Mackie: The more the merrier!

Posted on: Mon 30 Jul 2012

Jamie Mackie is getting ready for his third season with QPR. In that time he has seen the Club transformed from a Championship outfit into a squad full of players with vast Premier League experience.

And while the "big-name" arrivals undoubtedly helped QPR retain their top-flight status last term, no-one would question the key role played in our success by the former Plymouth man.

Since the end of the season R's gaffer Mark Hughes has added seven new faces but Mackie, who scored THAT winner against Liverpool at Loftus Road in March, is not fazed.

"I don't really see the new arrivals as a direct challenge for my place in the team," the 26 year-old www.qpr.co.uk. "I do what I do, and the Manager picks me accordingly when he feels he needs me.

"I want to play as many games as possible and I'm ready and raring to go. When new players come in with great quality, it's only a good thing for the Club.

"I hope more and more come in because it will make us a better Premier League outfit."

There have been suggestions Mackie could leave Loftus Road for pastures new, prompting Chairman Tony Fernandes to tweet recently: 'For all QPR fans we have no no no intention to sell him. He's a QPR man.'

"I wasn't aware of that," Mackie said of the owner's comment, adding: "I am just concentrating on being ready for the start of the season. My head is down and I am working hard as always.

"My personal target is to play as many Premier League games as possible, just like last year. I want to be a regular fixture in the side. If I can achieve that, it will go down as a good season for me."

Mackie and his team-mates recently returned from a 12-day stay in south-east Asia. The scenes of delirium which greeted the squad wherever they went are still a talking point in the dressing room.

"The amount of interest took us all by surprise, it was crazy," Mackie said. "It was amazing to see how passionate the fans were out there, it was brilliant and a great experience."

With the new season less than three weeks away, Mackie believes the Club is now better prepared to dine at the top table of English football.

"It's a lot more settled now and is in a far better place than it was this time last year," he said. "New lads are coming in all the time which is great and it was good that quite a few of them got the chance to come on tour with us because it gave us the opportunity to get to know them.

"That's the great thing about tours, you get to know the new faces a lot quicker."

And with a month of pre-season training behind him, Mackie says he feels ready for the new campaign. "I feel good," he said.

"Training has been great and is at a really high tempo. We've done loads of football work and I am getting sharper by the day."
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2865442,00.html




The ultimate nightmare player for a newbie to fight for a place in the team against

 

30/07/2012
by West London Sport

Jamie Mackie has insisted that he is happy to fight for his place in the QPR side.

West Ham and Southampton have been linked with the Scotland forward, whose future has been questioned following the arrival of the likes of Junior Hoilett and Andy Johnson.

And Blackburn manager Steve Kean is said to have wanted to take Mackie to Ewood Park as part of a deal for the out-of-contract Hoilett, whose transfer fee is likely to be set by a tribunal.

But Mackie told QPR’s website: “I don’t really see the new arrivals as a direct challenge to my place in the team.

“I’m just concentrating on being ready for the start of the season. My head is down and I am working hard as always.”
http://www.westlondonsport.com/west-london-sport/forward-keen-to-stay-at-qpr-despite-being-linked-with-move

 

He takes the challenges as exactly that - competition that he will do everything he can to win - I love reading his comments.

 

Sound man our Jamie. Hard not to like him.

 

In Jamie's case I'd be very surprised if he said (or did) anything different. Probably the ultimate R atm!

 

Jamie surprised a fair few last season and he'll do the same again this season. Having extra quality in the squad can only help continue his development which has so far been nothing short of astronomical in my opinion, especially when you factor in the double leg break.

 

top man. model pro. the kind of bloke you could take on a session and be assured he wouldn't duck his round!

 

yep, he is Gareth Ainsworths natural successor.

 

Proved me wrong and I'm delighted about it. But if he thinks the new arrivals aren't a direct challenge to his game time he might have a nasty surprise...

 

Top man at the mo...very hard to see why we would sell him......

 

He keeps getting better and better. A true hard working professional. Would get a place over Barton in my opinion.

 

I have been a fan for as long as we wore our kit - and I still haven't forgiven Blackburn - that same Blackburn, for the broken leg whcih cost him, and us, dealy a couple of years back.

I know - that's football