The QPR Transfer News/Rumours Thread

I agree, Art. On QPR World, Holloway said that while we had him budgeted in for this year, even if we went up, we wouldn't be able to afford to pay him even what he's on now, much less a raise. Looks like there was no way we were keeping him.

In other news, as QPRKevinH noted in another thread, Kevin McLeod is on the bench tonight on loan, with a permanent deal coming shortly.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~412944,00.html

I had a question about loan limits and such (i.e., would taking him on loan for one game hurt us re: our loan limits). I took a look at the Football League site for answers to those questions.

You only get 8 short-term loans per year, with 4 on the team at any one time. Also, you can have up to 4 long-term loans (through the end of the season with no right of recall) on the team at a time made up of players under 23 years old as of 30 June before the season starts.

If either a short-term or long-term loan turns into a permanent transfer, it doesn't count against loan totals, so the McLeod quickie-loan won't limit us.

Also, if a short-term loan turns into a long-term one "simultaneously upon termination," it doesn't count against your short-term limit either.

http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/fans/view/third_feature/0,,10794,00.html
(see 47-49)

 

Just as quickly as it's rumored we're talking to Leon Knight, those talks have ended and it appears he'll be staying at Brighton.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~413917,00.html

Rangers sights are now in discussions with Luton Town's Tony Thorpe.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~414406,00.html

He's 29 years old and has 151 goals at various stops and scored twice in Luton Town's opening day victory and once against Yeovil in the Carling Cup.

According to Soccerbase, the 5'9 striker has 125 league goals for Luton (70), Bristol City (51), Fulham (3), and Reading (1). He's also scored 6 in the FA Cup, 11 in the League Cup, and 9 in other competitions.

 

Tony Thorpe has signed a two-year deal with the club. With Gallen, Furlong, Pacquette, Thorpe, and Sabin, we should now have what we need up front.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~414926,00.html

In addition, the club signed right back Richard Edghill for a month. That'll get us through the Forbes injury/suspension situation. The club site reports that after the month, the parties will consider whether to extend the deal.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~414706,00.html

Edghill is 28 (turns 29 next month) and has 180 starts for Man City in his career. He was let go by them last October and had spells for Wigan (one LDV Vans match) and Sheffield United (one First Division match) last season -- those were his only two first-team appearances last year.

He made just 13 appearances for Man City in '01/'02. In '00/'01, he made six Premiership appearances for Man City (and one in the FA Cup) and another three in the First Division while out on loan to Birmingham.

So, he's played at the higher levels before, but hasn't seen much football the last two years. He's not too old -- it looks like he'll get a chance to show if he still has what it takes to get it done at this level.

 

Damn. Not a huge surprise, but since it seemed he'd bring less in a transfer fee and would demand a smaller salary (meaning he'd be easier to keep next year if we go up) than Langley, I thought we'd keep him around.

You don't get a better pair than Carlisle and Shittu in our division -- if they do make the sale, I sure hope they have an idea about the replacement, as we have really no depth there (we're forced to move Palmer, Rose, Forbes, etc., into the center if either goes down).

 

With the entrance of Clarke Carlisle into rehab, it looks like he'll be with us for awhile. Last week, when the speculation was he was going to be sold, there was word (published in last Thursday's Gazette and then by BBC at the link below) that Olly was targeting Icelandic national team player Ivar Ingimarsson if Carlisle was sold. Ingimarsson formerly played for Brentford and is currently in the reserves at Wolves.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/3195777.stm

With no movement of Carlisle for awhile, if at all, I guess we won't have the cash for such a move. We'll see.

Also of note, Ben Walshe has been loaned for a month to Conference side Gravesend & Northfleet.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~420474,00.html

 

Arthur Gnohere has come from Burnley on a month's loan. The central defender has four appearances for them this year and has made 80 appearances for them since joining from a French club in August '01.

He started one league match and a CC match for them this year, and has substituted twice in league matches, including the last two weekends.

They just signed a new defender (Andy Todd from Blackburn) and their manager noted that it's only for a month (the length of the Carlisle rehab) and they only have one reserve match this month, so it'll be good to get the player some first-team action.

Looks like we lucked out a bit in finding a suitable short-term substitute for Carlisle -- or, rather than lucked out, Holloway and Jackett have pulled off another good move.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~420784,00.html

http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10413~420772,00.html?ptvParm=

 

Tom Williams has returned to Birmingham City because, so says Holloway, he couldn't be guaranteed first team football. Of course, he's started four and subbed in one of our six games (only Palmer, Shittu, Furlong, and Day have started all six, with Rowlands doing 5(1)), but I guess he wasn't satisfied with the fact that if our First XI are healthy, he'd be on the bench. He's been a good player for us and I wish him all the best.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~421979,00.html

 

John Halls (21-year-old under contract to Arsenal - only three League Cup substitute appearances for the Gunners - whose first team football experience seems otherwise to be limited to 6 starts for Colchester in Jan/Feb '02) and Matt Carragher (28-year-old with over 200 total starts for Port Vale and over 100 starts for Wigan before that) played for Rangers in the reserve match this week, each spending a half at right back and a half at center back.

The official site said they were both "solid throughout" (although someone couldn't have been too solid, since we lost 0-3!):
http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~422527,00.html

QPRnet said they both looked more at home at right back:
http://queensparkrangers.rivals.net//default.asp?sid=925&p=2&stid=8321597

 

Rangers youth players Marien Ifura and Martyn Williams have gone out on a month's loan to get some first-team action.

Defender Ifura is going to Farnborough Town, who sits in last place in the Nationwide Conference with 3 points from 8 games. With a -11 goal differential, they can certainly use some help in the back.

Forward Williams is off to Sutton United, who sits in 7th place, 7 points from the top, in the Ryman League Premier Division table.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~427304,00.html

 

In need of defensive cover, the Rangers brought in former Wimbledon, Newcastle, and Derby man Warren Barton on a non-contract basis. He was just released by Derby at the end of September.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~433663,00.html

 

Arthur Gnohere has been recalled by Burnley. They lost 6-1 to Ipswich Town last night and must be interested in making a move in defense.

The timing is OK for us, since Carlisle is back, Forbes is playing well in central defense, and Shittu's rehab (and Rose's) is on track.

Arthur has done a great job for us. Thanks to him and to Burnley for loaning him to us in a time of fairly dire need.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~438316,00.html

 

Wes Daly has been loaned out to Conference side Gravesend & Northfleet for a month.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~445773,00.html

Also, the commentator during the Stockport County/QPR match mentioned that Richard Edghill has extended his contract, signing with Rangers through the end of the season.

 

Our current injury difficulties have caused Olly to call Wes Daly back from the loan well early.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~448328,00.html

 

Rumors now have Spurs looking to buy Marc Bircham when the transfer window opens in January.

All these reports refer to a Star on Sunday report:

http://www.tribalfootball.com/november/englsnews3161103.html

http://www.football365.com/All_News/Premiership_News/story_90217.shtml

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3274479.stm

Here's the thread over on the Spurs Big Soccer board. I've chipped in my two cents there:

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=82550

 

After four months and just over twenty games (with only four goals) in South Korea, Jamie Cureton wants to return to England and two articles have tipped QPR as "favorites" or "most likely" to sign him. The K-League season just ended and his contract, meant to include another full season, was terminated by mutual consent as he wanted to return to England after having failed to settle into the Korean lifestyle (and having been dropped to the bench), according to the reports.

With Thorpe, Furlong, and Gallen fighting for two spots and Pacquette and Sabin available, I don't know that QPR would want to take on much in the way of wages for, at best, a fourth striker. Pre-Thorpe, signing Cureton seemed to make a lot of sense, but it seems less likely to me now.

http://www.getreading.co.uk/story.asp?intid=8282

http://www.footymad.net/leagues/loadfnws.asp?id=129206&teamno=437

And, why not, an 11/9 story from the Korea Times mentioning a recent match in which he scored twice:

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/sports/200311/kt2003110920273911650.htm

 

Dan Shittu, whose contract was set to end in May '04, has signed a two-year extension with the club, likely keeping Big Dan at Loftus Road through May '06. The deal is just one year if we don't get promoted (the stories don't say whether that's "promoted this year" or "either this year or next"), but two if we do go up.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~453163,00.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/3285237.stm

Hollway said "Hopefully, he will be the first of many" to resign with the club.

 

Dennis Oli is going out on a month's loan to Gravesend & Northfleet. Ben Walshe is still there on loan, while Wes Daly's loan there was cut short when Olly called him back due to injuries on our club.

http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~453428,00.html

 

Thanks! Big Dan and Super Clarke are my favorite players -- I'm very pleased we got Dan signed for two more years.

Chim Chimminy
Chim Chimminy
Chim Chim Cheroo
Who Needs Sol Campbell
When We've Got Shittu!?!

 

No problem. We're always happy to get whatever first-hand opinions you have time to send along.

------

In transfer news...

Marc Bircham says he doesn't want to leave QPR.

"I don't want to leave the club. I can't believe they'd (Tottenham) be coming in for anyone because they haven't got a manager at the moment. I'm quite happy to stay at this club for another 10 years and I didn't expect to get anything sorted out until after Christmas. It's not as if I'm in a great rush. It's probably the happiest I've ever been. It's flattering for a Premiership club to show an interest but I went away with Canada and I had 20 missed calls saying please don't join Tottenham."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/3224838.stm

Speaking of Birch, he got his fifth yellow a couple of games back, so will miss the Sheffield Wednesday match. If Bircham keeps missing the matches I attend, I'm going to begin to take it personally. He played in just one of the three matches I made last season (the Play-Off Final), and was out of this year's Chesterfield match through injury. He's been with the club two years, this'll be my fifth game in that time frame, and I'll have seen him ONCE!

My girlfriend and I are going over for her birthday and will make the Brighton LDV match -- Birch, you'd better be out there!

 

The Gazette reported that former R's striker Danny Dichio was interested in returning to QPR (and that we were his first choice), but he was turned down and may now possibly heading to Millwall. He was said to be out of favor at WBA and has just come off a month's loan to Derby.

http://www.queensparkrangersfc.com/papers2111.htm

Reports elsewhere say that Derby wanted to extend his loan, but WBA said no, saying "two London clubs are in the running to sign the 29-year-old either on loan or on a permanent transfer" (guess that's us and Millwall)...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/3283367.stm

...however, since then it seems that due to other injuries, Dichio may start for WBA this weekend and their manager says "'Derby wanted to take Danny on loan again while two other clubs have come in for him. But loaning Danny out is not something we can do at the moment and is not something we will do in the near future. We have got a very full programme and Lee (Hughes) has not trained so far this week."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=283809&cc=5901