please log in to view this image please log in to view this image PUBLISHED 12:45 21st August 2012 by @OfficialQPR Stuart Webber, Hans Gillhaus and Steve Hitchen join QPR ... QUEENS Park Rangers Football Club is delighted to announce the appointments of Chief Scouts Stuart Webber, Hans Gillhaus and Steve Hitchen. Having previously worked with Wrexham, Webber joined Liverpool’s academy in 2009 as a Senior National Scout before progressing to become their Director of Recruitment in 2011 where he remained until taking up his post with QPR. Webber, who will be based in England, told www.qpr.co.uk: “The attraction for me was the opportunity to work at first team level. “Mike Rigg contacted me and I respect him greatly for the work he has done previously at Manchester City as well as what he is doing at QPR. “When he unveiled the club’s plans, this was a no-brainer. It’s a great club and everyone seems to be pulling in the same direction so it was a very easy decision. “We are going to be a tight-knit group and will be looking to recruit players from all over. We will be looking at players right across the board from the top-end all the way through.” Gillhaus spent more than five years with PSV Eindhoven before joining Chelsea where he remained for six years as a senior scout. Last year Gillhaus, who represented Holland during his playing days and is based in his homeland, was Sporting Director at Belgian side S.V. Zulte Waregem. “This is perfect because there is something we can do here that is really possible,” he said. “I am here because of the ambition that is being shown by QPR.” Hitchen, who will be based in France, has been with Liverpool for the past two years after enjoying five years at Tottenham. Now he is looking forward to his new role with QPR. “Mike Rigg played a big part in my decision to come here,” said Hitchen. “I know how he works. He has got great focus and knows exactly where the club should be going. “When he first called I must confess a little bit of football snobbery kicked in. I wasn’t sure it was the right move but when he explained the direction of the scouting system here, it really appealed.” http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/chief-scouts-appointed-325627.aspx
All sounds very good - I just hope they've got some dossiers ready for a couple of CB's, a defensive midfielder and a striker. And, maybe, a keeper....
I guess we need any bit of good news. The 'bigger picture' is that Tony's project roles on unabated by a single defeat, albeit an unexpected and surprising one. I think that is good news and fills me with some hope for the future even if we lose the first few games. It remains a marathon. COYRss!!
please log in to view this image PUBLISHED 10:39 21st August 2012 by @OfficialQPR Kevin Cruickshank joins the club QUEENS Park Rangers Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Kevin Cruickshank as Scouting Coordinator. Cruickshank initially worked under QPR manager Mark Hughes at Blackburn and spent four-and-a-half years at Ewood Park before leaving in the summer. Despite having an opportunity to join another Premier League side, Cruickshank has opted for the challenge presented to him by Râs Technical Director Mike Rigg. âMike is an infectious guy and when he told me about the plans for the club, it was something I wanted to be involved in,â Cruickshank told www.qpr.co.uk âI got a phonecall out of the blue from him, asking what my situation was. I had actually been approached by another Premier League club but once I met up with Mike and he explained the plans for QPR, it was a role I really wanted to get my teeth into. âTony Fernandes has got great vision for the future here and you can tell he is a very passionate man. Itâs an exciting time to be here.â Cruickshank will head up the scouting operation at Loftus Road, and he admitted: âItâs a blank canvas here. There are six existing scouts but apart from that, thereâs nothing. âWe are putting a whole new structure in place here now with regards to European and worldwide travel as we look to expand the network and build a database of players that we want to bring into the football club. âThese days you probably scout more to discover less because there are so many scouts around now and the networks are so vast. âWe must make sure we work hard to stay one step ahead of the rest. We want to discover potential players earlier than anyone else. âWe have to look globally. We all know about players in certain parts of south America such as Brazil and Argentina, but what about other countries within that area? And the quality in Asia is undoubtedly improving too. We have got to stay on top of everything. We must be aware of these growing markets.â With the summer transfer window drawing to a close, Cruickshank admits player acquisition is at the forefront of his thinking, but it seems this will always be the case. âAt this time of year, thatâs obviously the most important thing,â he added. âWe have got just under two weeks left now of the transfer window. âBut as soon as that closes, we are already scouting with the January window in mind. Plus we are thinking ahead to the following summer, and the January window after that. Itâs an on-going process. âWe have got to be that prepared.â http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/scouting-coordinator-arrives-325319.aspx?pageView=full#anchored
Webber, Gillhaus and Hitchen - grand old firm of market town solicitors. Quite good at conveyancing but a bit slow.
Nice one centurion , or The Webber Gillhaus Hitchen your perfect partner for safe reliable caravan touring
The Webber, Gillhaus, Hitchen Syndrome - a disease of the nervous system unique to men paid large amounts of money to watch young boys play football. "I was doing some research and that picture downloaded itself, officer"
Great to see the infrastructure building up. With the number of players coming into the club it's important to have a good legal team set up for those contracts!!!
This is getting comprehensive. Our chief scout now has chief scouts and we have a chief scout coordinator to coordinate them. Seriously, though, once again, it shows intent to be a first class outfit
Hopefully they know a few players under 30. No point having these people at the club if we are just going to go after mercenaries after one last big pay day.
With Gillhaus in Holland and Hitchen in France you can be sure that we won't go signing any golden oldies no more. “We must make sure we work hard to stay one step ahead of the rest. We want to discover potential players earlier than anyone else." Kevin Cruickshank, Scouting Coordinator. You can rest easy mate, we are moving in the right direction.