A critical stage Just over two weeks before the start of Rangersâ pre-season campaign and it seems all is not well. A row over bonuses from last season has been averted, but the all-too familiar spectre of a stand-off between the manager and board is hanging over QPR once again. Iâve been told that promotion will cost the club around £10m in player bonuses. That could be a wild exaggeration, but what I do know for sure is that a number of players were unhappy â to put it mildly â when the squad didnât receive their bonuses in May. A settlement was reached when it was agreed the players would receive their bonuses at a later date. But a gulf between Warnock and the clubâs owners will also need to be closed if Rangersâ preparations for the Premier League arenât to be thrown into total chaos. Warnock told me shortly before the end of last season that he fully expected to be nudged towards a number of Italian players this summer, but most of his targets were English-based. For recently making public his frustration at missing out on some of those targets, Warnock angered his bosses and has since been reluctant to comment. Rangers do look close to getting a few of his preferred signings, especially in the case of Jimmy Bullard. But other potential deals have hit problems, including the mooted signing of Jay Bothroyd, which was shelved because of the proposed wages involved. Talks apparently resumed, and it looks like there is a fair chance the player will end up at Rangers. DJ Campbell has also been in talks, and again the signs there are positive. The club need â and expect â to confirm the signings of two to four players very soon, which would indicate that Warnock is getting his way. In 12 years of covering QPR, you could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times Iâve referred to a âsourceâ or âinsiderâ. I hate doing that. And there have been even fewer occasions on which Iâve been talked out of doing a story by the club. But late on Saturday night, after conversations with (here goes) club sources, I was talked out of circulating a story that Warnockâs relationship with the board was close to breaking point. I was assured that such a story would be proved wrong within a few days, as the club would definitely complete some signings and were making progress with other possible additions. For once, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt, partly because I knew much of what I was told to be true. But the situation has reached a critical stage and is, I understand, being monitored by the League Managersâ Association, which is a very significant development. The owners have never intended to fire Warnock, but his contract states that he has full control over transfers, and according to some inside the club, there is now a feeling that this stipulation may have been breached, which would apparently entitle him to a full pay-off were he to walk away. He made several excellent acquisitions last summer but there have been rumblings of discontent among his bosses over signings such as those of Petter Vaagen Moen, Leon Clarke and Rob Hulse. That may have been a factor in the sea-change during the second half of last season, when Bernie Ecclestone started having more of an influence behind the scenes and Gianni Paladiniâs involvement, which had been reduced, seemed to slightly increase. It is worth pointing out though that Paladini is a staunch ally of Warnock, who was very much his choice for the managerâs job â regardless of how things were portrayed at the time. I do believe the situation will be resolved, that Rangers will get over the line with at least a couple of signings in the next 48 hours, and that Warnock will still be in charge come August. But I have to admit Iâm less confident about that than I was this time last week.
Oh dear! I think that just confirms what most of the regulars on here have been saying over the past weeks. The fact that there has been nothing at all coming from the club itself, (other than pushing the sale of season tickets) indicated that all was not sweetness & like down at the Bush. And what is all this squit (Norfolk for nonsense) about player's bonus's? If they were on bonus's to get the club promoted, then pay up, because that's exactly what they did! I'm really concerned about the prospect of Sir Neil walking though, not sure how that would leave me feeling about the club.
Great, really brightend up my Thursday morning. I was hoping to wake up to the fact we have signed 2 players, not this. The takeover rumours seem to have gone quiet. Doom Doom Doom!!!
I actually think David M's report - if true - is ecellent news. Close to signing 3 -4 quality players, bonuses to be paid and a restructuring of the chains of command are no bad things. Problems arise through poor communication or indeed a lack of it. Come on now, if you owned QPR and had stumped up to buy Big Leon & the Hulseinator you might feel a little peeved too? PVM I think can't be grouped with the others as has been said elsewhere we all feel he has talent but when he signed NW had a settled side and was loathe to alter it. Next season NW will have to deploy more players and PVM will shine of that I am confident.
Smudge1962 Paul Smith @ @Filiranger It's meltdown at Loftus Road. I spoke to somebody close to Warnock and all is not well that's for sure
WBA thats certainly a different spin on the article. Ill go with your version as its better then how I read it i.e. situation has reached critical stage and is being monitored by the League Managers’ Association and Warnock’s relationship with the board is close to breaking point. I cant see that many positives in the article. Signing Bullard and DJ Campbell (although better than what we have) are hardly world beaters. Bothroyd would be good but the article suggests we are unlikely to get him as there is no way we'll pay £50k a week or anything near! Still I admire your optimism.
Unbelievable, can they not see before they left Warnock to get on with it, we were going down. Wot a bunch of clowns.
This is exactly why McIntyre should be welcomed onto this board and not slated as he has been by many. Who else knew of these developments? Certainly noone on here anyway..... Its crunch time by the looks of things, sounds like Warnock has upped the ante, 'sign these players or im off' in effect. Fingers crossed we get these guys as a season of turmoil and no Warnock isn't worth thinking about.
Northy - Dont panic!! Surely this is just a bit of hardball manouvering by all concerned. I can't see the board letting Warnock walk and Warnock wants to manage in the Prem. Its just Bern flexing his muscles and I am sure this will blow over. Now if David's article had said 'There is no news of signing any players at all' then I would join you on the metaphorical window ledge pal. The sun is shining and we're in the Prem. Have faith. NW is supported by Paladini who we all know is teflon.
i wish i had read this before i did my 45 day thread. this has knocked the wind out of my sails. what happened to the mittels buying the club.
More grim reading, although very interesting indeed... I agree with Bakes, we need to be welcoming David M on here, he has a lot to say that is worth listening to..
WBA - whilst I can understand you saying that the board maybe a bit peeved with the signings of Hulse, Clarke, PVM, it also doesn't make sense for them to suddenly want to employ ex Italian internationals that are in their late 30's and struggle to even get on the bench in their current teams, if at all playing. also, if they are so concerned with wasting money on the players mentioned - the words "pay offs to ex managers employed by QPR since we took over sems to be pretty much forgotten." The board should know by now that by interfering their dream of Champions League football just ain't gonna happen. To be honest I can only see agony and heartache for us Rangers fans whilst they destroy our club. NW has made something pretty damn decent after inheriting a complete mess. Flav, Bernie and Palaidin - you are the weakest links...bugger off
I'm getting so desperate that I actually wouldn't mind if Paldini started buying the players again as long as they were truly of Premiership class. Let's face it he did a top job of spotting Faurlin and Taarabt (even if he did screw up some of the paperwork ). And NWs strength is in forging players into a team rather than market research. Yes I know Kenny, Hill and Derry worked out fabulously but he had worked with them before and I for one am not willing to overlook the major cock-up of Rob Hulse. It could be he doesn't have the contacts for the level we are now at anyway. I don't care where they are source from but just get us some players capable of keeping us in the Prem. There is a risk NW will quit but that is the case anyway given the financial shackles he clearly has. Better to at least have quality players and a new manager than no players and no manager.
Ninj - Where does it say anywhere with any authority that we're signing ex Italian internationals?? Nowhere. Its all idle speculation chap. What peeves me about people around here at the moment is that they are putting 2+2 together and getting 6. Can anyone here say with 100% certainty whats going on behind the scenes? No. So I will say again, calm down and wait and see what gets reported on the offish site. We know from the accounts how much the board are losing each month. They are putting their money in. OK maybe there are too many ego's on parade at LR but look at the facts - WE ARE A PREMIERSHIP SIDE WE HAVE A GOOD CORE SQUAD WE HAVE OWNERS PREPARED TO LOSE MONEY(CURRENTLY) ON RUNNING OUR CLUB WE HAVE A TOP NOTCH MANAGER CLUB STATEMENT THIS MORNING REFERS TO NEW SIGNINGS Now my advice is to kick back, have a nice relaxing cup of Darjeeling and a hob-nob and plan which games you'll be at next season. I'm not being condescending (spelt wrongly as I'm rushing) but for Gawd's sake can't we all just take a step back from the cliff-edge and just wait and see how this pans out?
QPRnot606 not606 @ @davidmcintyre76 Will he make the start of the season Dave? Clocks ticking, only a matter of time -==============- davidmcintyre76 David McIntyre @ @QPRnot606 I think so yes. Would be very surprised if not.
Well there you go then. Right I'm off for a couscous & roasted vegetable salad. Don't top yourself whilst I'm at the deli ok?
WBA - the point I was trying to make is that we are linked with players (paper talk granted) that are italian that were good 10 years ago and THAT would prove to be a waste of money (my opinion only), and that although NW got it wrong with Clarke that they should cut him some slack. Who after all agreed that we should sign Pelican? And my whilst my brain is going, didn't we have an Italian left back aged 37 and a midfield player that last 10 games. I would love to ask the three amigos that run our club wha was the point in appointing a manager when you appear to not want him manage?
