QPR’s ability for triumphing in pre-season tournaments in southern Europe shone through again on Saturday evening as they beat Braga and Atalanta to the Trofeo Bartolotti in Bergamo.
In the first 45 minute fixture against Braga, last year’s losing Europa League finalists, Rangers overcame heavy early pressure to win 1-0 thanks to a fine goal from Jay Bothroyd that owed much to neat approach play from Adel Taarabt and Bradley Orr. In the secod game against the Italian hosts Alejandro Faurlin scored for the R’s but Padoin equalised for Atalanta leaving the sides facing a penalty shoot out.
Hogan Ephraim and Akos Buzsaky missed for Rangers but the Italians wasted three which meant successful conversions by Bothroyd, Taarabt and Orr were enough to seal the title for QPR. Presumably the trophy will now sit proudly alongside our Copa del Ibiza which we won back in 2005. The game was watched, and the victory celebrated, by Flavio Briatore, potential new majority shareholder Tony Fernandes and sporting director Gianni Paladini quashing rumours earlier in the day that he had finally left the club.
Fernandes was said to be in Italy to meet manager Neil Warnock and discuss transfer targets after The Standard reported on Friday that he had bought a 51% stake in the club from Bernie Ecclestone.
Warnock told the official website: “We were the underdogs, but we've come away with the trophy, so it's a nice habit to be in. They were two good games against two good teams. It was a very worthwhile exercise. We stuck at it against two very good sides. We're very difficult to break down and that's a great quality to have. To come away conceding just the one goal is hugely positive for us and I thought we thoroughly deserved to win the tournament in the end."
Warnock also revealed that he hopes to discuss personal terms with DJ Campbell ahead of his protracted £1.2m move from Blackpool prior to the R’s friendly at Crawley on Tuesday. The Mirror today reports that Aston Villa are confident of hijacking that deal.
Second game line ups:
Atalanta: Frezzolini, Capelli, Manfredini, Schelotto (Radovanovic 7), Peluso, Caseta, Padoin, Pettinari, Ferri, Ardemagni, Marilungo
Subs: Facheris, Lucchini, Bonaventura, Masiello, Gabbiadini, Zappacosta, Kone, Suagher, Raimondi, Minotti, Tiribocchi
QPR: Murphy, Connolly, Gabbidon (Perone 7), Hall, Dyer (Orr 34), Faurlin (Gorkss 39), Buzsaky, Taarabt, Smith (Vaagan-Moen 34), Derry (Bothroyd 45), Agyemang (Ephraim 45)
Subs: Kenny, Hill
First game line ups:
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Dyer, Connolly, Gabbidon, Taarabt, Ephraim (Buzsaky 31), Bothroyd, Smith, Faurlin
Subs: Trialist, Gorkss, Hall, Trialist, Buzsaky, Derry, Vaagan-Moen, Agyemang
Braga: Quim, Coelho, Ewerton, Baiano, Lima (Meyong 27), Djamal (Barbosa 39), P Vinicius (Galo 27), Luis, Alan, Pizzi, Viana
Subs: Marcos, Vinicius, Mossoro, Cesar, Henrique, Gomes, Imorou, Salino
Meanwhile midfielder Alejandro Faurlin has been speaking for the first time since QPR narrowly avoided a points deduction following an investigation into the deal that brought him here from his native Argentina. Journalist Sami Mokbel has been travelling with QPR in Italy this week and quoted Faurlin in The Mail saying: “Those moments were hard. I knew it wasn’t my fault — but I still saw my name everywhere. In the newspaper, the television and you start to feel like you did something wrong. It makes you feel like you’ve murdered someone. The possibility of losing what we fought all season because of my transfer just made me feel sick.”
Looking forward to the new season Faurlin told the official website: “We worked really hard for this - to be almost at the start of the season feels fantastic. We are very happy as a squad and we're enjoying every second of the countdown to the season. There's going to definitely be a lot more quality in the Premier League. Yes, we may get more space and time on the ball at times, but the quality will be higher. I believe in myself and I know my team-mates believe in themselves. I've never played at this level, but I want it badly and I will do everything for Neil Warnock, my team-mates, the supporters and the club."
Back at home Hampton defender Dean Inman is still set for his week long QPR trial, despite injury wrecking his initial chance. Neil Warnock had wanted to take Inman to Devon and Cornwall with the rest of the team last week after he impressed against the R’s reserves in a friendly earlier this summer but he has been injured since that game. Manager Mark Harper told the Hounslow Chronicle: “QPR have been in touch again and they still want to take Dean on a week's trial. He needs to get another game under his belt through, and could play on Saturday or Tuesday.”
A defender already on the books, Peter Ramage, was one of several first team players left behind from the Italian trip but he says he is mentally tough enough to force his way into Neil Warnock’s plans after signing a new one year contract at Loftus Road. He told the Fulham Chronicle: “I’ve got to repay the gaffer. He’s been good to me, now it’s my turn to prove he made the right decision. Hopefully I can impress during games and give him a tough decision. I want to play centre half - it’s always been my best position. There’s a lot of us but that’s healthy. Whoever has the shirt deserves it, but knows they have to perform because there’s hungry players behind them. I’m probably at the back of the queue but I’m mentally strong enough to try and force my way in."
Finally Kaspars Gorkss has been called up to the Latvia squad for their August fixtures, although if the rumour mill is to be believed he may well be playing for Southampton by then anyway.
The Daily Mail says Rangers will make a loan offer for Man City full back Nedum Onouha this week. Onouha, who impressed on loan at Sunderland last season scoring a fabulous goal in a memorable win at Chelsea for the Black Cats, commands a hefty weekly wage that Rangers would expect City to contribute to if the deal goes through. Given that the Mail linked us with a move for El Hadji Diouf earlier this summer it’s difficult to take anything written in there seriously any more – not that LFW ever did anyway.
Sky Sports says a more likely target for the right back spot is Birmingham veteran Stephen Carr who is said to be interesting QPR, Stoke and Wolves despite turning 35 next month.
The Sun is again returning to the story that Rangers will look to sign Robbie Keane from Spurs to boost their firepower for the Premiership.
Gavin Mahon still doesn’t know if he will be offered a contract by Watford this summer, despite turning out for them in pre-season. Mahon has been training with the Hornets all summer since QPR stopped renewing his month to month deals and Crystal Palace elected against taking him on after a spell there last season. Mahon has praised new Watford boss Sean Dyche for giving him the opportunity to make an impression at Vicarage Road, where he played his football between 2002 and 2008.
He told the Watford Observer: “I really appreciate the opportunity Sean has given me. There are so many players in my position who are having to train on their own and it is not easy having to do that because you can’t judge your fitness and you don’t know what level you are at. So fair play to Sean, he is a good friend of mine and as soon as he knew I wanted to come down, he rang me and said ‘you are more than welcome to join in and they are a good set of lads so if you can bring in some experience and talk to them then everyone will be happy’.
“I spoke to Sean last week and at the minute he is not short of midfielders but he said if there is something here then it is a possibility. There are also a few other things as well so it is about waiting and choosing the right option for myself. I can’t thank Sean enough for this and if I do stay then I will continue to enjoy working with him and if I don’t, then I wish him all the best for the coming season.”
Another summer departee Lee Brown says he is keen to have a more hands on roll in a promotion campaign at Bristol Rovers this season, after watching QPR’s success from afar last term. Brown told the Bristol Evening Post: “Watching QPR getting promoted last season was something special, although I wasn't really part of it because I was way down in the pecking order and there were a lot of people ahead of me. This time I want to be part of it and experience first-hand what it's like to get promotion.
"Considering the whole squad is more or less new, I think everyone has bonded really well. Everyone gets on and it's a great atmosphere. Everyone in the squad wants to be in the team for the Wimbledon game in front of the TV cameras. That's how it should be. Some will be disappointed, but everyone will be involved at some stage of the season and I think the gaffer will ensure everybody will still feel part of things. Every game is a big game for me and there is so much competition here that I know I have to be at my best if I'm going to get into the side. It's a tough league to get out of, but the gaffer has created something here which I believe gives us a great chance to be right up there."
Lee Camp and Wayne Routledge could be teaming up again at Swansea City. The former QPR pair are the subject of bids from the Swans ahead of the new Premiership season. Sky Sports reported on Saturday that the Swans had offered £1.8m to Forest for Camp but LFW understands the bid is actually £2m and was submitted on Thursday evening. The deal for Routledge is not yet known but if successful would bring to an end a transfer saga that has seen moves for the winger to QPR, Leicester, Forest and Swansea all flounder over terms in the past couple of months.
- Bolton’s South Korean midfielder Lee Chung-yong has been ruled out of action for nine months after breaking his leg in a pre-season friendly at Newport County at the weekend. Chung-yong was the victim of a horrific tackle by County’s Tom Miller and has since undergone surgery. Manager Owen Coyle said: “We will make sure Chung-yong gets all the support he needs. Now it is all about his recovery and his well-being, that is the most important thing. The operation went well and we would like to pass on our thanks to the medical staff involved." Bolton won the game 3-1. Joey O’Brien, released by Bolton at the end of last season, has signed for West Ham.
- Liverpool have suffered an injury blow ahead of the new season as well with star midfielder Steven Gerrard ruled out until September at the earliest with a nasty sounding “infection in the groin.” Gerrard had surgery on hi groin in March but had expected to be fit for the start of the season before this latest set back. Still, as Kenny Dalglish’s transfer policy has resulted in Liverpool having 37 midfielders in their first team squad they should be able to muddle through.
- Blackburn have had a bid of £2.8m accepted for Dundee United striker David Goodwillie but face strong competition from Rangers for his signature. Goodwillie is entitled to 10% of any transfer fee received by Dundee United for his services which had previously held up the move but he is now free to discuss terms with Rovers.
- Goals from Nani and Michael Owen sealed a 2-1 victory for Man Utd against Barcelona in a friendly game in the US. The Spanish giants left Lionel Messi out of their side for the match in Washington.
- Newscastle lost 3-2 to Championship side Leeds at Elland Road as their pre-season form continued to falter. Haris Vuckic and Steven Taylor scored for the Magpies but Leeds won through thanks to goals from Patrick Kisnorbo, Lloyd Sam and Billy Paynter.
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