As the 10,000-odd QPR fans left Loftus Road disappointed again, the question on many fans lips was simply “where do we go from here?”
When the fixtures were released in mid-June, R’s fans will have had every right to be very confident of a good start to the season. Instead, the side have picked up just 7 points from the first 6 games, winning only once in that time.
The dissatisfaction amongst fans is growing and it’s not hard to see why. £600 is an obscene amount of money to be charged to watch Championship football. The players (with the exception of a select few) would do well to remember to show the fans a bit of appreciation at the end of games. It is us after all us who pay their wages, travelling the length and breadth of the country to support them in the process.
There can be no doubting that Jim Magilton has inherited the most talented squad that Loftus Road has seen in years. There is, however, no point in having these players if they continue to play as a collection of individuals rather than a team. The game against Peterborough was a prime example of that. On paper, Rangers’ have a considerably better squad. Nevertheless, on the pitch it was the visitors who were the better side, playing as a team and controlling the play for long periods. This desperately needs to be addressed as the potential for success is there and that’s why it’s so frustrating to see Rangers’ disappoint week in, week out. “Madge” needs to make the players aware of how much of a privilege it is to play for Queens Park Rangers FC. The squad of players need to look at Gareth Ainsworth and learn something from him.
Magilton has made schoolboy errors when it comes to the squad gelling. Eight games into the campaign and he still seems to have no idea as to who his best side actually is. Key players like Akos Buzsaky and Kaspars Gorkšs have been in and out of the side all season. How are the players meant to build partnerships when the team is changed every week?
In some respects, it must be noted that Magilton has been unlucky. The two-week break that followed Rangers' first win of the season at Scunthorpe will have extinguished any chance of carrying momentum into the next game.
QPR face Crystal Palace this Tuesday, and 3 points is a necessity. With difficult games away to high-flyers Cardiff and Newcastle coming up, the pressure will really be on Magilton and the team to produce the goods. For all the pretty passing that Rangers’ are producing at the moment, the gaffer and his side have to be wary of the fact that football is a results game, and so far this season, they have not been good enough.
Jim Magilton need only ask Iain Dowie or Paulo Sousa about the ruthlessness of QPR’s owners to know that managers are not given a lot of time to prove themselves in W12. The clock is ticking.
Saturday 12 September 2009
Sunday 6 September 2009
The future’s bright, the future’s black and white for County
This summer, hidden somewhere amongst the depths of inflated transfer fees, ‘will he won’t he?!’ transfer sagas and managerial changes, a football revolution is occurring.
Where? Well that’s simple. Meadow Lane, home of League 2 outfit Notts County.
‘The Magpies’ as they are nicknamed, have consistently had to live in the shadow of hated city rivals and two time European Cup winners, Nottingham Forest.
However, for fans of County, this could all be about to change. Since Middle Eastern Consortium Munto Finance completed their takeover of the club in June, the profile of The Magpies has rocketed.
Recently appointed chief executive, Nottingham-born Peter Trembling made the new owners’ intentions clear in an interview with BBC Nottingham, claiming that “Our plans are very straightforward. We want to bring success back to Notts County Football Club."
The club has set a 5-year plan for County to be playing at Championship level and the investors haven’t wasted any time in showing they mean business, appointing ex-England boss Sven-Göran Eriksson as director of football to assist manager Ian McParland.
And it’s not just off the pitch that the big names have been brought to the midlands-based club.
Eriksson has got to work quickly, playing a huge part in the signing of 73-cap England defender Sol Campbell, as well as highly-rated young goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, whom the Swede managed whilst at Manchester City.
In addition, County have made some smart signings from Football League clubs. Lee Hughes, who scored 18 league goals for Oldham last season was snapped up quickly and has already got four goals this campaign.
Ex-Spurs midfielder Johnnie Jackson has joined from League 1 side Colchester and looks to be another astute signing. The 27-year old has shown he is clearly capable of playing at a higher level than League 2 by winning Colchester’s player of the season award when the club were in the Championship. Along with Campbell, Hughes and Schmeichel, the Magpies’ number 21 could well form the backbone of a County side that look certain to push for promotion this season.
Despite demonstrating the club’s huge potential in the first month of the new season, it’s important that all of those involved with Notts County FC keep their feet on the ground and look to build the club up from the bottom.
The board have realised this and have subsequently given Eriksson the responsibility of expanding the club. He has been made responsible for the development of training facilities, creating a centre of excellence as well as establishing links with other clubs.
The new owners would have struggled to find a more suitable candidate for the director of football role.
Eriksson’s 5-year stint as England manager will have played a part in Sol Campbell’s decision to drop down three divisions to join the club. Signing a player of Campbell’s pedigree has considerably raised the profile of the League 2 club.
The appointment of the ex-England boss has seen other talented players arrive at County, which has in turn seen improved performances on the pitch. This has led to the big rise in attendances at Meadow Lane, generating a lot more revenue for the club in the process.
The Swede will no doubt have created contacts with several of the Premiership’s top managers in his time as England head coach, straight away opening up the possibility of County benefiting from loan deals involving some of the country’s best young prospects. The loan signing of Portsmouth’s Matty Ritchie, who scored 12 goals from midfield whilst at Dagenham last season, is a prime example of the sort of player that fans of the Magpies can expect from now on.
There can be no doubting that it is certainly a very exciting time to be a fan of Notts County FC at the moment. It is, however, crucial that board and fans alike don’t get carried away by the recent takeover.
The board need to remain sensible and not forget that County are still a side plying their trade in the 4th tier of English football. A big rise in ticket prices is not what is needed at the club, especially not with the current economic climate looking the way it is.
The fans need to remember that despite the signings that have been made, these players will take time to gel, and success may not come straight away.
Patience is required by the board, management, players and fans if County are to fulfil their newly-found potential and climb up the ladder that is the English football league.
Notts County sit comfortably in the play-offs at the end of August, racking up an impressive total of 13 goals from just 5 games along the way, showing just why many bookmakers have installed them as favourites for the League 2 title.
The future’s bright, the future’s black and white.
Where? Well that’s simple. Meadow Lane, home of League 2 outfit Notts County.
‘The Magpies’ as they are nicknamed, have consistently had to live in the shadow of hated city rivals and two time European Cup winners, Nottingham Forest.
However, for fans of County, this could all be about to change. Since Middle Eastern Consortium Munto Finance completed their takeover of the club in June, the profile of The Magpies has rocketed.
Recently appointed chief executive, Nottingham-born Peter Trembling made the new owners’ intentions clear in an interview with BBC Nottingham, claiming that “Our plans are very straightforward. We want to bring success back to Notts County Football Club."
The club has set a 5-year plan for County to be playing at Championship level and the investors haven’t wasted any time in showing they mean business, appointing ex-England boss Sven-Göran Eriksson as director of football to assist manager Ian McParland.
And it’s not just off the pitch that the big names have been brought to the midlands-based club.
Eriksson has got to work quickly, playing a huge part in the signing of 73-cap England defender Sol Campbell, as well as highly-rated young goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, whom the Swede managed whilst at Manchester City.
In addition, County have made some smart signings from Football League clubs. Lee Hughes, who scored 18 league goals for Oldham last season was snapped up quickly and has already got four goals this campaign.
Ex-Spurs midfielder Johnnie Jackson has joined from League 1 side Colchester and looks to be another astute signing. The 27-year old has shown he is clearly capable of playing at a higher level than League 2 by winning Colchester’s player of the season award when the club were in the Championship. Along with Campbell, Hughes and Schmeichel, the Magpies’ number 21 could well form the backbone of a County side that look certain to push for promotion this season.
Despite demonstrating the club’s huge potential in the first month of the new season, it’s important that all of those involved with Notts County FC keep their feet on the ground and look to build the club up from the bottom.
The board have realised this and have subsequently given Eriksson the responsibility of expanding the club. He has been made responsible for the development of training facilities, creating a centre of excellence as well as establishing links with other clubs.
The new owners would have struggled to find a more suitable candidate for the director of football role.
Eriksson’s 5-year stint as England manager will have played a part in Sol Campbell’s decision to drop down three divisions to join the club. Signing a player of Campbell’s pedigree has considerably raised the profile of the League 2 club.
The appointment of the ex-England boss has seen other talented players arrive at County, which has in turn seen improved performances on the pitch. This has led to the big rise in attendances at Meadow Lane, generating a lot more revenue for the club in the process.
The Swede will no doubt have created contacts with several of the Premiership’s top managers in his time as England head coach, straight away opening up the possibility of County benefiting from loan deals involving some of the country’s best young prospects. The loan signing of Portsmouth’s Matty Ritchie, who scored 12 goals from midfield whilst at Dagenham last season, is a prime example of the sort of player that fans of the Magpies can expect from now on.
There can be no doubting that it is certainly a very exciting time to be a fan of Notts County FC at the moment. It is, however, crucial that board and fans alike don’t get carried away by the recent takeover.
The board need to remain sensible and not forget that County are still a side plying their trade in the 4th tier of English football. A big rise in ticket prices is not what is needed at the club, especially not with the current economic climate looking the way it is.
The fans need to remember that despite the signings that have been made, these players will take time to gel, and success may not come straight away.
Patience is required by the board, management, players and fans if County are to fulfil their newly-found potential and climb up the ladder that is the English football league.
Notts County sit comfortably in the play-offs at the end of August, racking up an impressive total of 13 goals from just 5 games along the way, showing just why many bookmakers have installed them as favourites for the League 2 title.
The future’s bright, the future’s black and white.
Banning Eduardo is a good move, as long as UEFA are consistent
In football, you always know a story is an important one when on transfer deadline day, Sky Sports News are discussing it rather than reporting on numerous sightings of world class players at various airports across England.
I am of course referring to Arsenal forward Eduardo being given a two-match ban by UEFA for his blatant dive in his side’s Champions League qualifier against Celtic.
For those of you who haven’t "seen the incident", the Gunners’ striker conned Spanish referee Manuel Gonzalez into awarding his side a penalty, clearly diving when Celtic ‘keeper Artur Boruc came out to meet the Brazilian-born front man..
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has come out and said that the decision to ban the Croatian international is a “complete disgrace”.
Now, whilst I have no sort of problem with Mr Wenger (I think he’s a brilliant manager who has produced some of the best players to grace the Premiership) in this case, I must say that his comments are totally out of order and actually make a very talented and clever man look incredibly silly.
Let us flip the situation around. Had Arsenal been in Celtic’s position, and been cheated by a penalty which effectively sealed their elimination from the biggest club competition in Europe (Not to mention the massive financial sum that goes with qualification), would he still be making the same noises about the ban being a “disgrace”? I think we all know the answer to that one.
Wenger has gone on to claim that the decision “singles out a player in Europe to be a cheat, and that is not acceptable”. I’ll tell you what isn’t acceptable, Mr Wenger: Cheating a referee into awarding a penalty after a dive that British Olympic diving hopeful Tom Daley would be proud of. Referee’s jobs are hard enough without players cheating.
Personally, I’m happy that UEFA has finally acted on the issue but hope that the buck doesn’t stop with Eduardo. Diving is cheating and should have no place in football, and hopefully the case of Eduardo will send a message to the Ronaldo’s, Eboue’s and Drogba’s of this world. Get caught diving and prepare to be banned.
UEFA’s next task is to stand firm on their decision, and continue enforcing it until players finally learn that diving has no place in football. Arsenal have already decided to appeal, calling the decision "deeply flawed". Please UEFA, for the love of football, forget the technicalities and just uphold the ban. Make an example of Eduardo and give any future perpetrators the same punishment.
I am of course referring to Arsenal forward Eduardo being given a two-match ban by UEFA for his blatant dive in his side’s Champions League qualifier against Celtic.
For those of you who haven’t "seen the incident", the Gunners’ striker conned Spanish referee Manuel Gonzalez into awarding his side a penalty, clearly diving when Celtic ‘keeper Artur Boruc came out to meet the Brazilian-born front man..
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has come out and said that the decision to ban the Croatian international is a “complete disgrace”.
Now, whilst I have no sort of problem with Mr Wenger (I think he’s a brilliant manager who has produced some of the best players to grace the Premiership) in this case, I must say that his comments are totally out of order and actually make a very talented and clever man look incredibly silly.
Let us flip the situation around. Had Arsenal been in Celtic’s position, and been cheated by a penalty which effectively sealed their elimination from the biggest club competition in Europe (Not to mention the massive financial sum that goes with qualification), would he still be making the same noises about the ban being a “disgrace”? I think we all know the answer to that one.
Wenger has gone on to claim that the decision “singles out a player in Europe to be a cheat, and that is not acceptable”. I’ll tell you what isn’t acceptable, Mr Wenger: Cheating a referee into awarding a penalty after a dive that British Olympic diving hopeful Tom Daley would be proud of. Referee’s jobs are hard enough without players cheating.
Personally, I’m happy that UEFA has finally acted on the issue but hope that the buck doesn’t stop with Eduardo. Diving is cheating and should have no place in football, and hopefully the case of Eduardo will send a message to the Ronaldo’s, Eboue’s and Drogba’s of this world. Get caught diving and prepare to be banned.
UEFA’s next task is to stand firm on their decision, and continue enforcing it until players finally learn that diving has no place in football. Arsenal have already decided to appeal, calling the decision "deeply flawed". Please UEFA, for the love of football, forget the technicalities and just uphold the ban. Make an example of Eduardo and give any future perpetrators the same punishment.
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