I would love to know what wages these very welcome additions to our club are on. Not only because I'm nosey but also, and marginally more importantly, because their terms and conditions will set the benchmark for team QPR under Ferdinand and Ramsey for the season ahead
Gladwin & Luongo - The Swindon View Vital Swindon gives us their views on QPR's latest acquisitions - Massimo Luongo & Ben Gladwin. Here Vital Swindon gives us the low-down on the latest players through the door in W12. MASSIMO LUONGO When Mass arrived at the County Ground, I expected a lot simply because he came from a Premier League team. Spurs clearly rated him very highly as they wanted a good sell on clause for him. In fact 50% of the transfer fee QPR just paid us goes to Tottenham. Mass started off well in our playoff season which lead to a permanent transfer for £200,000. Luongo bossed the midfield and was a key player last season and finally got recognition to get an Australia call up. At the start of this season, Luongo was something really special, a classy player who would lead the midfield with Yaser Kasim and justifiably got called up to the Australian National team to play in the Asian Cup in Australia this past January. His performances by all accounts carried over to the Asian Cup where Australia won it and Mass was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. When he returned speculation mounted that he would be heading away from Swindon to the Premier League. When he returned he went straight back into the team expected to carry on the Asian Cup performances however he looked disinterested and was a shell of the player that played for us up until the Asian Cup apart from one game where he scored a hat trick. Our chairman admits he was poor but puts this down to injuries. From a Swindon point of view, I'm glad he is gone. He constantly said he wanted to go so I'm glad he is gone as he was clearly not playing his best as he had a move this summer on his mind. I'm not bitter but it's good to have the distraction out of the way. I fully expect him to return to the player he was and be an asset at QPR. Chris Ramsey who had connections to Swindon Town is a great coach, he will get the best out of Mass no doubt about it and when he gets going he will be an exciting player as he will want to make the next step up to the Premier League. BEN GLADWIN Bit of a surprise when we signed him. He was playing at Marlow when we brought him in after failing to make the grade at Reading. (Sound familiar Charlie Austin). Started off looking out of his depth as you'd expect but really flourished this season. Has a great eye for goal as a midfielder. The second half of this season he was immense. Personally I'd say the move to QPR probably came a season too early or at the least half a season too early. I saw Gladwin as a replacement for Luongo to be honest. Gladwin has only really had a great second half to this past season. His numbers are somewhat misleading. Yes he has an eye for a goal but keep in mind he scored seven in eight towards the end of the season. Good by anyone's measure but he is still a bit raw. Ideally for his development I'd see him maybe coming back to us on loan until end of December and then if he does well, then head into QPR. There is no doubt he has the talent but I think he needs a bit of work as he is a bit raw. He will come good but the QPR fans will need to be patient as I believe he will make mistakes to start with. QPR fans need to remember where he came from only 2 years ago. Given time and if he continues as he has, he will be a good player. A mixed bag there - but here's to hoping Rangers can continue to develop their new captures into top-half Championship talents. Read more: http://www.qpr.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=401193#ixzz3bTTGwX5s
And there's this from Clive.............. A line in the sand – Signing Thursday, 28th May 2015 22:26 by Clive Whittingham QPR have made a clear statement of their new intent by moving quickly to secure a pair of promising 22-year-olds from Swindon, but they must work hard to ensure they don’t suffer the same fate as their predecessors. Facts Australian-born Massimo Luongo is a 22-year-old ball-playing midfielder, schooled in Tottenham’s academy and part of the Swindon Town team defeated in the League One play-off final by Preston at Wembley at the weekend. He scored six goals and had eight assists to his name last season, and made the division’s Team of the Year, leading to links with Aston Villa this summer where former Spurs academy head Tim Sherwood is, of course, now manager. Luongo was also named Player of the Tournament at January’s Asian Cup, where he scored in the final for Australia as they beat South Korea 2-1. Read the rest here ... http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/38756/?
Facts Australian-born Massimo Luongo is a 22-year-old ball-playing midfielder... Bloody good job too! If he was a violin-playing midfielder we would be fooked...
Whilst early signings these are two very welcome & much needed additions/replacements, the first of many we're going to need.
LES FERDINAND: ‘THEY JUST WANT TO PLAY’ please log in to view this image PUBLISHED 10:00 29th May 2015 by @QPRFC Director of Football Les Ferdinand offers his assessment on QPR's two new acquisitions ... Les Ferdinand offers his assessment on Massimo Luongo and Ben Gladwin Pair signed from Swindon Town on Thursday Ferdinand previously worked with Australian Luongo at Tottenham DIRECTOR of Football Les Ferdinand has praised new signings Massimo Luongo and Ben Gladwin for spurning the advances of Premier League clubs in favour of regular first team football at Loftus Road. The duo – who both signed three year contracts in W12 on Thursday – each had opportunities to move to top-flight clubs, but opted for a move to Loftus Road instead. Ferdinand believes that shows exactly the right characteristics that QPR will require in the 2015/16 campaign, commenting: “There were big clubs courting both Mass and Ben, but they’ve come here because they want to play and develop as players. “They could’ve easily opted to go to a Premier League club, where their playing opportunities would’ve probably been more limited, but they’ve shown a great desire to come here and wear the QPR shirt, and it’s that kind of hunger that we’re looking for when we recruit this summer.” “They’re hungry, they’re excited and they’re keen to show the QPR fans why they’re so highly-rated.” image: http://www.qpr.co.uk/cms_images/player/massimo-luongo-portrait-61364-2474862.jpg please log in to view this image FLARE: Ferdinand hopes Massimo Luongo will add some spice to QPR's side Ferdinand added: “We’re trying to get business done early. “We’ve lost a lot of players – those who are out of contract and those whose loans are up – so we want to get a head-start in the market if we can. “This is a signal of our intent, because these two lads were in great demand from a lot of clubs, including a couple from the Premier League. “They are both players of great potential, but they are very-much in the development stages of their careers. I know QPR fans want to see players such as Mass and Ben at the club, and I ask them to give the pair support and patience as they continue to grow as players.” Ferdinand and QPR Head Coach, Chris Ramsey, worked at close quarters with Luongo during his time in the Tottenham Hotspur Academy and the former is confident the Australian international midfielder will thrive under their guidance once again in W12. “Both myself and Chris have known Mass for some time,” Ferdinand told www.qpr.co.uk. “He’s a player we’ve always believed could play at a high level and this is an opportunity now for him to step up from League One into the Championship at a club that will give him a chance to play. “His energy and dynamism from midfield are just what you need in the Championship. “He’s already a very good player – he was voted player of the tournament in the Asia Cup earlier this year – but there’s so much more to come from him. “He wants to learn and he wants to develop – he will only get better at QPR, I’m convinced of that.” image: http://www.qpr.co.uk/cms_images/player/ben-gladwin-61364-2474866.jpg please log in to view this image FAVOURITE: QPR's Director of Football believes Gladwin (above) will get the fans going Gladwin’s rise to prominence from Non-League to Football League has been well documented in the last 18 months, and Ferdinand admits he sees similarities with how himself and Charlie Austin progressed through the ranks. “Ben’s one of those great Non-League stories – someone who’s come out of the pyramid and really taken to life as a professional,” he said. “He had an excellent season with Swindon last term, and with further coaching and development, he’s got a great opportunity take his game to the next level with us and really show everyone what he’s all about. “The fans will love him – he’ll get them on their feet – and I’m sure he’ll relish the step up.” Read more at http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/q...-ben-gladwin-2474867.aspx#heLpsVI4fYdaDXXG.99
Just watched the youtube vids of their goals - what impressed me was that both are pacey, both seem to have an eye for where the spaces will be, they have quick feet, aren't afraid to shoot from distance, and look strong enough to hold the ball up when necessary. If they carry on like that for us, they will be very good signings.
