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Reply | Dunne to Blackburn
at 19:29 7 May 2024
The news about Dunne's extension reminded me of this small bit of message-board grit that has been grinding my gears since February.
I know it's petty to bump it.
I know that.
But that double-hit of ITK wink-wink "I really know what's going on inside the club" coupled with a weary condescension towards fans who were looking at the team/squad/matches + the three point gap to safety and seeing something different still niggles, so congratulations on that at least.
Because in the end, "putting those 7/8 wins on the board" wasn't really a madcap dream of the hopeless, blind romantic. We put nine more wins on the board. And instead of the far-fetched 26 more points needed that we'd never manage, we actually added 32 points. It wasn't "a miracle", as was repeatedly suggested. Turns out it was a pretty "realistic" expectation, after all. |
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Reply | New Kit Annoucment Due ??
at 14:37 25 Apr 2024
From a pure pissing-on-the-corner-flags, wearing the same pants, waving bunches of sage down Ellerslie Road superstitious juju point of view, I think changing the home kit you've just won one must-win home game wearing to put something totally new and untested on the players so a betting firm can get their logo on telly early strikes me as thumbing our nose unduly and provocatively at fate. Not that I believe any of that, of course. But, still. New kits on their first outing: risky, for all kinds of reasons. Save it for a meaningless game. Two bad results and we'll be wearing it in L1.
And it looks a bit Reading. |
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Reply | Rio Ferdinand on His Time As an R
at 21:16 4 Apr 2024
I watched the podcast. He didn't bring it up, Neville asked him about it and Rio was saying he realised he was physically washed up, he should've either retired or gone abroad after Man U. He moved to London to be nearer his wife's family. He just couldn't believe what he'd found at QPR. Who can blame him? That's arguably the most dysfunctional club in Prem history. We're still paying for it. Neville said in the previous episode it's the least professional team he's seen at that level.
That team and club was beyond one player fixing it, beyond five players fixing it, ten. Remember the official site made a special video of Rio's first drive to training, it was like we'd signed Prince Charles. It was embarrassing, humiliating. Gerry Francis captained England playing for QPR.
It wasn't on Rio Ferdinand to come and cure a dressing room and culture that sick and revolting. It was on Tony Fernandes, Phil Beard and Harry Redkanpp: three genuine clowns who were in it for themselves as much any of the players in the dressing room they'd hired on those ludicrous wages. RF said that when Redknapp signed him he told him to train when he fancied it. I mean...
And then Redknapp bailed when he'd really fcked it all up for good, with our dynamic leaders leaving the mess for Les Ferdinand to clear up, which he mostly did and then ten years later we stuck up pictures of Les as a clown and sang songs about him fcking off.
We can pick scapegoats from a flammed together Daily Mail piece. Or we can remember history as actually happened in front of us. |
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Reply | Les on the Stick to Football podcast
at 15:32 28 Mar 2024
He said it became toxic, which it clearly did. Can't believe there's someone else rolling their eyes about that on this thread. Not sure how else you could describe people singing 'fck off Les Ferdinand' at games and sticking up pictures of him, Hoos and Bhatia as clowns on the way to and all over the ground. All three have left, all family men. Probably a coincidence.
Interesting that he says he doesn't have social media but was clearly aware of ex-players (Kevin G) slagging him off. I still think he did far more good for the club than bad, and those figures he cited convince me even more. Yes, a poor final 18 months, but I think we treated him - our greatest number 9 and a decent, hardworking servant of the club subsequently - shamefully. But hey ho. I'm sure we'll never do that again to someone else.
I always really enjoy Stick To Football, easily the best football pod, but wish they'd done a tiny bit of research before this week so they could've asked some better questions of him. Everything he said was news to them (but not to us).
Pretty sure he was talking about Sanderson, who came in in January on an absolute packet and then shat the bed for eleven games while we sent Masterson out on loan in the same window. Gray and Hendrick also pathetic, expensive path blockers. I'd have fallen out with Warbs over all three too. |
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Reply | QPR v Arsenal Behind closed doors
at 15:56 21 Mar 2024
He's the number 9 who's scored four goals (one a penalty) in 30 league games this season and eight (two penalties) in 39 last season. Some very gentle piss-taking on a messageboard by those who spend huge sums up and down the country watching him underwhelm is more than fair enough. Got another two years on that contract. |
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 09:43 2 Mar 2024
Final point on contracts:
Let's assume (hope) that Nourry and Cifuentes are really successful. At the end of 2024/25 season QPR make the play-offs but fall short of promotion: beaten by bigger ex-Prem clubs en route, no shame in that etc.
Success of both is noted and they are highly coveted. They are snatched by ambitious PL or European clubs (we don't know anything about their own length of contracts of course).
So we have a great 24/25 season, but lose excellent coach and wily CEO, both of whom are young and extremely ambitious.
What would be the legacy? A load of players on contracts fans don't know the length of and ready made excuse for the next CEO for financial woe. (And what if some of that near-miss success in 23/24 is built upon pushing the FFP bill, betting on a few players to take us up as we have done a decade earlier?)
Another good conspiracy theory is that as Nourry has a history of working on multi-club deals, his arrival is tied into that and not revealing contract lengths is a vital part of clubs that are to be part of a multi-club group moving players between clubs.
I mean, these are both batshit, I agree. But they still seem more logical than anything suggested for not sharing contract lengths by CEO.
There is no sensible reason for it. |
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 08:48 2 Mar 2024
Not knowing the length of the youth contracts handed out by Clive Berlin under Chris Wright - ludicrous multi-million pound deals on multi-year contracts to players who barely kicked a ball professionally - was a crucial part of QPR going into admin. Couldn't throw the expensive ballast over board quick enough.
I'm just going to say that *I* *am* on the offensive with any new CEO. It's not personal. But he's middle management. We are the custodians. We remain. We're QPR, he's Linkedn. They come and go. And our trust should not be guaranteed. It has to be earned, properly, over time.
(This is not directed to you Dave, but generally just my feelings)
Please direct me to the chairman or CEO who didn't arrive at the club in a flurry of "we're lucky to have him; he really cares; he's got really innovative ideas; he's passionate; he's exactly what we need after the last guy" messages and then left a few years later in either shame, embarrassment, apologetic retreat or against a backdrop of unrest, disdain and protest. Remember that song about Flavio and Bernie? That was a good one.
We're QPR. They're passing through. They don't get to keep secrets (that aren't really secrets) from us, or divide fans into some animals are more equal than others sections. Want the best for the club? Prove it, Chris.
Anyway, off to Leicester now. |
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Thread | The Game podcast - Stan tribute by Cascarino and Samuel
at 19:43 1 Mar 2024
Thirty-three minutes into Thursday's The Game Podcast by The Times, there's a lovely tribute to Stan by first Martin Samuel and then Tony Cascarino.
Cascarino went for a trial at QPR when he was 15, last 70s. Tells a story about watching reserves Clive Allen and Paul Goddard - a year or two older - doing an amazing finishing drill, being blown away by their sharpness. Stan wanders over and says to him, 'That's the standard, son. Think you're up to it?' Later he was up against Stan in a small game (he was a CB then) and just thinking, 'stand up!' because he couldn't get near him. They describe him as partly Zola, partly Aguero.
Anyway, Samuel talks about the brilliant Michael Nyman Concerto for Stan that's at the centre of his After Extra Time record. Been mentioned on here before, I know, but it was filmed largely during our 4-1 victory over Spurs on 3/10/91 (orchestrated magnificently by Wilkins) with a flashback to the 75/76 season with Stan at its centre.
It made me think: if we were to change the run music, this bit of it, the Concerto For Stan section would be very fitting this year.
It's here, after 7 and a half minutes (whole half hour well worth a watch, of course). It would work!
https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm14316303
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Reply | West London Sport
at 21:11 28 Feb 2024
Dave has been a journalist for 25+ years (I remember him doing his NCTJ certificate while on the QPR list in the late 90s). He owns WLS but it is not his main income, nor Ian's, not remotely. Dave's patch as a sports reporter is West London.
So if he or Ian gets commissioned by the BBC, for example, to cover Fulham, Brentford or Chelsea because they are in the PL and therefore of interest beyond WLS, that's what they'll cover because he/they get paid properly for that. They do not get commissioned to cover Championship strugglers QPR at home to Rotherham by mainstream media. WLS is a side hustle done for love: but if doesn't pay the bills, it probably barely pays for itself. Independent sports journalism is not a nationalised industry, alas.
So, not remotely disingenuous. It's the economics of journalism in 2024, which some bum-fluffed keyboard Twitter basher giving Dave emoji grief wouldn't grasp even if it was tattooed on their hands. [Post edited 28 Feb 21:13]
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 13:20 28 Feb 2024
Not sure why you don't follow. Once more:
I'm saying I want him to be interviewed by journalists beyond the club channels, to have minuted meetings with fans groups and forums as well, and all of that to happen first. I'm against first having un-minuted private chats with anonymous social media channels and "bigger personalities" (who decides that?! There are some very big personalities near me in the R block). I have absolutely no interest in attending any of this myself.
I'm also saying experience should make us all very wary of any communication that is not open to all, including those who do not use X or message boards but may go to Rotherham away, and that smooth-talking new football club CEOs who suddenly appear telling everyone they've fallen in love with the club are to be treated with extreme caution.
But everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just voicing mine. |
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 13:05 28 Feb 2024
Jim Gregory did a great job in the building of the modern club. But do you remember how he left it?
Gregory was a life-long and extremely committed Fulham fan whose offer to buy Fulham was turned down twice in the early 60s. The second time he was turned down in 1964, he was so furious that he immediately offered himself to QPR in revenge and then took over QPR in '65. His commitment to QPR was based purely out of scorn and we profited hugely from that, over-taking Fulham comprehensively a decade later.
However, he sold QPR out to Marler Estates in full knowledge that their goal was to merge Fulham with QPR to become Fulham Park Rangers (and how long before the Park Rangers dropped off?) and if it wasn't for the fans of both clubs, that wold've come to pass. No CEO rescued us then.
So let's remember how he left things, too, eh. |
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 11:48 28 Feb 2024
I totally agree about Hoos. I think for the first few seasons he was a huge and unusual breath of fresh air, was always open in communications, did not sugar coat it and told us as much as possible (even if he was proven wrong about the Loft end and he lapsed into a bit of a computer-says-no speak about any fan in stadium experience). He was badly wrung out by the final 18 months, understandably. His final communications all got a bit Lord Haw Haw though: the new chairman who has also retired to spend more time with his family in the US? You wot, m8? |
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 10:08 28 Feb 2024
"Not sure what TK1 wanted to happen here".
Well, ideally I'd like the new CEO to be interviewed outside of the club channel about his plans, the set-up and FFP etc. That's not happened yet. Moreover, that's been refused.
If he's going to meet fan groups etc, then I think the club should say beforehand that the CEO will be meeting representatives of fan groups, messageboards, podcasts. That way, when other fans are scrolling through their socials on the tube/bog early one morning the first thing they see isn't: "I met the CEO last night and told him we want to change the run out music to our own new club anthem. Thoughts?" Followed by, "I met the CEO last night: he's blinding, he really cares, he's fallen in love with QPR: he goes to every game!"
This is not the communication on behalf of fans I require, especially in the week of concerning club accounts.
In my time going to QPR the head honchos and their first line CEOs have included: Jim Gregory, David Bulstrode, Richard Thompson, Chris Wright, David Davies, Gianni Paladini, Flavio Briatore, Tony Fernandes, Amit Bhatia (?), Ali Russell, Phil Beard, Lee Hoos and now this bright young whizzkid.
I never trust them because they are all bullshitters of the highest order who had zero interest in QPR previously. Mostly, they had neither the fans nor, in reality, the club at heart. There is always, always another shoe about to drop. The sense I have from Nourry is that shoe will drop very heavily over the close-season.
Personally, I distrust secret meetings with fans groups to drip feed good news in the name of canvassing opinion. I prefer proper scrutiny by journalists. But no doubt I'm worrying over nothing and will be proven wrong this time.
Down vote away! |
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 16:57 27 Feb 2024
Fair dinkum. Appreciate the insight. If DT is there then all is well.
My only advice to them is around news management of this kind of carry-on, then. Some of the stuff on X about it is massively cringe-making. |
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Reply | New CEO meeting
at 14:50 27 Feb 2024
Experience, not cynicism. All this nonsense drove wedges between fans in the past.
If you start a social account and call yourself Up The Talking Loft Superhoop Rangers Boys and eventually have a few thousand followers by pumping out inane posts about impossible formations or who's 'cooking', who the club should 'bring' etc then you get invited to have some PR poured into you by the wide-boy CEO and then the club have a free propaganda service for a while. It's no coincidence this has happened the week accounts came out and before FFP calculations. So now there's a big debate about changing the music we run out to, which is a handy channel switch.
This kind of nonsense with Paladini is how we ended up with Q Block Pete (wither he now?) etc. It mustn't pass. |
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Thread | New CEO meeting
at 13:48 27 Feb 2024
I note from social media a small group of fans saying they were invited to a meeting with CEO Christian Nourry yesterday, subsequently drip-feeding info about it: he's fallen in love with QPR, we might change the pre-match music, he's got the best interests of club at heart, he really cares, etc etc...
Has very strong early Paladini vibes to it. Get a few fans onside, privately, tell them what they want to hear, no official club note made of it but message that is required to be spread gets out there.
It'll end in tears for all. Fans forums are excruciating, but the only way this kind of communication with fans can work, that and official interviews. I assume there'll be an LFW interview soon, hopefully from this event. But until then every fan at that meet is being played, just as all the season ticket holders not invited are.
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Reply | Chair jailed for a year
at 14:31 23 Feb 2024
I feel for him on a human level, not knowing anything about the specifics of the case, as a man in a very tough prison system with a young child - yeah. I feel sorry for most people sent to prison for petty crimes. Prison doesn't work by and large, that's why they're so full of repeat offenders. But realise that may be a minority view here. |
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Reply | Chair jailed for a year
at 13:47 23 Feb 2024
If he's going to jail in Antwerp, then good luck to him. That city has got major gang issues as it's one the main drug ports in Europe. The Belgian jails are no place for a millionaire pretty boy who may have hit someone with a rock. It's bad for the club, but whatever. The only person it's really bad for is Illias Chair: six months in there will be no picnic, plus he's in the prime of his career. I really feel for him if this true. |
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Reply | Millwall
at 12:02 21 Feb 2024
Third time back as manager and their third manager of the season: we know that's not a winning equation but agree they'll improve now. Lot of teams in it. We just need to keep current six match form up: Win two or three, draw a couple and lose the odd game, repeat, and we'll be ok. |
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Reply | Here’s one you might have heard before – Report
at 14:29 16 Feb 2024
Nice tribute to Handyside. Good player, indeed.
I remember watching that incredible foul on him at the time thinking Brevett and Bracewell had lost their minds running half the pitch to scream at him lying on the ground. Even in 1998 it was reckless. But then I looked up the match report to see who the teams were and this was Kegly Keegan's view of the tackle:
"It was only a yellow card foul. The ref overreacted," said Keegan afterwards.
Incredible. |
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