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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool 14:24 - Oct 17 with 11110 viewsSaycey

Apologies if already posted, but this is a must read...

http://tonymccool.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/academy-football-coach-my-time-in-my.ht
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 14:54 - Oct 17 with 8925 viewsPhildo

That makes me want to cry. Thanks Tony.
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 15:38 - Oct 17 with 8841 viewstoboboly

That is such a terrible read. If even half of what is written is true then the club should be ashamed.

Sexy Asian dwarves wanted.

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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 16:08 - Oct 17 with 8790 viewsingeminate

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 14:54 - Oct 17 by Phildo

That makes me want to cry. Thanks Tony.


Good read.

If not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled. PG Wodehouse
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 16:11 - Oct 17 with 8771 viewsMatch82

Fascinating read.

More fuel to the anti-Hughes fire too. And much as we mock (often rightly) "lessons learnt" comments from TF, it does sound like they may have been in this case and setup behind the scenes is progressing to a better place and you'd hope that this can continue.
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 16:24 - Oct 17 with 8728 viewsShotKneesHoop

Probably this is the the link to the the most incisive post ever to appear on this site.

I have read this from start to finish. It rings true from the first sentence. Probably the greatest insight as to what has happened with this once unique, lovely football club.

Here is the key sentence in this post about Kevin Gallen getting fired by email:-

"The next training session I dragged myself through the gate. I really felt that was it. Terry O’Sullivan stopped me walking across the field. “Tone, you ok”? The motivation was gone, I was thinking, what am I going to tell all these players? “I dont think they realise what Kevin means to them”. I said to Terry “its gone Terry, the soul has gone”

What a read. I felt myself nodding to almost ever sentence.

'Our Tone' has a lot to answer by treating this club as an advertising channel for his airline and for not understanding what makes it tick.

I will remember this when we are shagged 0 -4 by Liverpool on Sunday. It's what we do these days.

Why does it feel like R'SWiPe is still on the books? Yer Couldn't Make It Up.Well Done Me!

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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 16:38 - Oct 17 with 8688 viewsvegasranger

The first move to make is bring in David Bardsley. A QPR man who really knows about running an academy.
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 19:16 - Oct 17 with 8539 viewsBasingstokeR

You read this and then think about Mike Rigg now being at the FA
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 20:55 - Oct 17 with 8389 viewsloftboy

Kevin Gallen sounds like he will make a great coach one day.
Hope Tony Fernandes reads this because it's disgraceful.

favourite cheese mature Cheddar. FFS there is no such thing as the EPL
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 20:57 - Oct 17 with 8385 viewsYorkRanger

on 01:00 - Jan 1 by



A depressing read
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 20:57 - Oct 17 with 8385 viewsLoftusRdW12

on 01:00 - Jan 1 by



Don't give up Clive. You don't get to read insights like this very often.

Football is the biggest loser for me.

"I still don't know who scored our first and third goals. I'll have a look tonight." Neil Warnock

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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 21:21 - Oct 17 with 8331 viewsrichranger

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 20:57 - Oct 17 by LoftusRdW12

Don't give up Clive. You don't get to read insights like this very often.

Football is the biggest loser for me.


The blame for all this goes to the highest Level - not just Hughes
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 21:34 - Oct 17 with 8296 viewsShotKneesHoop

on 01:00 - Jan 1 by



Read the second half. It gets worse.

As another post says, it goes higher than Hughes.

That board are the ones who make the decisions - or don't make them - whatever they do - they seem to forget that there's history that they're playing with.

Alternatively, they don't give a toss. Like 'Arry. You can see where he gets it from now. The board have as much vision and class as David Blunkett on a winter's night in Teeside.

Why does it feel like R'SWiPe is still on the books? Yer Couldn't Make It Up.Well Done Me!

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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 21:53 - Oct 17 with 8264 viewszicoshoops

A facinating albeit depressing read.
We dream that everyone involved with our Club thinks the way we do.
We think that they have bought into QPR with vision, with the best intentions for our Club.
When sadly the truth is never that simple......we close our eyes, and see things how we want them to be.

Why does any rich Individual/Businessman buy into any football club?
Is it because they will become a fan?
Is it because they want what we want, and have the money to achieve it?

Or is the truth simply that they see us as a way of making money for themselves?
You can be a Prince or a Pauper.....but don't f.uck about with my Club.

My opinion for what it's worth.

A pack of self serving greedy two bob.......Ras Clarts.
Piss on this lot, as well as the last lot.
A pox upon all their houses.
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 09:59 - Oct 18 with 7976 viewsBrianMcCarthy

Depressing, but well worth the read. Christ....

"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 10:01 - Oct 18 with 7967 viewssmegma

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 09:59 - Oct 18 by BrianMcCarthy

Depressing, but well worth the read. Christ....


My thoughts as well. Sat up until 1am this morning reading ( its a long read for those who havnt)
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 12:57 - Oct 18 with 7782 viewsquickpassrotter

Just confirms what we have known for a while - the club , despite all Tony's good intentions, is still in a mess - from top to bottom. I don't think that it helps for him to be out of the country attending to Air Asia business constantly but that's completely understandable. If, and only if, he had a really reliable and competent CEO running the club business- again from top to bottom - on a daily basis then this would be fine. Phillip Beard has now been at the club long enough to have taken the opportunity to demonstrate and deliver good leadership, decision making and expertise. He hasn't. It's another part of the problem.
Tony McCool's excellently piece makes a very depressing read. I think that it is believable.
Not sure where the club is going currently - lots of positive noise keeps coming from Tony and Beard and the Board but still not seeing the fruition. If we do get relegated I think that Tony may think again, despite his ''in for the long haul'' statements. Even he will think that he can't get it right - and with the wrong people in support - and will walk away.
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 15:33 - Oct 18 with 7685 viewswood_hoop

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 12:57 - Oct 18 by quickpassrotter

Just confirms what we have known for a while - the club , despite all Tony's good intentions, is still in a mess - from top to bottom. I don't think that it helps for him to be out of the country attending to Air Asia business constantly but that's completely understandable. If, and only if, he had a really reliable and competent CEO running the club business- again from top to bottom - on a daily basis then this would be fine. Phillip Beard has now been at the club long enough to have taken the opportunity to demonstrate and deliver good leadership, decision making and expertise. He hasn't. It's another part of the problem.
Tony McCool's excellently piece makes a very depressing read. I think that it is believable.
Not sure where the club is going currently - lots of positive noise keeps coming from Tony and Beard and the Board but still not seeing the fruition. If we do get relegated I think that Tony may think again, despite his ''in for the long haul'' statements. Even he will think that he can't get it right - and with the wrong people in support - and will walk away.


'in for the long haul' translates as until the true investment in QPR, making a shi* load out of the new stadium site becomes a reality.

Nothing surprises me any more coming out of our club, warning signs have been on show for quite a while in regard TF but as a 'friendly millionaire' they have been largely ignored and any critisisim jumped on with some vigour.

It does not make good reading at all and yet again the supporters of the club have been duped into believing a load of purile crap from a man who's only real interest is completley at odds with why QPR is in existence.

When dear old Harry does finally get his P45 I hope that the rest of the board look long and hard at what a disaster TF has been, bring Gerry Francis in, not to manage, but to oversee all that has been destroyed and attempt to put right, we desperately need a QPR man to give us back some of the dignity we sorely miss, he may not be the 'messiah' but at least with his experience and connections with the club hopefully money would not be 'god'.
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 15:41 - Oct 18 with 7667 viewsBrianMcCarthy

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 15:33 - Oct 18 by wood_hoop

'in for the long haul' translates as until the true investment in QPR, making a shi* load out of the new stadium site becomes a reality.

Nothing surprises me any more coming out of our club, warning signs have been on show for quite a while in regard TF but as a 'friendly millionaire' they have been largely ignored and any critisisim jumped on with some vigour.

It does not make good reading at all and yet again the supporters of the club have been duped into believing a load of purile crap from a man who's only real interest is completley at odds with why QPR is in existence.

When dear old Harry does finally get his P45 I hope that the rest of the board look long and hard at what a disaster TF has been, bring Gerry Francis in, not to manage, but to oversee all that has been destroyed and attempt to put right, we desperately need a QPR man to give us back some of the dignity we sorely miss, he may not be the 'messiah' but at least with his experience and connections with the club hopefully money would not be 'god'.


Wood, I think that's the best post I've read on here in a while. Well done.

"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Poll: Player of the Year (so far)

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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 16:24 - Oct 18 with 7624 viewsChesshoop

Hi,

Long time lurker and regular at QPR for 40 years(favourite cheese Cheddar).

Just felt compelled to confirm that everything in Tony McCool's excellent blog is entirely accurate and something we witnessed at first hand(shocking reflection on QPR youth set up).

My son was at QPR for 8 years up until his release towards the end of Feb 2014.

He had trained 2/3 times a week plus a game at the weekend, quite a considerably amount of time out of his young life but as a QPR fan he loved every minute of the time he had there.

While not delusional enough to believe he would be a professional footballer, he had survived the competitive environment of the Academy system for a long time and had only ever received positive feedback from the coaching staff.

However we became to witness at first hand the systematic cleansing of long time QPR youth staff and players by Richard Allen and his parasites with a sense of disbelief.

Towards the end of Feb 2014, we were called to a meeting with Richard Allen, Nick Dawes and 2 other coaches. We were told my son would not be offered a scholarship in September.

When we asked why(football is game of opinions and everybody has and is entitled to theirs ) we were told that they could not see him being a professional footballer for QPR in the Premiership at the age of 21!

We asked for some more constructive feedback but they could only repeat the same mantra over and over again. After 8 years at a club we could not comprehend that they could not be bothered articulate in football terms why he would not be offered a scholarship.

One by one kids who had been there for years were led to be told the exact same tripe and led out again.

It was a bizarre experience and speaking purely as a QPR fan, I was embarrassed and shocked to see how uncaring and unprofessional the whole process was.

After reading the blog it has all become clear, we live in Surrey and must have been considered posh and therefore surplus to requirement according to Richard Allen's blue print for success.

Richard Allen then recruited a mixture of kids who appeared to have agents that were linked to him or the friends he had brought into the club. It was quickly evident that the majority were bog standard Sunday morning players!

As I write this, the U18 team has lost 4 straight game in a row, conceding 16 goals and scoring none.

Richard Allen and his cronies, are now leaving the QPR youth system in a state of decline, and Phil Beard was made aware of this state of affairs virtually from the outset but did nothing despite constantly saying that the Youth system is the future.

Hopefully, going forward somebody like Steve Gallen can once more take the reins and bring back the old QPR ethos, integrity and values.
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 16:34 - Oct 18 with 7596 viewsBrianMcCarthy

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 16:24 - Oct 18 by Chesshoop

Hi,

Long time lurker and regular at QPR for 40 years(favourite cheese Cheddar).

Just felt compelled to confirm that everything in Tony McCool's excellent blog is entirely accurate and something we witnessed at first hand(shocking reflection on QPR youth set up).

My son was at QPR for 8 years up until his release towards the end of Feb 2014.

He had trained 2/3 times a week plus a game at the weekend, quite a considerably amount of time out of his young life but as a QPR fan he loved every minute of the time he had there.

While not delusional enough to believe he would be a professional footballer, he had survived the competitive environment of the Academy system for a long time and had only ever received positive feedback from the coaching staff.

However we became to witness at first hand the systematic cleansing of long time QPR youth staff and players by Richard Allen and his parasites with a sense of disbelief.

Towards the end of Feb 2014, we were called to a meeting with Richard Allen, Nick Dawes and 2 other coaches. We were told my son would not be offered a scholarship in September.

When we asked why(football is game of opinions and everybody has and is entitled to theirs ) we were told that they could not see him being a professional footballer for QPR in the Premiership at the age of 21!

We asked for some more constructive feedback but they could only repeat the same mantra over and over again. After 8 years at a club we could not comprehend that they could not be bothered articulate in football terms why he would not be offered a scholarship.

One by one kids who had been there for years were led to be told the exact same tripe and led out again.

It was a bizarre experience and speaking purely as a QPR fan, I was embarrassed and shocked to see how uncaring and unprofessional the whole process was.

After reading the blog it has all become clear, we live in Surrey and must have been considered posh and therefore surplus to requirement according to Richard Allen's blue print for success.

Richard Allen then recruited a mixture of kids who appeared to have agents that were linked to him or the friends he had brought into the club. It was quickly evident that the majority were bog standard Sunday morning players!

As I write this, the U18 team has lost 4 straight game in a row, conceding 16 goals and scoring none.

Richard Allen and his cronies, are now leaving the QPR youth system in a state of decline, and Phil Beard was made aware of this state of affairs virtually from the outset but did nothing despite constantly saying that the Youth system is the future.

Hopefully, going forward somebody like Steve Gallen can once more take the reins and bring back the old QPR ethos, integrity and values.


Welcome aboard, Chess.

That's a sobering first post, but very informative. Thanks.

"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Poll: Player of the Year (so far)

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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 17:48 - Oct 18 with 7488 viewsShotKneesHoop

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 15:33 - Oct 18 by wood_hoop

'in for the long haul' translates as until the true investment in QPR, making a shi* load out of the new stadium site becomes a reality.

Nothing surprises me any more coming out of our club, warning signs have been on show for quite a while in regard TF but as a 'friendly millionaire' they have been largely ignored and any critisisim jumped on with some vigour.

It does not make good reading at all and yet again the supporters of the club have been duped into believing a load of purile crap from a man who's only real interest is completley at odds with why QPR is in existence.

When dear old Harry does finally get his P45 I hope that the rest of the board look long and hard at what a disaster TF has been, bring Gerry Francis in, not to manage, but to oversee all that has been destroyed and attempt to put right, we desperately need a QPR man to give us back some of the dignity we sorely miss, he may not be the 'messiah' but at least with his experience and connections with the club hopefully money would not be 'god'.


Cut and paste from previous post: - "Gerry may not be the 'messiah' but at least with his experience and connections with the club hopefully money would not be 'god'"

I'd settle for having a manager who's a "very naughty boy" - let alone the messiah!! "Arry can't even be arsed to be naughty, happy to take the King's shilling for phook hall effort.

Please God, Messiah, Brian or a very naughty boy, that Deputy Dawg walks the plank tomorrow - and that the board start to make good decisions at last.
[Post edited 18 Oct 2014 19:18]

Why does it feel like R'SWiPe is still on the books? Yer Couldn't Make It Up.Well Done Me!

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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 18:22 - Oct 18 with 7428 viewsBeauRanger

Let's hope Sir Les sees this, as hopefully it will be part of his role to do something about it all?
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 19:24 - Oct 18 with 7342 viewsclassof93

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 21:21 - Oct 17 by richranger

The blame for all this goes to the highest Level - not just Hughes


Exactly.....people keep blaming Hughes......its the owner that is responsible
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 23:30 - Oct 18 with 7175 viewsbaz_qpr

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 19:24 - Oct 18 by classof93

Exactly.....people keep blaming Hughes......its the owner that is responsible


If you've ever worked in a large organisation of any kind, you would not expect either the chairmen or the CEO to micro manage things at this level there is so much to oversee and only so many hours in the day . They would have looked to hire someone with a reputation / CV and then would have received monthly reports etc. The fact is the people brought in were brought in by Hughes, I don't believe for a minute that Hughes paid much attention to it either. They would also expect that in a period of change there would be unhappy people and complaints so they would have wanted to give it enough time and would have been told that they would not see results for a given period. Reading Tony's account the focus / goal was achieving this academy status.

The reality in the real world is it takes a year or two often for bad management and bad practices to become apparent and for the senior people at the club to truly appreciate what is happening. It seems that they were being led / reported to by a technical director who was a Careerist, i.e someone who's interest is their own betterment/career progression / ego etc rather than being impassioned in outcomes of what they do for the company / kids/ staff etc. They would have presented that they had met KPIs etc and that was all that mattered. Thank God these people have moved on and lets hope the lessons have been learnt and that good management will deal with these problems. iMHO the lack of a Director of Football with a real understanding of the club and whose interest is in the success and betterment of all rather than themselves. Hopefully Les will be that guy and 100% agree with the hope that their can be roles for Bardsley Gallen and others.

You can blame Fernandes for many things but I think for this one its a bit far fetched
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My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 10:08 - Oct 19 with 2519 viewsLoftusRdW12

My time as a QPR coach by Tony McCool on 23:30 - Oct 18 by baz_qpr

If you've ever worked in a large organisation of any kind, you would not expect either the chairmen or the CEO to micro manage things at this level there is so much to oversee and only so many hours in the day . They would have looked to hire someone with a reputation / CV and then would have received monthly reports etc. The fact is the people brought in were brought in by Hughes, I don't believe for a minute that Hughes paid much attention to it either. They would also expect that in a period of change there would be unhappy people and complaints so they would have wanted to give it enough time and would have been told that they would not see results for a given period. Reading Tony's account the focus / goal was achieving this academy status.

The reality in the real world is it takes a year or two often for bad management and bad practices to become apparent and for the senior people at the club to truly appreciate what is happening. It seems that they were being led / reported to by a technical director who was a Careerist, i.e someone who's interest is their own betterment/career progression / ego etc rather than being impassioned in outcomes of what they do for the company / kids/ staff etc. They would have presented that they had met KPIs etc and that was all that mattered. Thank God these people have moved on and lets hope the lessons have been learnt and that good management will deal with these problems. iMHO the lack of a Director of Football with a real understanding of the club and whose interest is in the success and betterment of all rather than themselves. Hopefully Les will be that guy and 100% agree with the hope that their can be roles for Bardsley Gallen and others.

You can blame Fernandes for many things but I think for this one its a bit far fetched


Very well put!

"I still don't know who scored our first and third goals. I'll have a look tonight." Neil Warnock

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