QPR goalkeeper Lee Camp has joined struggling Nottingham Forest on a three month loan.
Camp, runner up to Martin Rowlands in last season’s Player of the Year vote, lost his place to Radek Cerny at the start of this season and despite an appearance against Swindon in the League Cup has been unable to regain it. Discuss this story on the Message Board Click here and be the first user to comment on this story
Camp has never been the sort of player that is willing to sit on the bench and pick up his money, and turned down a place in Derby’s Premiership squad to come and be the number one at QPR in the first place. He has expressed his desire to play first team football, be that at QPR or elsewhere, already this season.
The writing seemed to be on the wall last week when sporting director Gianni Paladini told the BBC: “I understand his position and we won't stand in his way. Lee's a good, young keeper but isn't in the team at the moment and he wants to play. If he goes we will want to sign another keeper.” However a day later manager Iain Dowie told the Kilburn Times: “I haven't put him on the transfer list. Lee trains hard every day and I've got a good relationship with him. Obviously he's disappointed that he isn't in the team at the moment, but I expect him to crack on and keep working hard, the same as anyone else in the squad."
The confusion regarding his future ended today with a loan move to Nottingham Forest, although this seems a strange transfer for both club and player. Camp wants to play first team football and one of the few positives of Forest’s season so far has been the performances of former Brentford keeper Paul Smith between the sticks. Camp may have just as tough a job of usurping Smith as he has done Radek Cerny although today's Nottingham Evening Post reports that Forest have concerns over Smith's command of the penalty area and Camp is expected to start their game tomorrow night against Ipswich Town at the City Ground.
We believe the move could become permanent in January, however Rangers are unlikely to let the former England Under 21 stopper leave for less than £750k should Forest wish to sign him.
QPR’s goalkeeping cover will no be provided by youth team graduates Reece Crowther and Jake Cole who recently returned from a loan spell at Oxford and played for the reserves in the week. The rumour mill has linked Rangers with a January move for Peterborough’s Joe Lewis, although the a more likely option would be Sunderland’s Martin Fulop who is second choice behind Craig Gordan but has enjoyed successful loans in the Championship with Coventry and Leicester. With Sunderland demanding £1.6m for the stopper a loan move may be more likely.