 Friday, 13th May 2011 22:25 by Clive Whittingham Neil Warnock has shrugged off the ridiculous speculation surrounding his position at Loftus Road, and turned his attention to which players he wants to keep for the Premiership season. NewsDespite leading QPR back to the top flight for the first time in 15 years Warnock is said, by the gutter press, to be under threat with the club's wealthy owners eyeing up a high profile replacement. Marcello Lippi and Claudio Ranieri are the two names linked most often, but Warnock told tonight's Standard they are no better than him and QPR would be making a big mistake if they let him go. Warnock said: "It would be their loss if I left. I don't see where they can go to get anyone better. The people being mentioned aren't any better, so I don't see why they would want to get rid of me. It won't be an issue with myself. I haven't sought any reassurances over my position - I don't see why I should. You can only work as hard as you can and it has been a great season all round.People ask me what will happen in the next two years but I don't know what will happen in the next two days, two weeks or two months. "I don't think clubs that I've left have benefited much when I've departed. I've left clubs in good situations 99 times out of 100. But in terms of the speculation about me, we just have to move on from that.If you look back at QPR over the last few years, the speculation has been there every other day. In a way, I'm glad we are in London because there are a few bigger things in this city than QPR - you only have to look at the top teams and the problems they have." Speaking to the BBC after last week's game against Leeds Amit Bhatia stated that while his family was involved at the club Neil Warnock would always be the manager. And Lakshmi Mittal backed him up in an interview with Mihir Bose this week saying: "He has brought stability to the club, motivated the team. He is a great guy, a team player who I can see has fire in his belly. I hope he continues to lead QPR after we win promotion." Assuming the rumours are nonsense (and they better be) QPR are left to bask in the glory of promotion while Cardiff, Reading, Swansea and Forest scrap out the end of season play offs. Full back Bradley Orr told the club’s official website that achieving a title win was made all the more special by the special bond between the QPR players. He said: “I spoke to Hilly, Dezza and Jay (Mackie) after the game on Saturday and told them what's made it more special is that we're a tight group. The team spirit is superb. We're all mates and we'll always be close. To do it with a group of players who all get on makes it even more special. We go about our work right on a daily basis and when it all comes together, it's something you can't describe. When you see it all click and come together it's some feeling. It's just a fantastic achievement for the whole Club. I'll cherish this forever." Rob Hulse told the official website: “All the hard work we've given this season has come to fruition. This was why I came here. When the club showed their interest I spoke to the Manager and he was very confident about our chances for the season. I wanted to buy into that and now we're there it's a great feeling. Of course it's going to be difficult next season. But I think if we work hard and keep buying into the ethics we've bought into this season - adding a bit of quality here and there - I think we'll be alright." With celebrations now dying down and attention turning to the new Premiership season, a number of QPR players face an anxious wait to see if they will be a part of it at Loftus Road. Hungarian midfielder Akos Buzsaky is out of contract and only started two matches in the second half of the season just gone oweing to injury. Nevertheless he is keen to stay and stake a claim for a place. He told the Kilburn Times: "I have faith in my own ability and would love to play for QPR in the Premier League. That’s what I came here for, but since then I have been unlucky with injuries and the club has also been through some difficult times. Now I am fit, QPR have won promotion – which I always believed we could in the end – and obviously I want to play a part in the future. It’s up to the manager, of course. If he calls on me then it’s up to me to perform. After my injuries, pre-season will be important for me. I do believe that after a good pre-season I can show my best form. I just want to celebrate this promotion and then have the best pre-season I can, so that I’m fully fit and ready to play if the manager picks me.” There will however be no repeat of the epic 2004 victory parade around Shepherds Bush. Despite Hammersmith and Fulham Council telling the Daily Mail they were keen on the idea, QPR has confirmed it is not persuing the idea. A spokesman said: "The club had held discussions about putting such a celebration on going back over a number of weeks but, unfortunately, the on-going FA inquiry, coupled with other factors beyond our control, prevent this from happening. However, plans are already afoot for a pre-season celebration, once the players return to training in July." Reports suggest such a parade would have cost the club £500,000 to lay on. RumoursOne gets the feeling that silly season may be a whole lot sillier than it usually is this summer - with added attention on QPR following promotion, this apparent embarrassment of boardroom riches is a tabloid journalist's dream. LFW shall do its best to keep track in this section of the diary but make no apologies for missing stories either through laziness, or simply because we don't believe them. One that may hold some water is a move for Fulham's out of favour winger Zoltan Gera. His agent told the Fulham Chronicle: "A lot of English teams asked me about Zoltan Gera, among others QPR, but this means nothing because we haven’t negotiated." Gera has started just ten games thisseason and hasn't even make the bench for Fulham's last four fixtures. Elsewhere, for what it's worth, The Daily Mail says QPR are eyeing up moves for Jermaine Jenas from Spurs, Joe Cole from Liverpool and Jimmy Bullard from Hull while Adel Taarabt is a target for Borussia Dortmund and Lazio. Former R'sJim Magilton, sacked as QPR manager in 2009 after a dressing room bust up following a 3-1 defeat at Watford, has applied for the vacant managerial position at Swindon Town according to the Swindon Advertiser. Previous incumbant Paul Hart was sacked by the Robins two games from the end of the season following their relegation to League Two. Former West Ham star Paulo Di Canio, ex Swindon player Paul Bodin, former Bristol Rovers boss Paul Trollope and disgraced former Chelsea coach Graham Rix are the other names in the frame. Wycombe Wanderers, managed by Gary Waddock will pass Swindon going the other way after winning promotion from League Two. Captain Gareth Ainsworth was named in the division's team of the year after scoring ten goals in 43 appearances and says he wants to carry on playing next season despite his contract expiring this week just after his thirty eighth birthday. Ainsworth told the Bucks Advertiser "I am 100 per cent in everything I do and I don't think I could give 50 per cent to one or the other. I am 100 per cent as a player or 100 per cent as a coach and at the moment and I still want to play. To play that many games is something I didn't think I would do this season. I probably have broken a record for the most subbed player this season. The gaffer looks after me because I have the odd day off when everyone else is training. To play so much and be injury free for most of the season is great. “Promotion with Wycombe Wanderers is right up there and to have had the privilege of being captain and leading out that bunch of lads has been fantastic. I love the game and the competition. I will play as long as people will play me and every Saturday I love getting on the pitch and putting myself against an opponent. I am emotionally and physically shattered because it has been a long season." Ainsworth was also keen to praise QPR on their promotion saying: “It was years and years of relief. Expectations have been high at the club for a long time. To finally do it and also have the FA ruling before the game to make everything okay was fantastic. Obviously I've got a massive affiliation for the Club and I'm so pleased that they're in the Premier League. They deserve it, the fans deserve it and it was a great day to do it on the final day of the season. Neil Warnock's done a fantastic job. He's come in and you know what you're going to get from him. He deserves his chance in the Premier League. It's a great club - a real, real good club to be involved with, and hopefully they'll have a good season next season." Andy Sinton will be having a few sleepless nights ahead of this Sunday, when his Telford team take on Guisley in the Conference North play off final competing for the final promotion place in Conference National behind Alfreton. Sinton told the BBC: “"For me personally it would rank up there with playing for England. While it is not the same as playing in front of 48,000 fans in an international match against the Netherlands, Telford do attract crowds averaging well over 2,000 for every home game. To manage a club like Telford, to get it to where everyone thinks it should be, back in the Conference would be very special. We've got one final push, I would much sooner be remembered on Sunday evening for winning the final than losing it. "I want to manage in the Football League ultimately and I want to do that with Telford. There's something very special about this place, it could be one of the giants of non-league football. I want to take it on a journey and hopefully that will be the Football League.” Championship Shorts- In the race to join QPR and Norwich in the Premiership things remain deadlock. Swansea held on for a 0-0 draw at Forest in the first leg of the first play off semi final on Thursday despite having a man sent off in the opening minute. Tonight Reading and Cardiff bored their way to an instantly forgettable 0-0 draw at the Madejski Stadium. The return games are on Monday and Tuesday night. - Bizarre managerial merry-go-round story of the day part one - Port Vale have confirmed Mickey Adams as their new manager, just days after he was sacked by Sheffield United following their relegation from the Championship. Adams walked out on Vale when they were top of League Two in December to take over at the Bramall Lane but endured a disastrous spell at his boyhood club, winning just four games. United were relegated while Vale slipped out of the League Two promotion picture altogether. Adams said: "I let me heart rule my head." - Bizarre managerial merry-go-round story of the day part two - Barnsley have effectively sacked manager Mark Robins, although it seems they expect him to continue managing the team for the 2011/12 season. Robins successfully guided the Tykes to safety in the Championship, they finished seventeenth, but BBC Radio Sheffield reports today that Robins has received a letter from the club's owners saying they are placing him on a 12 month notice period, as per the terms of his contract. Barnsley have also released midfielder Hugo Colace, who nearly joined Crystal Palace last summer, and winger Martin Devaney, who nearly joined QPR when Ian Holloway was in charge. - Doncaster have rejected a £2.9m bid from Ipswich for forwards Billy Sharp and James Coppinger. The Tractor Boys offered £2.6m for Sharp, bought from Sheff Utd for just over £1m a year ago, and £300k for Coppinger but Rovers chairman John Ryan confirmed to the BBC that both offers had been rejected. - Portsmouth have released a host of their big earners having reached the end of the season. Michael Brown and Richard Hughes have both been released – neither player has featured since December as clauses in their contracts would have entitled them to another more lucrative deal had they made another appearance. Goalkeeper Daryl Flahavan and striker Danny Webber are also on their way, along with six others. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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