Jim Magilton says his players will remain focussed on the job in hand as stories continue to circulate about whether Flavio Briatore can continue his ownership of the club.
Magilton told BBC LDN: “We are not being naïve. We are all aware of what's happened and what is going on, but footballers are pretty selfish brutes and they tend to take care of their own business. Quite rightly, too. My job as a manager is to keep them focused on their jobs. The next job is Chelsea away and we'll all be concentrating on that. As far as I'm concerned, I am the manager of the football club, so let's hope that continues for quite some time.”
Looking ahead to the big match on Wednesday night Magilton told the Kilburn Times: “It is a wonderful opportunity for the players to go and test themselves against the best players in Europe. We may have one or two moments in the game but we've got to make them count. We know their quality, but we're going to go out with a very positive attitude. We have to catch them on an off day and we have to be very, very good. We're hoping that our levels will rise, that we will go there and won't be intimidated and give a good account of ourselves. But it's one to relish, going to Stamford Bridge and it will be a good test. It's a fantastic stadium and there will be a fantastic atmosphere.” “I think our performances have warranted better results and I think our curve is going up. There's been steady progress and Saturday was very encouraging for us.
“What is a weakened side for Chelsea? They may not play the 11 that started on Sunday but those who are brought in will certainly want to impress.”
While many media outlets are suggesting there is no possible way Briatore can continue in W12 under the league’s fit and proper person rules lawyers have told The Guardian newspaper that the league may have a tough task removing the Italian should he want to stay in control at Rangers with the only sanction left to them the exclusion of QPR from all competitions.
Jonathan Brogden, a partner in the City sports law firm Davies Arnold Cooper, said: “There is a question mark over whether he's actually been banned. What the FIA have done is threaten not to sanction anyone engaging Briatore or allow them to take part in any FIA-organised championships or events. So Briatore may be able to claim he, personally, has not been banned. As regards the fit and proper person test, one of the things you have to declare is that you've not been banned by a sport’s governing body from involvement in the administration of that sport. The question arises as to whether Briatore has actually been banned from the administration of Formula One. All we've got to go on at the moment is the press release and that strongly suggests that Briatore himself is not banned from being involved. It's a de facto ban but it's questionable as to whether it's a personal ban.
“If QPR don't exclude him or remove him as a director and the Football League consider him not a fit and proper person then its ultimate sanction is to exclude QPR from all competitions. They would need to go through a process, which includes the service of notices.”
Paul Gilbert, a leading sports lawyer who advised the Australian umpire Darrell Hair during his action against the International Cricket Council in 2007, said: "I wouldn't have said that it is cut and dried because the league regulation is clearly aimed at finding against an individual following a proper process where evidence as been heard, a judgment has been arrived at and that person has the opportunity to appeal. In relation to Briatore that hasn't happened, he hasn't been heard on this. He resigned."
The Daily Mail reports that Briatore is “distraught” by the allegation and intends to take legal action against motor sport’s governing bodies to clear his name.
The Times reports Hugh Robertson, the Conservative Shadow Sports Minister, calling for the league to remove Briatore from his position at QPR as soon as possible. Try not to ask yourself what the bloody hell it has got to do with him as you read him saying: “Of course Mr Briatore is not fit to run a football club. It is difficult to see how anyone convicted of one of the worst cases of cheating on record in one sport could possibly be considered fit and proper in another.”
On the pitch QPR have received mixed injury news today with Adel Taarabt returning to training after a bout of mumps, but Matt Connolly still laid low by a virus that worrying stories are now suggesting could actually be glandular fever.
Up at Watford Heidar Helguson’s typical start to life as a Hornet continued today as he went for his first MRI scan on an injury – an almost weekly occurrence at Loftus Road since he joined from Bolton a year ago. Helguson came on as s substitute against Leicester at the weekend, scored twice as Watford came from two down to draw three three, and then left the field injured – a nice microcosm of the latter stages of his career. Watford are hopin g he will be fit for their trip to Reading this weekend and boss Malky Mackay told the Watford Observer: “Tomorrow we are going to have Heidar scanned to find out what sort of damage there is. We are working extensively with him to try and get him ready for the weekend but we will know further tomorrow after his scan. He came in this morning and was working well with the physios but the scan will help us know exactly where we are.”
Elsewhere in the Championship today Barnsley sprung a League Cup surprise by beating Premiership side Burnley 3-2 at Oakwell but Blackpool eventually lost 4-3 at Stoke. Peterborough beat Newcastle 2-0 and Scunthorpe squeezed through against Port Vale after extra time. Nottingham Forest’s poor start to the season continued with a 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn.