Neil Warnock has named his 25 man squad for the Premiership season, with several notable names not included.
Patrick Agyemang and Hogan Ephraim are the headline omissions from the squad. Ephraim impressed as a substitute at Everton in the second game of the season and has been something of a favourite for Neil Warnock since he arrived as manager while Patrick Agyemang started the last two matches. Neither has made the squad for the rest of the season and they join Rob Hulse, Danny Shittu and Petter Vaagan Moen on the list of high profile omissions. Rangers had to name a squad of no more than 25 players that included eight ‘home grown’ players (although given that Paddy Kenny is apparently not homegrown by Armand Traore is that rule seems a little strange) and went with the following:
Paddy Kenny, Bradley Orr, Clint Hill, Shaun Derry, Fitz Hall, Danny Gabbidon, Adel Taarabt, Kieron Dyer, DJ Campbell, Jay Bothroyd, Alejandro Faurlin, Jamie Mackie, Armand Traore, Akos Buzsaky, Bruno Perone, Matt Connolly, Joey Barton, Luke Young, Tommy Smith, Heidar helguson, Radek Cerny, Brian Murphy, Shaun Wright Phillips, Anton Ferdinand and Jason Puncheon.
Ephraim has stated his intention to go out on loan when that window opens next week.
With so many drastic changes being made to QPR’s squad since the Tony Fernandes takeover, midfielder and captain in all but armband ownership Shaun Derry told Talksport it is vital that the existing squad members make the new comers feel welcome.
He said: “I think it’s key that we all spend some time together, quality time as well. When you’re going into training everyday you do sit next to the same people, you talk to the same people and you socialise with the same people day in, day out. What we’ve got to do is get away from the working environment and spend some quality time together, whether that be a meal or a game of golf or whatever. We make sure that does happen, not as regularly as it perhaps did five, six or seven years ago and it think sometimes you do need to spend that time together away from the football. We’ve found that especially within the last few years playing with foreign boys more that you’ve got to integrate them into what they want. You can’t go and sit in a boozer all day long and put the jukebox on.”
Probably the strangest deal QPR did in the transfer window was the loan signing of Southampton winger Jason Puncheon who would almost appear to be surplus to requirements already with Shaun Wright Phillips also added to a plethora of options for the attacking positions behind the lone striker.
Leeds manager Simon Grayson has revealed that he expected Puncheon to move to Elland Road on deadline day. He told the Telegraph and Argus newspaper: “Jason Puncheon agreed to sign for us and changed his mind for whatever reason. That reason obviously turned out to be to go to QPR. It was probably the most frustrating day I have had as a manager.”
Puncheon himself told the official QPR website: "I am more than delighted that this move has gone through. It dragged on over the summer but it's all done now and I am looking forward to getting some minutes on the pitch as and when I can. I am concentrating on getting myself ready for games. The gaffer played a massive part in me coming to QPR," he admitted. "Once I met him and had a chat with him, there was no turning back. He has made some great signings, bringing in players who have vast experience in the Premier League. Having them as my team-mates can only help me."
Meanwhile youth coach Steve Gallen says he is confident QPR will regain their youth academy status next summer after a failed bid this year. Rangers lost their academy in 2001 through the lack of an indoor training facility and it’s that same problem that scuppered their bid this year but gallen is confident they will be well set for consideration in 2012.
He told London 24: “I put my heart and soul into trying to make sure we were ready this year. I want the fans to know how hard we worked to get it. But I’m almost certain that when we re-apply next season, we’ll be successful. The criteria for the re-categorisation aren’t out yet, but we know that not having an indoor facility won’t be as significant as it was this year Above all though, we need to show that there’s more input from the board, and that we are progressing with our young players. The chairman won’t just come in and build new youth facilities, he’ll want to know what he’s working with, but at least it gives us the chance to build the club from the foundations. It’s all been so top heavy up to this point, now we can start working on the middle and the bottom of the club. The group of players I have at the moment is as good as any we’ve had in the last ten years, but the gap between the youth team and the first team is massive.”
Rowan Vine isn’t exactly tearing up any trees at Exeter City just yet. The striker played another hour at Hartlepool on Saturday but didn’t score and was replaced by Tom Nichols midway through the second half. Exeter lost the game 2-0.
Max Ehmer picked up a yellow card but was part of a Yeovil defence that kept a clean sheet at high flying Tranmere on Saturday – The Glovers returned south with a point from a 0-0 draw.
Crawley Town returned to the summit of League Two with a 4-1 home win against newly relegated Bristol Rovers on Saturday - Michael Doughty played the last four minutes of the game after coming on as a sub.
MK Dons extended their lead at the top of League One with a 3-1 win at Carlisle on Saturday, but were without QPR winger Angelo Balanta who has a hamstring injury.
Well Leon Clarke’s Swindon career has gone about as well as his time at QPR did – the lumbering striker is out on his ear already. Clarke only signed for Swindon ten days ago after QPR agreed to tear up his contract halfway through but his legendary fitness and work ethic failed to impress Swindon’s fitness coaches in a League Cup defeat by Southampton last week. Clarke reacted angrily to being told after the match that he would be expected to train again the following day and then started a fight on the touchline with fiery manager Paulo Di Canio as the Italian tried to usher him down the tunnel. Di Canio revealed after the match that Clarke had asked to leave two days before the game and that he would never play for Swindon again.
Di Canio said: “Fortunately, he's out now - even if he's under contract. He's never going to play with my team again, never. He doesn't deserve to wear the Swindon Town shirt in front of the fans. Here we are professional, he didn't want to be professional. We work hard, he didn't want to work - he is absolutely a lazy person.”
Chairman Jeremy Wray told the Swindon Advertiser: "I have not spoken to Leon but I spoke with Paolo and the player's agent and it was agreed by everyone that a loan would be the best move.”
Not often LoftforWords gets a chance to say ‘I told you so’ but we can only repeat our previous assessment of Clarke – a lethal combination of somebody who is not very good at their job and lazy.
A former charge of ours who has done rather better for himself since leaving Rangers, Peter Crouch, was the headline deal on a busy transfer deadline day when he moved from Spurs to Stoke for a fee in the region of £10m. It completed a busy transfer window for the Potters, who are playing in the Europa League this season, that also included the acquisition of players like Joathan Woodgate, Matthew Upson, Wilson Palacios and Cameron Jerome.
Crouch said: “"The future is bright for Stoke," Crouch said after signing a four-year deal and meeting around 300 supporters who had turned up at the Britannia Stadium to see which players would do likewise before the deadline had passed. "I've had the hard sell from Woody all summer, telling me how much I'd like it here, and the manager has shown a hell of a lot of faith and belief in me. Tony Pulis worked extremely hard to get me here and hopefully I will be able to repay him."
And Antonio German who was released by QPR just before transfer deadline has signed a six month deal with Conference side Stockport. He made his debut on Friday night in a 1-1 draw with Luton, playing a full 90 minutes but failing to score.
- Man City striker Edin Dzeko has been named the division’s Player of the Month for August, with Man Utd’s Alex Ferguson taking the manager award. Dzeko scored six goals in City’s first three games including four in the 5-1 win at Spurs last weekend. He had initially struggled to settle at Eastlands after a £27m move, scoring just twice in the second half of last season.
- Spurs recovered from that set back against City by signing West Ham midfielder Scott Parker for £5m on deadline day but have now been dealt a blow with the news that Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaat will be out for six weeks with a hamstring tear.
- Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is targeting September 18 for his comeback after five months out of action with a groin injury. Gerrard said: "I feel really good and I'm back kicking balls again - it's all positive. I should be back in full training on Thursday or Friday." Spurs luck doesn’t change much, September 18 is when they face Liverpool.
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