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Thursday Diary — Campbell out until December, weekend tube closures
Thursday Diary — Campbell out until December, weekend tube closures
Thursday, 20th Oct 2011 19:31 by Clive Whittingham

DJ Campbell has been ruled out until December after fracturing a bone in his foot in training.

 

News

 

Campbell injured his foot in training at the end of last week and x-rays have since revealed a stress fracture of a bone in his foot.

Physio Nigel Cox told the club’s official website: “We have found a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his left foot. The fracture doesn't actually go all the way through the bone, so it isn't a fracture in the truest sense of the word, it is more of a crack. The consultant we have spoken to has advised us that the best way to deal with this is to put a pin through it.

“He will have surgery on Thursday and will then be placed in an aircast boot for three weeks, which will immobilise the foot. The benefit of that is it means there can be some partial weight-bearing, so DJ can put weight on the foot from day one. Once he is out of the boot, and provided he is pain-free, we will push on the rehabilitation from there. But, as the manager said, for an injury of this nature you are looking at a timescale of six-to-eight weeks before the player can resume full training."

There could also be surgery in the offing for Akos Buzsaky. The Hungarian midfielder has a cyst on his knee and while the club were intimating last week that he could play on until next summer with the complaint, and named him on the bench for the Blackburn game, he now looks set for surgery in the next international break.

With Danny Gabbidon also struggling to be fit again for this weekend’s game Neil Warnock is considering recalling Clint Hill from his loan at Nottingham Forest. He told London 24: “We’ll discuss it today but it’s certainly a possibility – I’d have probably played him the other day against Blackburn if I’m honest. The problem is we had to have him playing matches, and we couldn’t call him back if we didn’t feel we could use him.”

The problems are starting to mount for Neil Warnock who was forced to comment on the growing tension between Adel Taarabt and Joey Barton on Monday. Barton took to the airwaves at the weekend to criticise Taarabt’s attitudes and performances so far this season, comments that Warnock was less than impressed with when he appeared on ESPN on Monday evening.

Warnock said: “What he is saying about Adel I think is a little bit out of order. I think there is one or two lads in the team at the moment that could do better so sometimes you look elsewhere. If he wants Adel to chase about and tackle and run, he is never going to be able to do that. I'll probably have a chat with him and see what he actually said.

"If you looked at what Adel is not good at, you wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. You've got to look at what he is good at and we would not be where we are now without him, without me looking at what he is good at. Yes, he might not be able to crack in the Premier League. Even Adel doesn't know that yet. He is only a young lad. You forget he is a young kid really. I think he is trying very, very hard at the moment and the next few games will be interesting. I think when you're playing the top clubs you need that something special to win you games.”

Warnock has also praised striker Heidar Helguson for his impact against Blackburn on Sunday and says the Icelandic forward may have a bigger part to play moving forward. He told the Fulham Chronicle: “I thought Heidar was super and done us proud. He's been doing great in training and I thought he led the line well. When I was at Sheffield United I signed a few strikers and things didn't go too well and I ended up going back to Neil Shipperley. He did it simple and got us over the line. We're not going to score a lot of goals. I tried to get a striker in; we were almost there with Craig Bellamy and one other on deadline day. We tried at the death but couldn't do it. The lads who are here have got to do their best until January.”

On Wednesday the reserves beat MK Dons 6-2 in a behind closed doors match at Harlington. Rowan Vine played 45 minutes for the opposition as a hat trick from Hogan Ephraim set Rangers on their way to an emphatic victory. Rob Hulse scored one and youth team forward Mo Shariff bagged a brace to complete the rout. Bradley Orr, Jason Puncheon, Petter Vaagan Moen and Akos Buzsaky all featured for QPR.

A regular for QPR’s reserves over the past three years Gary Borrowdale won’t be featuring for the second string again anytime soon – he has extended his loan spell with League Two side Barnet until the end of December.

Looking ahead to this Sunday’s big derby game with Chelsea Anton Ferdinand told the club’s official website: “We're underdogs, but it's a derby and the formbook goes out the window. Derbies are about the day and we're all looking forward to it. It's time for us to deliver for the fans. I love Loftus Road - it's an old school stadium and you can hear absolutely everything, which makes for an incredible atmosphere. I don't care how big a player you are, or how good you are, you will always find it intimidating at Loftus Road and we'll need our fans to make it as hostile as possible. They've been great so far this season, following us every step of the way, and we'll need them to be in full voice again on Sunday."

Striker Jamie Mackie has told the Fulham Chronicle that the Chelsea fans in his family will be disappointed if they expect him to bring home autographs or shirts from our opponents on Sunday. He said: “I’m not in the Premier League to do that. I’m here to try and beat them, and as a group we are going to have be at our best to do so.”

Off the field there is better news, with Tony Fernandes confident of securing land for a new purpose built training ground for Rangers. The R’s currently rent their training base at Harlington but need to own more up to date facilities to apply for youth academy status.

Fernandes told Press Association: "We have made some good decisions in terms of training facilities. It is something I need to take to the board. We need better facilities and I think we have found somewhere."

Chief Executive Phil Beard said: "I think we have got to look at ourselves as a Premier League club. Hopefully for the foreseeable future that is the case and because of that I think we have to look at the facilities and everything we do at the club. The reality is that the playing squad spend most of their time at the training facility and at the moment we rent Harlington, which isn't as good as a lot of other Premier League facilities. We're looking at everything at the club and my aim is to look across at other Premier League clubs and feel we are comparable in all aspects of the business. Both on the pitch and off the pitch, a club that can match most other clubs in the Premier League."

 

Former R’s

 

Former QPR and Chelsea centre back has been recalling his time at both clubs, and his part in Rangers’ famous 2-0 win against the Blues at Stamford Bridge in the 1986 League Cup quarter final and looking ahead to Sunday. Speaking to London24 he said: “We drew the first game 1-1 at Loftus Road, and [Chelsea chairman] Ken Bates said they’d thrash us on grass at Stamford Bridge. It was nice to prove him wrong, and after being called a Chelsea reject it was a pretty special feeling.

“There will be times when we’re under real pressure, but we have to concentrate, close them down, hunt in packs and not allow them to play – let’s turn it into another cup match. Believe me, we need everybody to play to the absolute maximum. If one of the 11 doesn’t do that, then the rest of the team will be punished. There are two sides to the game. It’s all very well doing your fancy stuff on the ball, but when you don’t have it, you have to be disciplined, and conform to the rest of the team. That, for me, is where the likes of Adel Taarabt is a worry. If he’s in advanced positions and loses the ball, we’re on the back foot.”

Elsewhere Jay Simpson scored a spectacular goal for Millwall as they drew 1-1 with Brighton on Tuesday night to move out of the bottom three in the Championship. Lions boss Kenny Jackett recently signed Patrick Agyemang on loan from QPR but it was former R’s loanee Simpson who did the damage against the Seagulls.

Goalkeeper David Forde told the Standard: “Jay can produce a moment of magic and he showed just how good he is. We had plenty of chances but sometimes you need something that's a bit special and Jay pulled it out of the bag for us. He works so hard - he has been superb."

 

Premiership Shorts

 

- Stoke manager Tony Pulis has revealed his club was beaten to the signature of Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade Chamberlain in the summer, who instead joined Arsenal. Ahead of a meeting between the two clubs on Sunday Pulis said: “"We were well aware of the situation, but when you've got Manchester United, Arsenal and the likes chasing him, you understand where you are.”

- Injury plagued Arsenal centre back Thomas Vermaelen has signed a new long term contract at the club.

- Stand by to be completely and utterly stunned. In the most shocking news since Fitz Hall’s last hamstring injury Chris Kirkland has returned to Wigan early from his loan at Doncaster because he has injured his back. Deep breaths…

- Rochdale have signed Liverpool youngster Nathan Ecclestone, more known for his thoughts on 9/11 than his football, on loan for a month. His Liverpool youth team mate David Amoo has extended his loan at Bury until January.

- Yakubu says the Blackburn players are desperate to win for under pressure manager Steve Kean as fans prepare to protest against him again prior to this weekend’s game with Spurs. Yakubu said: "The protests do affect some players but I just concentrate on doing my job. All the players are behind Steve Kean. When he talks to us in training, we are impressed. It's our job to go out there and win - and that's all we focus on.”

 

Parish Noticeboard

 

Planned tube and train closures for Sunday’s match with Chelsea:

- No Circle Line service on the entire line all day.

- Hammersmith and City Line suspended between Royal Oak and Baker Street.

- The District Line is suspended on the entire Wimbledon to Edgware Road branch. Replacement bus services operate.

- Victoria Line completely closed, replacement bus services operate.

- Northern Line suspended between High Barnet and Camden until 0830 southbound and 0900 northbound.

- No Overground service from Clapham Junction to Kensington Olympia, tickets accepted on local buses. Service also supended from Gospel Oak to Barking – replacement bus services operate.

- DLR suspended from Tower Gateway and Bank to Poplar and West India Quay.

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Photo: Action Images



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