I believe we have a squad who can hold their own at Premier level. We have a winning mentality from last season and I have never worked with such an honest group of lads. That team spirit and work ethic is a huge feature of our game.” Championship Shorts- Watford have successfully circumnavigated the clampdown on international loans, and perversely the least effective transfer embargo ever enforced, to add seven new signings from their Italian sister club Udinese. Almen Abdi and Cristian Battocchio who were on loan last season have signed three year deals, 22-year-old Italian international striker Diego Fabbrini is on board until 2017, and defender Gabriele Angella has signed a five year deal. Marco Cassetti, Davide Faraoni and Javier Acuna are currently to be confirmed as well as Daniel Pudil from another of the Pozzo family’s club Granada. Under the terms of the supposed embargo the Hornet can sign players with prior written permission from the league. - Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy has signed Scottish international defender Christophe Berra for the second time in his career. The Tractor Boys beat off competition from Rangers to bring in the 27-year-old on a free transfer from Wolves, who signed him in 2009 during McCarthy’s Molineux reign for £2.3m. Town have also signed former Manchester United and Manchester City defender Frederic Veseli, 20, on a two-year deal following his release from Old Trafford at the end of last season. - Yeovil have signed central defender Dan Seaborne on a two-year deal following his release by Southampton. The 26-year-old, who joined Southampton from Exeter in January 2010, played on loan at Charlton and Bournemouth last season. In September 2011, he suffered serious head injuries in an attack outside a nightclub in Southampton and spent a year on the sidelines. - Millwall have signed former Charlton midfielder Nicky Bailey on a free transfer from Middlesbrough. The 29-year-old scored four times in 111 apearances for Boro after they paid the Addicks £1.4m to sign him in summer 2010. The Lions have had two bids for Bristol City forward Steven Davies knocked back however. - Charlton meanwhile have signed former Sheff Wed centre back Richard Wood, 28, on a one-year deal following his release from Coventry. Young left-back Cedric Evina has signed a one year contract at The Valley. - Burnley have signed midfielder Scott Arfield, 24, following his release from Huddersfield and striker Ryan Noble, 22, who was not retained by Sunderland at the end of last season following loan spells at Watford, Derby and Hartlepool. 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