Post by QPR Report on Dec 22, 2008 9:40:31 GMT
Bump: 10 Years Ago
Assessing the beginnings of the Sousa Era! (Who knew how things would turn out!)
May have read them on my blog. If not, well worth reading.
Dave McIntyre/BBC 606 Steps in the right direction -
Rangers’ victory against Preston was thoroughly deserved – partly because of Paulo Sousa’s decision to go all out for the win with 10 minutes to go.
- Many people who work in the game and whose judgement I trust say that the hallmark of a good manager is a team that can switch formations seamlessly during a match.
- In that case, the early signs are very good for Rangers under Sousa.
- He confirmed after the game that the players had been practising a back-up formation should one be needed during a match.
- He didn’t really need to say this though, because it was obvious from the moment the change was made that the players were very clear about what was happening.
- Managers often change formations and personnel of course, usually when chasing a game.
- But more often than not, this means simply a sticking an extra body up front and switching to 4-3-3 or another system all players are familiar with.
- Saturday’s switch was a bit different. It involved a specific plan for when a win might be slipping away from Rangers and following Preston’s second equaliser, that plan was put into action.
- If a winning goal hadn’t arrived – or even if it had been scored by Preston – the fact such a plan was in place and Sousa was ready to make the change would itself have been an encouraging sign.
- Of course it’s easy to praise a coach/manager after a win or two.
- Most teams initially fare well under a new man and when they don’t, it’s often not something the manager is to blame for.
- These are still very early days for Sousa and although, like all managers, he’ll be judged by what happens on the pitch, what happens off it is just as important – especially at QPR these days.
- I was cynical about whoever took the job. In fact, I argued that it really didn’t matter who the coach/manager was.
- This is because the infrastructure at QPR means that a mere coach will only have a limited influence – no matter how good he is.- At most clubs, the manager is the public face of an array of staff he relies on heavily.
- Rangers might be cash-rich, but it is still the case that in many important ways they are the poor man of the Championship.
- For example, there is no chief scout or any credible scouting set-up to speak of.
- This is reflected in the club’s transfer policy of trying to use their money to sign Premier League or Championship players who already have a reputation.
- But it affects more than finding players. It also has a major impact on preparations for games and all sorts of other things that have a much bigger impact on results than what the coach does on a Saturday afternoon.
- You can be the best coach in the world but if your tactics are working a treat and the opposition bring on two players you know nothing about and who didn’t play when the opposing side were watched by someone from your club, then you’ve got a problem.- Background knowledge, contacts in the game and a strong backroom team are so important.
- Think of the great football Rangers played under the excellent Gigi De Canio, but also how many leads were conceded and how many equalisers were scored or set up by a substitute after a change of system by an opposing team.
- The really encouraging thing for Rangers – much more so than a couple of exciting home wins – is that Sousa seems to be taking some steps towards dealing with all this.-
The significance of Dani Parejo’s departure cannot be overstated. It needed to happen in order to undo past mistakes and show the other players who calls the shots.
- Damiano Tomassi’s days at Rangers are also numbered – another sign that the balance in power is shifting towards Sousa.
- And most significantly of all, after swatting up on English players and binging on DVDs, Sousa now seems to be identifying his own transfer targets – an immeasurable step forward for QPR at this stage.- “He knows what he wants. It’s his way or no way – that’s the bottom line," was how Damion Stewart recently described Sousa's style to me. Others paint a similar picture.
- If this trend continues in 2009, Rangers might be serious promotion candidates. If it doesn’t, no amount of money will ever be enough to get them out of the Championship.
- Stability and good management are much more important than money and if Sousa can bring some of both, Rangers can make real progress.
- You can hear Paulo Sousa’s thoughts on the Saturday’s game by clicking here.
= And look out for my colleague Paul Fletcher’s great blog on his visit to ‘The Boutique’ on a day when, funny enough, the ground actually felt more like the Loftus Road I used to know
__________________________
____________________________________________
Paul Fletcher/BBC Blog
BBC - Paul Fletcher blog - Times of change at QPR
21 Dec 08 Shepherds Bush, London, the Saturday before Christmas.
- Hordes of shoppers looking for some last-minute presents are piling into the recently-opened Westfield Centre, west London's mammoth new cathedral to capitalism.
- Several hundred yards away a church of a different kind is in session as QPR host Preston in their last fixture before Christmas.
- The festive season is in full evidence on the walk to the ground, with supporters discussing their plans and hawkers selling QPR Santa hats (the traditional red giving way to blue). The Superstore is also doing a roaring trade, with security operating a one in, one out system.
- In one sense it is a very traditional scene, one that could have been found at grounds the length and breadth of the country. Yet Loftus Road and QPR are changing. The club has been infused with its own touch of Italian style over the last year, with Flavio Briatore presiding over the Championship side.
- The 58-year-old Italian has been involved with the club since August 2007 and became chairman of QPR Holdings Ltd in February. Since then a succession of glamorous figures have been spotted at Loftus Road, while Briatore has begun to stamp his vision of Rangers upon the club.
- The directors box has been completely overhauled while the area around it is now known as the C Club. It is often fairly empty but its creation involved supporters who had sat in that area for many years being relocated to other parts of the ground. It is clearly a cause of some friction. Top-class dining can now be enjoyed at top restaurant Cipriani, which is built into the main stand, but for the majority of supporters their football grub still takes the form of a pie or a hotdog at the kiosks built into the stands.
- Ticket prices themselves remain an issue. I have a mate whose season ticket went up from £395 to £525 over the summer but he reckons that he was relatively fortunate; others went up by 50%.
- The mascot has been changed, with the historically relevant Jude the Cat giving way to a tiger, while the club has a new badge and rumours intermittently circulate to the effect that some at QPR would prefer a new name, one that included the word London.
- Briatore has made it clear that with Rangers' limited capacity - the ground holds less than 20,000 - he wants it to become a boutique brand. What does this mean?
- Inside the directors entrance is a very lush stand of designer clothes and trainers for sale. Prices aren't on display. The first time I saw it I wondered what it was. It oozes luxury. Perhaps this hints at the future.
- I was struck on my way to Loftus Road and, later, looking around
inside the ground at the number of supporters who are middle-aged. It is a purely anecdotal observation and could be totally wrong so I asked a couple of supporters whether they were concerned about where the next generation of fans are. They agreed it was a concern. Perhaps people are being priced out of watching Rangers? In the club's defence they have held some ticket promotions over recent games. Maybe they do understand the implications of the credit crunch on ordinary people.
- It is interesting talking with Rangers fans. They see Rangers as a welcoming, well-supported club with a fine tradition and a distinct place in London's footballing community. But I sense a definite unease about the future. No-one is sure where the club is heading but one thing is for sure. Nobody that I have talked to seemed prepared to sacrifice what they regard as the heart and soul of their club for success.
- Whatever people make of Briatore nobody could justifiably accuse him of lacking commitment. It is unusual for him to miss a home game and he has certainly not been scared to make decisions.
- Rangers, for example, are on their third manager of the season in former Portugal international Paulo Sousa. The appointment of Sousa is particularly interesting. It is his first managerial role after working with the coaching staff of the Portuguese national team and the early signs are that he is a man capable of succeeding under a chairman who is keen to be kept in the loop.
- A colleague of mine visited the training ground days after Sousa's arrival and was impressed with the knowledge he had already gained of the other teams in the Championship. Sousa has apparently watched DVD after DVD in order to bring himself up to speed.
- His team play a diamond formation in midfield and it looked extremely effective at times against Preston. Rangers lost the initiative after the break and North End equalised for the second time. Sousa made a decisive double substitution, with his team switching to a 3-4-3 formation. It is testimony to the coaching skills of Sousa that his team quickly looked comfortable after the change and went on to score a late winner.
- Sousa was quizzed about his formations by the press afterwards. A clearly intelligent man (he apparently speaks Spanish, Italian, French and English as well as some German and Greek in addition to his native Portuguese), Sousa was asked whether his diamond formation lacked width. I think he both impressed and confused some of the assembled media when he explained how his side are still able to exploit "lateral corridors".
- Parejo, a flagship Briatore signing in the summer on loan from Real Madrid, has returned to Spain since Sousa arrived, which suggested that he is keen to make his own decisions. Briatore's alleged influence on first-team affairs is the subject of plenty of rumours but Sousa explained on Saturday that he does not discuss strategy with his chairman. He handles himself with style and seems at ease in his role, though time will be the ultimate judge of his relationship with his chairman.
- The squad are extremely fit. Performamnce manager John Harbin has obviously done a superb job and it is no surprise that QPR have won two games this season - against Birmingham and Norwich - after having a player sent off.
- There is plenty of quality in the squad as well - Martin Rowlands, Lee Cook, Heidar Helguson - though what happens in January will probably have a big say on the rest of the season (though I think this was somewhat overstated on Saturday when the announcer said over the tannoy "The whole of football is waiting to see what QPR do in January.")
- No one is quite sure exactly who is bankrolling the club and to what extent - and Sousa would not be drawn on how much he has to spend in January - but the club does not lack cash. In addition to Briatore, Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone and the extraordinarily wealthy Mittal family are involved at Loftus Road. It prompted QPR fans to talk in terms of being the richest club in the world in the wake of their takeover, though Manchester City may well have that tag now.
- Briatore has made it clear he wants to see the club run properly; he wants to reorganise and build a strong brand. With a few shrewd signings in January it might be that Rangers win promotion this season. They, like so many other clubs, are hovering just below the play-off zone but their extra financial muscle could make the difference.
- Success is a balm to salve many pains and after years of financial uncertainty at Loftus Road, not to mention all sorts of bizarre stories such as guns in the boardroom, a return to the Premier League after a 13-year absence would doubtless bring great joy to many supporters.
- As the fans made their way out of the stadium on Saturday it was with a smile on their face. The club had given them an early Christmas present. Yet at the same time I cannot help wondering to what extent these supporters feature in the club's long-term vision of the future. BBC Blog
Assessing the beginnings of the Sousa Era! (Who knew how things would turn out!)
May have read them on my blog. If not, well worth reading.
Dave McIntyre/BBC 606 Steps in the right direction -
Rangers’ victory against Preston was thoroughly deserved – partly because of Paulo Sousa’s decision to go all out for the win with 10 minutes to go.
- Many people who work in the game and whose judgement I trust say that the hallmark of a good manager is a team that can switch formations seamlessly during a match.
- In that case, the early signs are very good for Rangers under Sousa.
- He confirmed after the game that the players had been practising a back-up formation should one be needed during a match.
- He didn’t really need to say this though, because it was obvious from the moment the change was made that the players were very clear about what was happening.
- Managers often change formations and personnel of course, usually when chasing a game.
- But more often than not, this means simply a sticking an extra body up front and switching to 4-3-3 or another system all players are familiar with.
- Saturday’s switch was a bit different. It involved a specific plan for when a win might be slipping away from Rangers and following Preston’s second equaliser, that plan was put into action.
- If a winning goal hadn’t arrived – or even if it had been scored by Preston – the fact such a plan was in place and Sousa was ready to make the change would itself have been an encouraging sign.
- Of course it’s easy to praise a coach/manager after a win or two.
- Most teams initially fare well under a new man and when they don’t, it’s often not something the manager is to blame for.
- These are still very early days for Sousa and although, like all managers, he’ll be judged by what happens on the pitch, what happens off it is just as important – especially at QPR these days.
- I was cynical about whoever took the job. In fact, I argued that it really didn’t matter who the coach/manager was.
- This is because the infrastructure at QPR means that a mere coach will only have a limited influence – no matter how good he is.- At most clubs, the manager is the public face of an array of staff he relies on heavily.
- Rangers might be cash-rich, but it is still the case that in many important ways they are the poor man of the Championship.
- For example, there is no chief scout or any credible scouting set-up to speak of.
- This is reflected in the club’s transfer policy of trying to use their money to sign Premier League or Championship players who already have a reputation.
- But it affects more than finding players. It also has a major impact on preparations for games and all sorts of other things that have a much bigger impact on results than what the coach does on a Saturday afternoon.
- You can be the best coach in the world but if your tactics are working a treat and the opposition bring on two players you know nothing about and who didn’t play when the opposing side were watched by someone from your club, then you’ve got a problem.- Background knowledge, contacts in the game and a strong backroom team are so important.
- Think of the great football Rangers played under the excellent Gigi De Canio, but also how many leads were conceded and how many equalisers were scored or set up by a substitute after a change of system by an opposing team.
- The really encouraging thing for Rangers – much more so than a couple of exciting home wins – is that Sousa seems to be taking some steps towards dealing with all this.-
The significance of Dani Parejo’s departure cannot be overstated. It needed to happen in order to undo past mistakes and show the other players who calls the shots.
- Damiano Tomassi’s days at Rangers are also numbered – another sign that the balance in power is shifting towards Sousa.
- And most significantly of all, after swatting up on English players and binging on DVDs, Sousa now seems to be identifying his own transfer targets – an immeasurable step forward for QPR at this stage.- “He knows what he wants. It’s his way or no way – that’s the bottom line," was how Damion Stewart recently described Sousa's style to me. Others paint a similar picture.
- If this trend continues in 2009, Rangers might be serious promotion candidates. If it doesn’t, no amount of money will ever be enough to get them out of the Championship.
- Stability and good management are much more important than money and if Sousa can bring some of both, Rangers can make real progress.
- You can hear Paulo Sousa’s thoughts on the Saturday’s game by clicking here.
= And look out for my colleague Paul Fletcher’s great blog on his visit to ‘The Boutique’ on a day when, funny enough, the ground actually felt more like the Loftus Road I used to know
__________________________
____________________________________________
Paul Fletcher/BBC Blog
BBC - Paul Fletcher blog - Times of change at QPR
21 Dec 08 Shepherds Bush, London, the Saturday before Christmas.
- Hordes of shoppers looking for some last-minute presents are piling into the recently-opened Westfield Centre, west London's mammoth new cathedral to capitalism.
- Several hundred yards away a church of a different kind is in session as QPR host Preston in their last fixture before Christmas.
- The festive season is in full evidence on the walk to the ground, with supporters discussing their plans and hawkers selling QPR Santa hats (the traditional red giving way to blue). The Superstore is also doing a roaring trade, with security operating a one in, one out system.
- In one sense it is a very traditional scene, one that could have been found at grounds the length and breadth of the country. Yet Loftus Road and QPR are changing. The club has been infused with its own touch of Italian style over the last year, with Flavio Briatore presiding over the Championship side.
- The 58-year-old Italian has been involved with the club since August 2007 and became chairman of QPR Holdings Ltd in February. Since then a succession of glamorous figures have been spotted at Loftus Road, while Briatore has begun to stamp his vision of Rangers upon the club.
- The directors box has been completely overhauled while the area around it is now known as the C Club. It is often fairly empty but its creation involved supporters who had sat in that area for many years being relocated to other parts of the ground. It is clearly a cause of some friction. Top-class dining can now be enjoyed at top restaurant Cipriani, which is built into the main stand, but for the majority of supporters their football grub still takes the form of a pie or a hotdog at the kiosks built into the stands.
- Ticket prices themselves remain an issue. I have a mate whose season ticket went up from £395 to £525 over the summer but he reckons that he was relatively fortunate; others went up by 50%.
- The mascot has been changed, with the historically relevant Jude the Cat giving way to a tiger, while the club has a new badge and rumours intermittently circulate to the effect that some at QPR would prefer a new name, one that included the word London.
- Briatore has made it clear that with Rangers' limited capacity - the ground holds less than 20,000 - he wants it to become a boutique brand. What does this mean?
- Inside the directors entrance is a very lush stand of designer clothes and trainers for sale. Prices aren't on display. The first time I saw it I wondered what it was. It oozes luxury. Perhaps this hints at the future.
- I was struck on my way to Loftus Road and, later, looking around
inside the ground at the number of supporters who are middle-aged. It is a purely anecdotal observation and could be totally wrong so I asked a couple of supporters whether they were concerned about where the next generation of fans are. They agreed it was a concern. Perhaps people are being priced out of watching Rangers? In the club's defence they have held some ticket promotions over recent games. Maybe they do understand the implications of the credit crunch on ordinary people.
- It is interesting talking with Rangers fans. They see Rangers as a welcoming, well-supported club with a fine tradition and a distinct place in London's footballing community. But I sense a definite unease about the future. No-one is sure where the club is heading but one thing is for sure. Nobody that I have talked to seemed prepared to sacrifice what they regard as the heart and soul of their club for success.
- Whatever people make of Briatore nobody could justifiably accuse him of lacking commitment. It is unusual for him to miss a home game and he has certainly not been scared to make decisions.
- Rangers, for example, are on their third manager of the season in former Portugal international Paulo Sousa. The appointment of Sousa is particularly interesting. It is his first managerial role after working with the coaching staff of the Portuguese national team and the early signs are that he is a man capable of succeeding under a chairman who is keen to be kept in the loop.
- A colleague of mine visited the training ground days after Sousa's arrival and was impressed with the knowledge he had already gained of the other teams in the Championship. Sousa has apparently watched DVD after DVD in order to bring himself up to speed.
- His team play a diamond formation in midfield and it looked extremely effective at times against Preston. Rangers lost the initiative after the break and North End equalised for the second time. Sousa made a decisive double substitution, with his team switching to a 3-4-3 formation. It is testimony to the coaching skills of Sousa that his team quickly looked comfortable after the change and went on to score a late winner.
- Sousa was quizzed about his formations by the press afterwards. A clearly intelligent man (he apparently speaks Spanish, Italian, French and English as well as some German and Greek in addition to his native Portuguese), Sousa was asked whether his diamond formation lacked width. I think he both impressed and confused some of the assembled media when he explained how his side are still able to exploit "lateral corridors".
- Parejo, a flagship Briatore signing in the summer on loan from Real Madrid, has returned to Spain since Sousa arrived, which suggested that he is keen to make his own decisions. Briatore's alleged influence on first-team affairs is the subject of plenty of rumours but Sousa explained on Saturday that he does not discuss strategy with his chairman. He handles himself with style and seems at ease in his role, though time will be the ultimate judge of his relationship with his chairman.
- The squad are extremely fit. Performamnce manager John Harbin has obviously done a superb job and it is no surprise that QPR have won two games this season - against Birmingham and Norwich - after having a player sent off.
- There is plenty of quality in the squad as well - Martin Rowlands, Lee Cook, Heidar Helguson - though what happens in January will probably have a big say on the rest of the season (though I think this was somewhat overstated on Saturday when the announcer said over the tannoy "The whole of football is waiting to see what QPR do in January.")
- No one is quite sure exactly who is bankrolling the club and to what extent - and Sousa would not be drawn on how much he has to spend in January - but the club does not lack cash. In addition to Briatore, Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone and the extraordinarily wealthy Mittal family are involved at Loftus Road. It prompted QPR fans to talk in terms of being the richest club in the world in the wake of their takeover, though Manchester City may well have that tag now.
- Briatore has made it clear he wants to see the club run properly; he wants to reorganise and build a strong brand. With a few shrewd signings in January it might be that Rangers win promotion this season. They, like so many other clubs, are hovering just below the play-off zone but their extra financial muscle could make the difference.
- Success is a balm to salve many pains and after years of financial uncertainty at Loftus Road, not to mention all sorts of bizarre stories such as guns in the boardroom, a return to the Premier League after a 13-year absence would doubtless bring great joy to many supporters.
- As the fans made their way out of the stadium on Saturday it was with a smile on their face. The club had given them an early Christmas present. Yet at the same time I cannot help wondering to what extent these supporters feature in the club's long-term vision of the future. BBC Blog
