Damion Stewart is returning to England early after being thrown out of the Jamaica national squad midway through the Gold Cup for breaches of discipline. Meanwhile QPR are apparently chasing the signature of a Serie B forward.

Jamaica have endured a troubled Gold Cup campaign so far in the United States but could yet qualify from third in their group if Nicaragua and Panama draw their match. Things have taken a turn for the worse behind the scenes though this weekend with the early return home of QPR centre half Damion Stewart for disciplinary reasons. The current Jamaica manager, former Hull City star Theodore Whitmore, said Stewart was a disruptive influence and questioned his team selections.

Speaking to the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper Stewart explained: “When I went to collect per diem from the head of delegation, he was with the vice-president Mr Anderson and the coach and they said the coach had come to a decision that he was going to send me home and that was about 11:21am and I was told that I was going to be on the 1:30 flight. I asked to have a meeting with the coach and they stepped out.”

Theodore Whitmore said: “Damion never gave us the impression that he was focused and wanted to be a part of the team and how it operates. He questioned and challenged everything, even team tactics. Even his teammates were not pleased with his behaviour and general attitude I have tried to keep him in line but he has not shown a willingness to change. We cannot have a situation where the team is damaged because of the selfishness and indiscipline of one man.”

The Jamaica Observer newspaper reports that Stewart had already been fined by Whitmore, along with Sheff Wed winger Jermaine Johnson, for discipline breaches and lateness in the run up to the tournament but the QPR man has been keen to defend himself in that newspaper.

Stewart said: “I am just trying to clear myself to let the public know that I didn't feel like I did anything wrong to be going home. It is the ultimate insult, and I am not going to tell you that I'm not feeling bad. I'm feeling very bad right now because every time I put on the shirt, whether I'm playing idle football or even friendly football, I always give my all, especially when I'm playing for Jamaica, so I don't see how on earth they could draw that conclusion that I don't want to be here. That surprised me. I was told that I didn't look like I was interested or I didn't look like I wanted to be here. That's the reason I was given to say that I was going home.

“It didn't matter what I said. They had already made a decision that I would be going home, because even in the meeting with the coaches they are saying whatever the coach says you do, you don't follow instruction, but I told them I'm a very opinionated person, and if I have an opinion I am going to share it. We are not robots, nor programmes, so that's just me, that's who I am.”

Stewart’s early return to pre-season training with QPR is of course welcome although the manner in which it is happening is certainly not, and deeply concerning. Stewart has never been a player with disciplinary problems at QPR but for Jamaica to send a defender home when they have two others suspended for car accumulation in the Gold Cup shows how sure they are of the decision.

Back in London QPR are apparently about to complete their second signing of the summer by adding 28 year old Italian striker Alessandro Pellicori to their line up. The QPR Italia blog reports that Rangers are taking advantage of Avellino’s recent bankruptcy by taking the striker on a free transfer. Having started his career with Cosenza Pellicori did make Serie A during a four year spell with Lecce but played the majority of his football during that time out on loan. A move to Grosseto yielded 22 goals in 53 appearances over two years and he has 18 goals in 38 appearances in a relegated Avellino side but little else is known about him. The QPR Italia site reports the transfer as being “certain” and QPR have had representatives in Italy over the past seven days so we now await official confirmation.

QPR’s current set of forwards sent a clear message to manager Jim Magilton on Saturday as Heidar Helguson, Patrick Agyemang and Dexter Blackstock all got on the score sheet in a 4-0 win at Aldershot. Afterwards manager Jim Magilton again reiterated his desire to work with the current set of players before making wholesale changes. Magilton told Sky Sports: “They are certainly better than eleventh. The Championship is a really tough division and every game, every Saturday, you have got to be focussed on your job, and you have got to really grind out results. I think that if we can get off to a good start then anything is possible.”

Magilton has also been speaking to the BBC about working with notorious QPR owner Flavio Briatore: He said: “I don't see there is a problem if an owner or a chairman has an opinion. We are all managers, supporters and referees. It is a game of opinion. I'll back my decisions win, lose or draw. I'll certainly stand by them. I was at a club where the owner certainly had an input. I don't think you can put me under any pressure because the pressure I put myself under on a daily basis would far outweigh any pressure they put me under. We've had a week with the players now and they've been terrific. I know a new manager can bring that but certainly these players have applied themselves.

"I think new faces will help. Obviously we brought Alejandro in who will add quality and competition in a vital area of the field in midfield. We've lost a defender and we've lost a goalkeeper, so obviously we'll be looking to reinforce those positions.”

The rumour mill has today linked QPR with £300,000 moves for Crystal Palace full back Lee Hills and Man Utd goalkeeper Tom Heaton who spent time last season on loan with Cardiff City. QPR are of course currently short at full back and have no reserve goalkeeper following the departure of Lee Camp. Wayne Routledge has been linked by the News of the World with a move back to Cardiff where he was on loan before joining QPR in January. The paper reports that the winger, who played in the first half team at Aldershot on Saturday, is unhappy and has requested a transfer just seven months after moving to Loftus Road as the club’s top earner.

In former QPR news Richard Langley, Ian Evatt and Danny Nardiello all played for Blackpool today as they beat Burscough 4-0 in a pre-season friendly. Langley is training with Blackpool as he recovers from a knee injury picked up while playing for Bristol Rovers and may yet earn a Bloomfield Road contract. Nardiello scored the final goal as he looks to improve on a dire first season with the Tangerines that saw him end the campaign on loan at League One outfit Hartlepool. Paulo Sousa’s protracted chase of Jordi Lopez looks to finally be concluded this week with Swansea ready to splash some of the cash they have received from Wigan for Jason Scotland. Richard Graham is training with Barnet for fitness purposes, but will not be joining Jake Cole at Underhill this season.

Elsewhere in the Championship this weekend, as if things could not get any more bizarre at Newcastle, the latest consortium looking to buy the Magpies is headed up by a former Sunderland director called Charlie Chawke. Somebody with tongue in cheek involved somewhere along the line there I think. Darren Ferguson has signed a new four year deal as manager at Peterborough and Everton have agreed a fee of £5m with Sheff Utd for young full back Kevin Naughton who burst onto the Bramall Lane scene last season.

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