Sky Sports News say Paulo Sousa wants to sign Akos Buzsaky and Hogan Ephraim after taking over as Leicester manager. Meanwhile the R’s have confirmed another pre-season friendly.
News:
QPR manager Neil Warnock was a satisfied man on Monday evening as his side ran out 8-0 winners in their first friendly of the summer against Tavistock. Goals from Akos Buzsaky (two), Hogan Ephraim (two), Alejandro Faurlin, Jamie Mackie, Clint Hill and Josh Parker made it a comfortable start to the summer action for Warnock’s new look side.
The gaffer told the club’s official website: “The pitch was a little long and that suited us at this stage of pre-season. We had a good training session on the morning of the match and the lads took that into the game. Overall, nearly everyone got at least 45 minutes under their belts and we scored a few good goals to send the fans home happy.
"Everyone wants to impress, but the main thing is getting some game time at this stage. I was quite pleased with all the departments - it was a very good work-out. I love it down here. The people are great and they were delighted to see some good first class football.”
It would be fair to say that QPR weren’t greatly tested on Monday night, and with League Two side Torquay representing our most challenging friendly this summer there has been a fear that the first team will go into the opening week of the season undercooked. However, after a proposed home friendly against Tottenham fell through Neil Warnock has moved to secure an additional warm up game in W12 on Friday, July 30, against Plymouth Argyle.
Warnock said: “I am delighted to help Plymouth out by agreeing to this fixture. Plymouth aren't able to play on their own pitch, and they asked me if we would play them at Loftus Road. I am more than happy to help out my former club and, in doing so, add an extra fixture to our own pre-season campaign. I am sure the London Branch of the Plymouth Argyle Supporters' Club will be particularly happy with this match. I look forward to welcoming them to Loftus Road."
Rangers beat Plymouth 2-0 at Loftus Road last season thanks to goals from Adel Taarabt and Damion Stewart and have since picked up Argyle striker Jamie Mackie for around £500,000 following their relegation to League One.
Rumours:
The big rumour doing he rounds today is that former manager Paulo Sousa is set to return to Loftus Road to try and prise away Akos Buzsaky and Hogan Ephraim for his new Leicester side according to Sky Sports News. Sousa never got a chance to use Buzsaky during his time at Loftus Road oweing to the ankle injury that ended the Hungarian’s 2008/09 season before Sousa arrived. However he did like and use Hogan Ephraim in his diamond midfield formation.
New QPR manager Neil Warnock also likes Ephraim, and selected him in all 14 of his games in charge last season. Both players are under contract, admittedly for only one more year, and it remains to be seen whether Sousa is willing to commit a large chunk of his transfer budget to two, position wise, similar players. Buzsaky and Ephraim both scored twice in QPR’s first friendly of the summer at Tavistock on Monday.
Meanwhile one of our supposed transfer targets this summer Bradley Orr has gone on Bristol City’s pre-season talk of Sweden. It had been said that Orr and Paulo Hartley would be left at home by City boss Steve Coppell to discuss their respective potential moves elsewhere but while Hartley has indeed travelled north to talk to Hearts, Orr has gone with the rest of his team with Rangers yet to “firm up” their interest in the player.
Former R’s:
Former QPR midfielder Simon Walton's terrible luck has struck again. Walton signed for Sheffield United on a season long loan deal earlier this summer after an unhappy spell at Plymouth but his Bramall Lane career appears to be over before it even begun after he ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments in a friendly game against Mansfield on Monday. The incident bears a horrible resemblence to the start of Walton's career at QPR when he broke his leg in a pre-season friendly against Fulham shortly after joining.
Blades boss Kevin Blackwell said: "It is a tragedy for the lad because he was going to give this chance his best shot," manager Kevin Blackwell told United's official website. He won't play for us now because his loan will be up by the time he recovers. We are now talking to Plymouth about where Simon will do his rehab."
Former R’s junior Aaron Goode, who left Loftus Road without making a first team appearance, has committed to stay with Tooting and Mitcham for another season. Manager Mark Beard told the Surrey Comet “Things were a little bit up in the air about Aaron and I wasn’t 100 per cent certain he’d be back with us. I’m delighted he has committed himself to us for this season. He had pneumonia at the start of the summer break and I think he lost something like three stone in weight. He has put a lot of that back on but he needs to get his strength up and probably won’t feature in our first friendly against Staines Town this weekend.”
Championship Shorts:-
Middlesbrough’s sustained raid of the SPL has continued with Celtic defender Stephen McManus moving to the Riverside Stadium for £1.5m. The 27 year old spent the end of last season on loan with Boro after 12 years at Celtic and has signed a three year contract.
- Leeds United manager Simon Grayson has signed a new three year contract with the Yorkshire outfit after leading them to promotion last season.
- Newport County have said they will not stand in Dean Holdsworth’s way if he is approached for the vacant Swansea City post. After being refused permission to speak to Gary Speed and Hamilton boss Billy Reid the Swans are struggling to replace Paulo Sousa. Holdsworth guided Newport to promotion into the Blue Square National at the end of last season.
- Millwall have moved quickly to snap up 32 year goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall following his release by cash strapped League Two side Southend.