Post by QPR Report on Jul 8, 2009 12:30:33 GMT
Ben Kosky Kilburn Times
Middle East trip still in the pipeline
QPR are hoping to reschedule their postponed trip to the Middle East during an international break next season.
Rangers had arranged to play the Bahrain national team in a friendly at the end of last season as part of their sponsorship deal with Gulf Air.
A clash with the Asian Football Confederation elections was given as the reason for calling the match off, although there was also little enthusiasm among the Rs' squad for playing in temperatures of around 40 degrees.
QPR's deputy managing director Ali Russell admitted: "Fitting it into the calendar is difficult. Pre-season is extremely hot in that part of the world and it wouldn't have been suitable.
"However, there may be an international break we can look at and we're in discussions with the federation, who were very apologetic that they weren't able to fulfil the original fixture.
"We have a great partnership with the kingdom of Bahrain through Gulf Air and we want QPR to be the team of choice there, both for locals and ex-pats.
"Our Community team have been out there coaching kids and helping people to enjoy football the QPR way, so we're moving onto the next phase, to have the team play in the country and get people excited about that."
Meanwhile, Rangers will head to Slovenia and Croatia for a week-long training camp after their opening pre-season friendly at Aldershot Town this Saturday.
Much-travelled striker David Connolly, who was released by Sunderland at the end of last season and is training at Loftus Road, is likely to feature for the Rs at Aldershot.
Argentinean midfielder Alejandro Faurlin, who signed a three-year contract with Rangers on Tuesday, may have to wait for his debut as international clearance is yet to be granted.
www.kilburntimes.co.uk/content/camden/kilburntimes/QPR/story.aspx?brand=KLBTOnline&category=QPRNews&tBrand=KLBTOnline&tCategory=defaultQPR&itemid=WeED08%20Jul%202009%2012%3A38%3A40%3A380
Middle East trip still in the pipeline
QPR are hoping to reschedule their postponed trip to the Middle East during an international break next season.
Rangers had arranged to play the Bahrain national team in a friendly at the end of last season as part of their sponsorship deal with Gulf Air.
A clash with the Asian Football Confederation elections was given as the reason for calling the match off, although there was also little enthusiasm among the Rs' squad for playing in temperatures of around 40 degrees.
QPR's deputy managing director Ali Russell admitted: "Fitting it into the calendar is difficult. Pre-season is extremely hot in that part of the world and it wouldn't have been suitable.
"However, there may be an international break we can look at and we're in discussions with the federation, who were very apologetic that they weren't able to fulfil the original fixture.
"We have a great partnership with the kingdom of Bahrain through Gulf Air and we want QPR to be the team of choice there, both for locals and ex-pats.
"Our Community team have been out there coaching kids and helping people to enjoy football the QPR way, so we're moving onto the next phase, to have the team play in the country and get people excited about that."
Meanwhile, Rangers will head to Slovenia and Croatia for a week-long training camp after their opening pre-season friendly at Aldershot Town this Saturday.
Much-travelled striker David Connolly, who was released by Sunderland at the end of last season and is training at Loftus Road, is likely to feature for the Rs at Aldershot.
Argentinean midfielder Alejandro Faurlin, who signed a three-year contract with Rangers on Tuesday, may have to wait for his debut as international clearance is yet to be granted.
www.kilburntimes.co.uk/content/camden/kilburntimes/QPR/story.aspx?brand=KLBTOnline&category=QPRNews&tBrand=KLBTOnline&tCategory=defaultQPR&itemid=WeED08%20Jul%202009%2012%3A38%3A40%3A380
