With the end of the 06/07 season, it's time for a new transfer news & rumors thread for QPR's 07/08 season. As noted in the previous thread, of the players who are out of contract at the end of the season, new one-year deals have been offered to Marcus Bignot and Marc Nygaard. The club will not offer deals to Marc Bircham, Kevin Gallen, Paul Furlong, Mauro Milanese, Steve Lomas, Simon Royce, Paul Jones, and Armel Tchakounte. Today, the club announced that CarGiant has signed a one-year deal with the club and will return as the club's shirt sponsor for 07/08: http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1023321,00.html
Welcome new thread! And we have the same sponsor and same manufacturer, yet new shirts for next season after only one year?? Kind of a rip off for the fans that bought shirts last year. I hear the black and red hoops are coming back for the away shirts yet again.
I spoke to the guy who runs the club shop and was told that our current contract with Le Coq calls for changes every year. He also mentioned that we'll go back to the "Dennis the Menace" away shirt (since confirmed by GP). I remember the club signing a new deal with Le Coq that was supposed to bring us more money. Maybe part of what we gave them in return was an agreement to change every year. It does take more money out of fans' pockets, which is probably not bad for the club.
I think it sort of works both ways. Maybe the club will see a little more money from changing shirts every season, but they lose out in fan relations. And let's face it, when the fans feel good about the club, we spend more money. I remember a few years back, Burnley released their shirt without a sponsor on the front and made it the classic old school claret w/ blue sleeves. Commercially, it's near impossible to do this with a sponsor, but they sold tons more shirts that way. You always want commercial relationships to work, but you don't want to alienate your fan base at the same time. Although it seems we're fairly optimistic about things as Rs fans this summer, so it might not be too much of a bad move.
I'm guessing Furs makes more money. Plus, of course, Furs will turn 40 in October! Still, I'm a bit surprised Nygaard will be offered a chance to return. He's reasonably productive when he plays, but is often injured and does disappear for long stretches even when he's healthy! Hopefully he won't be counted on as an every-game starter.
I wonder what keeping Nygaard could mean for the future of Ray Jones. Could he be sold or loaned out next season?
I'm hoping those two are forwards #3 & #4 next season. Both should get a good amount of playing time, but hopefully we can afford to bring in someone ahead of those two to partner with Blackstock. I wonder if Baidoo will be able to work his way back into contention for playing time (at midfield or forward) as Gregory didn't use him much at all.
As expected, the Lee Cook transfer speculation has begun. Some interesting quotes from John Gregory here... http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1786_2126255,00.html That's good news as far as I'm concerned. Make a good bit of cash by selling him to a Premiership club, or he remains with the Rs and helps a lot next season. Just have to hope that manager, chairman, player and agent can all work together on this.
Apparently we're looking at Dean Windass... http://ipswichtown.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=911&p=2&stid=8446759 What's the point of letting Furs go and buying Windass?? http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=8627
I don't know if we're actually interested, but... Windass is 1 1/2 years younger and scored 20 goals at this level this past season. Furlong is 1 1/2 years older and scored 2 goals this season. Edited to say, actually 12 of Windass' goals came at a level below. 8 came from January 20th onward, after his move to Hull in the Championship. Although he scored 8 goals at this level, he only scored in 4 games (one 3-goal game and two 2-goal games).
Marc Nygaard says talks are set to begin about a contract extension with the club. The story says he "is to be offered a new one-year deal."
18-year-old midfielder Kieron St. Aimie has signed a one-year contract with the club, his first professional contract. John Gregory's comments can be found here. Gregory doesn't see him "banging on the door just yet" but hopes he develops more this season.
I know he's already gone, but Steve Lomas appears to be shopping himself around MLS, possibly to aid Chicago in their quest to set a world record for most defensive midfielders on the field in one game.
Some more Lee Cook speculation... Fulham?? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...all.html?in_article_id=457150&in_page_id=1779 Or will he stay?? http://www.itv-football.co.uk/Story/0,14272,6107_2144523,00.html
Yesterday, I watched a new Cook interview on QPR World. He says his agent is keeping him informed of developments, that if an offer reaches a certain number he'll probably go, if they don't he's happy to stay, and he expects to at least be with the club for the start of pre-season training and we'll see from there.
I wonder what the base figure is for Cook's sale. The club seem to be advertising him for 5 mil. Fulham offered 1.5. I'd say he'd go for any offer over 3 million.
Birmingham are the latest club mentioned in the Lee Cook rumour mill... http://birminghamcity.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=902&p=2&stid=8447866
starting to think its just a matter of time, no matter what Cook and the R's say about wanting to stay.
Some ex-R's news: Gary Waddock has been named manager at Conference side Aldershot Town. He's been given a two-year contract. 37-year-old former QPR defender Rufus Brevett has retired after his release by Oxford United. Brevett played for QPR from 1991-98. He also played for West Ham (03-05), Fulham (98-03), Plymouth (05-06), Doncaster (88-91), Oxford (06-07), and Leicester (one game on loan). He made 171 appearances in all competitions for QPR. The R's bought him from Doncaster for £ 250,000 and sold him to Fulham for £ 375,000 after seven years in hoops (2/91-1/98).
Rs midfielder Tommy Doherty won the Wycombe supporters player of the season award (he was on loan there). Looks like there's a good chance he'll go there permanently this summer... http://www.wycombe.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=67830 http://www.clubcall.com/index.jsp?storyID=318254
The official site has announced [story 1, story 2] that youth-team defenders Andrew Howell and Aaron Goode have each signed one-year deals for their first professional contracts. 18-year-old Howell was captain of the R's U-18 side. The left-footed defender has one start for the first team, in the League Cup win this season against Northampton Town. He made 9 appearances for the reserves this season as well as captaining the U-18 side. Goode is an 18-year-old central defender. He played 13 times for the reserves, scoring one goal, as well as making 28 appearances for the U-18s, scoring three goals.