Neil Warnock has said that an improved showing from Lee Cook at Crawley on Tuesday won’t save him from the chop at QPR. Elsewhere the situations of Bruno Perone, Brian Murphy, Jason Puncheon and DJ Campbell continue to develop.
There were few surprises in the result or the post match comments at the Broadfield Stadium on Tuesday night as manager Neil Warnock once again hailed a pre-season friendly as “just what we needed.”
After overseeing a 4-2 win with goals from Heidar Helguson (two), Kaspars Gorkss and Lee Cook Warnock told the official website: "I couldn't have planned a pre-season much better than we've had. It's gone just how we wanted it to. We came to Crawley last year and you could see how much both sides have improved in 12 months. It was a good night for everybody and there were some positive performances too.
"It's good to give lads like Heidar a run-out - he's not played for the past couple of weeks with injury and he got an hour or so. I thought he took his two goals well. There are goals in Heidar - he's our Kevin Davies. He really is a good professional. He doesn't want to lose anything and that's why he's playing like he is.
"You have to have a good attitude against teams like Crawley. They're a good club, strong and they pestered us. That's just what we needed. And it'll be the same on Friday against Luton - that'll be another big test. It was a good work-out - we had to be on our toes tonight."
Rangers are shortly expected to wrap up the signing of Irish goalkeeper Brian Murphy. The former Ipswich stopper played the first half at Crawley on Tuesday as part of an onoing trial and a two year deal has been agreed between the club and the player. Neil Warnock told the Fulham Chronicle: “I like Brian. He's done ever so well and we'll probably talk to him before the weekend.”
But the future of Murphy’s fellow trialist, defender Bruno Perone, is less certain. He was forced out of the action at Crawley on Tuesday with a nasty facial injury when he had been due to play a full 90 minutes and Neil Warnock told West London Sport he is undecided on the player’s future.
“He’s a good player who can also play in midfield. I think he’s done well and I really want to see him play a full 90 minutes. I’d hoped it’d be against Crawley but it wasn’t to be. I’ve no doubt he could get another club over here, but he’s been keen to stay with us. I’d expect to make a decision on that probably towards the end of next week.”
Warnock is keen to speak with Southampton’s Jason Puncheon about a move to Loftus Road after missing out on Wayne Routledge, who has now signed for Swansea. Puncheon is well out of favour at St Mary’s but had a reasonable loan spell in the Premiership last season with Blackpool. Warnock told the Fulham Chronicle: “The clubs have spoken to see what the situation is but there's nothing concrete. We lost out on Routledge and you've got to have a different plan for certain games, particularly away from home. Certainly Routledge showed that pace can help, and I think you need that as well. He wanted to come back but it's one of those things. Puncheon's one of those names that have been mentioned but we've got a couple of other irons in the fire. It's not cut and dry with anybody at the moment.”
Sadly the Daily Echo in Southampton continues to report that any deal for Puncheon would involve Kaspars Gorkss going the other way with cash. Firstly I cannot believe Puncheon is worth more than Gorkss and secondly I’m not sure we’d want to lose our best centre half when we know how injury prone Fitz Hall and Danny Gabbidon are. I hope this one turns out to be nonsense.
Neil Warnock told Sky Sports he was confident of adding three new faces to his squad. He said: "Well we're talking to a number. We're hoping to bring in two, maybe three players in in the next week before the start of the season. We've gone slowly about our job but I think we've got some good players in and we're looking to bring two or three other good players in. We haven't gone silly and signed them straight away but we've been working hard behind the scenes. So it's very encouraging and the way we've been playing in Italy was very good against different types of opponents but you're going to get that in the Premier League, there's something different every week isn't there so I'm sure we can ruffle a few feathers. In fairness I think I've got three very good players and if we can get the two or three on top of that, then I think we finish the business just at the right time before that first game of the season."
Definitely heading out is 21-year-old attacking midfielder Angelo Balanta who is heading back to MK Dons on a six month loan deal. Balanta scored seven goals in 25 appearances on loan at MK last season. Manager Karl Robinson told the MK Dons official website: "I have said all summer I wanted a player to come in who would excite the fans, play our style of football and add something special to the team and in Angelo I know we have that. Last year Angelo showed he is an incredibly talented footballer and to have him back is fantastic news for the football club, but he knows he has to deliver week in, week out and continue to develop his own game."
Off the pitch Bernie Ecclestone’s quest to offload his shares in the club continues to progress slowly. Today he told the Express: “There are three or four parties interested. I want the deal done quickly.The season kicks off a week on Saturday and I don’t know if we would want to still be negotiating past then.”
That smacks a little of him trying to hurry along either Tony Fernandes or Lakshmi Mittal but unfortunately for Bernie one can’t afford his asking price and the other isn’t willing to pay it. Mittal told the Financial Times earlier this week that not only was he no longer looking to take over the club after having a bid rebuffed by Ecclestone earlier this summer, but he is now looking to offload the 33% share he currently holds.
Finally the club released the squad number list for the 2011/12 season earlier this week, although we still as yet have no home shirt to print it on just ten days before the first match. While Jay Bothroyd and Kieron Dyer’s numbers dominated the official spin the most interesting part was, as ever, checking out the names not included. This year there are no numbers for Martin Rowlands, Lee Cook, Leon Clarke, Gary Borrowdale, Rowan Vine, Matteo Alberti or Alessandro Pellicori.
Cook responded to the blow with an eye catching display as a second half sub at Crawley on Tuesday but Neil Warnock said afterwards that it wouldn’t alter his thinking. He told West London Sport: “I was pleased for Lee that he scored that goal. He had a good game and he’s done ever so well really. He needs to play though, and he wants to play. I’m sure he’ll move on and the same applies to Martin Rowlands. To be honest, I’m surprised somebody hasn’t come in for them before now.”
Rowan Vine will however be returning to Loftus Road after a four week trial at Doncaster ended without him signing a deal. Vine, who is one of QPR’s top earners, would have required his wages to be subsidised to fit into the pay structure at Rovers but whether that is the reason the move broke down is not yet clear. Vine told his Twitter followers: “Some very bad reasons as too why they didn't do the deal but I will remain respectful. I honestly must be seeing different things these days, I enjoyed my four weeks at Donny and don't believe I could have done more. I've become a punchbag for the world of football. Lucky I'm built of strong stuff.”
For a full squad list, click here.
QPR continue to be linked with a loan move for Liverpool’s England international midfielder Joe Cole. In what would be an unprecedented move in this summer of thrift at Loftus Road Rangers are said to be keen to take Cole on loan for the season, with Liverpool continuing to pay the vast majority of his rumoured £110,000 a week pay packet. Cole moved to Liverpool a year ago from our West London rivals Chelsea but has failed to make any impact at all at Anfield where he is now behind new arrivals like Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson in the pecking order.
Talksport says a third of his pay packet will be funded by Liverpool, which still leaves QPR shelling out an awful lot of money if true.
A lot more likely is the signing of DJ Campbell which all seems to be wrapped up now despite apparent late interest from Aston Villa – a £1.2m transfer is expected to be confirmed on Friday with the player signing a three year contract according to The Fulham Chronicle and West London Sport. Campbell scored 13 top flight goals last season in a relegated Blackpool side.
Nedum Onouha has rejected the chance to join QPR on loan to stay and fight for his place at Man City according to Sky Sports. Onouha spent last season on loan at Sunderland and has been left out of both Man City’s summer tours this year but still believes he can stay and force his way into the reckoning.
The Metro says QPR and Wolves are fighting it out over newly released West Ham midfielder and German international Thomas Hitzlsperger.
Another rumoured target this summer, Jimmy Bullard, has been told not to return to training at Hull City following the expiry of his two week ban for breaching discipline. Hull are desperate to offload Bullard who still has two years left to run on his extraordinary £45,000 a week contract.
- Joey Barton has been fined two weeks wages and told he can leave on a free transfer by Newcastle after repeatedly criticising the way the club is being run on Twitter. Barton’s agent Willie Mackay said “up to six” Premiership clubs were interested in his client and Newcastle’s actions were “a bit suicidal.”
- Blackburn are set to complete the signing of Dundee United striker David Goodwillie for £2.8m this week after a late bid from Rangers was fended off. The product of United’s youth set up attracted a host of clubs clamouring for his signature this summer after rape charges against him were dropped. He scored 19 SPL goals last season and made his Scotland debut in March.
- Swansea will pair new signings Danny Graham and Leroy Lita in attack this season after the latter agreed a £1.75m move from Middlesbrough on a three year contract. With Scott Sinclair, Nathan Dyer and now Wayne Routledge signed up ready to support those two speed and athleticism will not be in short supply in the Swans attack this season. Gorka Pintado, a 33 year old Spanish striker who played just 19 minutes last season, has been released.
- Fulham have had a £3m bid for Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome rejected. Earlier this summer the Blues also turned away interest in Jerome and centre half Scott Dann from Stoke. Zoltan Gera has left Craven Cottage on a free transfer at the end of his deal to sign a two year contract with his former club West Brom.
- Liverpool attacker Milan Jovanovic is moving to Anderlecht and bringing to an end an unhappy spell on Merseyside. The 30-year-old made just ten appearances last season after signing in the summer from Standard Liege on a three year contract.
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