Post by Macmoish on Nov 6, 2013 7:27:12 GMT
Kaspars Gorkss Turns 40
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspars_Gork%C5%A1s
Full name Kaspars Gorkšs
Date of birth 6 November 1981
Place of birth Riga, Latvia
...
2006–2008 Blackpool 50 (6)
2008–2011 Queens Park Rangers 114 (6)
2011–2014 Reading 81 (7)
2005– Latvia 88 (5)
Flashback: Joins QPR - after some "controversy"
METRO/Matt Nash - Gorkss: I never had any doubt about my move to QPR
- KASPARS GORKSS insists he has never regretted his decision to join the QPR revolution.
- The Latvia international's protracted move from Blackpool last summer eventually went through and since then the 27-year-old has played under three Rangers bosses already - Iain Dowie, Gareth Ainsworth and now Paulo Sousa.
- With the Hoops tenth in the Championship ahead of the visit of Ipswich this Saturday Gorkss claims he has never looked back, despite Blackpool giving him his vital break in the English game.
- 'I enjoyed it here at QPR from the very first day,' he explained. 'My mind was made up to join the club, although the move did not go as smooth as I'd have hoped.
- 'As for promotion, we're all geared up and as a player you want to play for the ambitious teams. I have ambitions to play in the Premier League and so does this club.'
- But with billionaire Formula One chiefs Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore among those bankrolling Rangers' bid for top-flight football, the pressure is growing on the players to reach their goal of the play-offs this season.
- Gorkss, though, insists pressure is everywhere in football now and that playing at Loftus Road is no different to any other club.
- 'There's always pressure at a club whose ambitions are to go up, there's a fair deal of pressure,' the defender admitted.
- 'That's normal these days in football but the owners of the club come to see us, to give us their support.'
- Gorkss believes key signings in January are the main reason QPR have an advantage over their rivals as the season enters a crucial period.
- Popular winger Lee Cook, a lifelong Rangers fan, striker Heidar Helguson and forward Wayne Routledge were among the new faces brought in by Sousa during the transfer window and Gorkss added: 'The signings have added so much.
- 'With three up front we have the perfect players to play that way. Lee's a great player and I just hope we can avoid injries now.
- 'I think we are concentrating on the play-offs but if it goes really well we'll see [about automatic promotion].' Metro.co.Uk
Flashback
QPR Official Site EXCLUSIVE: LATVIAN ACE PENS DEAL
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Latvian international defender Kaspars Gorkss.
The 26 year-old has put pen to paper on a three year deal, after the R's agreed an undisclosed fee with Blackpool for his services.
Rangers beat off stiff competition from a host of Championship Clubs for the defender's signature, to the delight of First Team Coach Iain Dowie.
"Kaspars knows we intend to play good, attractive football, and he wants to be a part of it," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"We've signed an international defender who has a great physical presence, good pace and is comfortable on the ball. He's an ambitious lad who wants to take his game forward."
Dowie added: "He had a fantastic season last year with Blackpool and I consider him to be an excellent acquisition for now, and for the future.
"We've got very good value for money with this deal owing to a certain figure which was in his contract, so we are delighted with that.
"His presence adds great competition for places across the backline, and that's exactly what I am after."
Gorkss, who has 10 international caps to his name, expressed his delight at the move, commenting: "This is a very ambitious Club and, as a player, you always want to play for a Club with ambition.
"I believe we have a great chance of achieving a lot this coming season.
"I spoke with Iain Dowie and he is very excited about the new campaign. He wants to achieve a lot, and I think his energy, matched with the new ambition of QPR, is a great combination.
"My dream is to play in the Premiership and I believe I can do that with QPR - that's one of the main reasons why I came here." Official Site
BLACKPOOL OFFICIAL SITE Transfer Latest
Kaspars Gorkss officially joined Queens Park Rangers on Thursday evening, when he penned a three year deal with the Loftus Road club. As well as receiving a transfer fee that under League regulation 42.2 will remain undisclosed, ** the Seasdiers have also secured the services of Welsh international striker Daniel Nardiello who has signed a two year deal with an option for a third year and Pakistan international captain Zesh Rehman who has joined the club on loan until January, with Pool having first option on either extending the loan or signing the defender on a permanent basis. The agreement will also see Pool withdraw their complaint against QPR for the alleged illegal approach made to Kaspars Gorkss.
Gorkss arrived at Bloomfield on New Years Day in 2007 from Latvian champions Ventspils after Simon Grayson had spotted the Latvian international on a scouting mission to the former Soviet state. The 26-year-old made his debut five days later as a second half substitute in Pool's 4-2 FA Cup win over Aldershot seven days later he made his English Football League debut in a 2-1 over Port Vale at Bloomfield Road. He went on to make further 11 appearances during the Seasiders promotion season. Last season Gorkss established himself as a regular in the Pool back four making 44 League and Cup appearances. The big defender also weighed in with some crucial goals including a brace in the Carling Cup at Derby...
Nards.....
Zesh
The final piece of the jigsaw sees Pakistan International captain Zesh Rehman join on loan for six months, Simon Grayson has the option to extend the loan until the end of the season or make the move permanent.
The 25-year-old is a product of the Fulham Youth Academy and has also represented England at Under 17 and Under 20 level.
Rehman made his Fulham debut in a 1-0 League Cup defeat at Wigan Athletic in September 2003 and was the centre of a lot of media attention from British Asian groups for being one of the first Asian players to play in the top division of English football.
A week after making his Fulham debut Rehman joined Brighton on loan for three months where he made 13 appearances and scoring twice.
The following season back at Craven Cottage Rehman made 17 Premiership starts, the following season he started the season for the Cottagers but after half a dozen games Zesh found himself in the reserves and ended the season at Norwich where he made five appearances.
Desperate for regular first team football the centre back who, has also played at right back and as a holding midfielder joined Queens Park Rangers, once again he started the season and made 27 appearances, but once again the season ended with a loan move this time back to Brighton where he made 8 appearances.
Last season Rehman made 17 starts and a further 4 as substitute but found himself back in the reserves following the arrival of free spending chairman Flavio Briatore.
Having travelled down from Scotland on Tuesday to discuss the move and watch Pool's game with St Mirren, Rehman made a whistle stop trip back to his London home on Wednesday and was back in the North West on Thursday to finalise the paperwork.
Blackpool
READING OFFICIAL SITE
Royals sign Kaspars Gorkss from QPR
Reading Football Club are very pleased to announce the signing of central defender Kaspars Gorkss from QPR.
The 29-year-old Latvian is captain of his country and will add great experience to our ranks at centre half, having signed a three-year contract at Madejski Stadium.
He played in 42 out of QPR's 46 League games as they won the npower Championship title last season, helping his team to the best defensive record in the division with 25 clean sheets, including a run of 638 minutes without conceding a goal for club and country. He has played 172(+9) games in English football, keeping 58 clean sheets and contributing 14 goals.
Chairman Sir John Madejski said, "I am very glad to welcome Kaspars to the club and I am sure he will be very instrumental in our defence. You could almost call it the missing link! We have made two signings this week now with Mills and Gorkss so it is a sign that we are moving on.
"He has got an incredible track record and you tell just by talking to him that he is very professional and influential, it is a great coup for Reading Football Club as other clubs were after him as well."
Boss Brian McDermott commented, "He's been a target of mine since the summer when we knew there was a chance Mills would go. We lost a lot of experience in the summer, so it was important we brought that experience to the club. He's an international, he's played a lot of games, played 42 games for a team that won the League last season, we know him really well and I think he will do very well for us and be very popular.
"I just got the sense we needed to get some calm around the place. We'd lost three games and we need to calm the whole thing down, start talking about football again rather than other matters. That's really, really important. There's been a little bit of anxiety around the place, both within the group and the supporters, and I understand that. That needs to go down, we need to calm the whole thing down and do what we do best, which is the football."
Kaspars added, "It's very good to be here, I'm looking forward and am very glad that I've joined this club, I can't wait to get to work.
"Hopefully I will bring some experience, hopefully some banter too, but I doubt it! A little leadership, a little bit of everything maybe! Obviously my goal is to get back to the Premiership again and hopefully I can help Reading achieve that goal."
Kaspars began his career in his native Latvia with FK Auda in Riga, a club that counts his father Juris as Chairman and his brothers Jorens & Rihards as players. His progress then took him to the Swedish top flight with Östers IF and Assyriska Föreningen, and he gained UEFA Cup experience before a move back to one of Latvia's biggest clubs Ventspils.
After experience with his country's u21s, his full international career began at this time, and he has gone on to face the likes of Spain on the international stage, winning 35 caps and scoring 4 goals, recently becoming his national team captain.
Whilst at Ventspils he won the Latvian title and played against Newcastle United in the UEFA Cup, which helped bring him to the attention of Blackpool, who brought him to England in 2006. He won the League One play-off final with 'Pool, was named a supporters' group's player of the year, and was runner up for Latvian Player of the Year in 2007.
His continued good form for the Tangerines took him to QPR in 2008, and he was extremely consistent and dependable in his Loftus Road career. He played 33(+2) games in his first season, 45(+1) in his second and then 43 last year. He was runner-up in QPR's players' and supporters' player of the season awards in 2010.
His performances in West London helped him become Latvian player of the year in both 2010, and 2011, and he played many games forming the spine of the QPR team with our midfielder Mikele Leigertwood.
He signed off his QPR career as a substitute in their 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday, and he will now wear the blue and white shirt of Reading.
The transfer paperwork is subject to normal ratification from the football authorities, and this is expected to go through soon.
Read more: qprreport.proboards.com/thread/25661/kaspars?page=1#ixzz4xdW2Ynyx
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspars_Gork%C5%A1s
Full name Kaspars Gorkšs
Date of birth 6 November 1981
Place of birth Riga, Latvia
...
2006–2008 Blackpool 50 (6)
2008–2011 Queens Park Rangers 114 (6)
2011–2014 Reading 81 (7)
2005– Latvia 88 (5)
Flashback: Joins QPR - after some "controversy"
METRO/Matt Nash - Gorkss: I never had any doubt about my move to QPR
- KASPARS GORKSS insists he has never regretted his decision to join the QPR revolution.
- The Latvia international's protracted move from Blackpool last summer eventually went through and since then the 27-year-old has played under three Rangers bosses already - Iain Dowie, Gareth Ainsworth and now Paulo Sousa.
- With the Hoops tenth in the Championship ahead of the visit of Ipswich this Saturday Gorkss claims he has never looked back, despite Blackpool giving him his vital break in the English game.
- 'I enjoyed it here at QPR from the very first day,' he explained. 'My mind was made up to join the club, although the move did not go as smooth as I'd have hoped.
- 'As for promotion, we're all geared up and as a player you want to play for the ambitious teams. I have ambitions to play in the Premier League and so does this club.'
- But with billionaire Formula One chiefs Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore among those bankrolling Rangers' bid for top-flight football, the pressure is growing on the players to reach their goal of the play-offs this season.
- Gorkss, though, insists pressure is everywhere in football now and that playing at Loftus Road is no different to any other club.
- 'There's always pressure at a club whose ambitions are to go up, there's a fair deal of pressure,' the defender admitted.
- 'That's normal these days in football but the owners of the club come to see us, to give us their support.'
- Gorkss believes key signings in January are the main reason QPR have an advantage over their rivals as the season enters a crucial period.
- Popular winger Lee Cook, a lifelong Rangers fan, striker Heidar Helguson and forward Wayne Routledge were among the new faces brought in by Sousa during the transfer window and Gorkss added: 'The signings have added so much.
- 'With three up front we have the perfect players to play that way. Lee's a great player and I just hope we can avoid injries now.
- 'I think we are concentrating on the play-offs but if it goes really well we'll see [about automatic promotion].' Metro.co.Uk
Flashback
QPR Official Site EXCLUSIVE: LATVIAN ACE PENS DEAL
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Latvian international defender Kaspars Gorkss.
The 26 year-old has put pen to paper on a three year deal, after the R's agreed an undisclosed fee with Blackpool for his services.
Rangers beat off stiff competition from a host of Championship Clubs for the defender's signature, to the delight of First Team Coach Iain Dowie.
"Kaspars knows we intend to play good, attractive football, and he wants to be a part of it," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"We've signed an international defender who has a great physical presence, good pace and is comfortable on the ball. He's an ambitious lad who wants to take his game forward."
Dowie added: "He had a fantastic season last year with Blackpool and I consider him to be an excellent acquisition for now, and for the future.
"We've got very good value for money with this deal owing to a certain figure which was in his contract, so we are delighted with that.
"His presence adds great competition for places across the backline, and that's exactly what I am after."
Gorkss, who has 10 international caps to his name, expressed his delight at the move, commenting: "This is a very ambitious Club and, as a player, you always want to play for a Club with ambition.
"I believe we have a great chance of achieving a lot this coming season.
"I spoke with Iain Dowie and he is very excited about the new campaign. He wants to achieve a lot, and I think his energy, matched with the new ambition of QPR, is a great combination.
"My dream is to play in the Premiership and I believe I can do that with QPR - that's one of the main reasons why I came here." Official Site
BLACKPOOL OFFICIAL SITE Transfer Latest
Kaspars Gorkss officially joined Queens Park Rangers on Thursday evening, when he penned a three year deal with the Loftus Road club. As well as receiving a transfer fee that under League regulation 42.2 will remain undisclosed, ** the Seasdiers have also secured the services of Welsh international striker Daniel Nardiello who has signed a two year deal with an option for a third year and Pakistan international captain Zesh Rehman who has joined the club on loan until January, with Pool having first option on either extending the loan or signing the defender on a permanent basis. The agreement will also see Pool withdraw their complaint against QPR for the alleged illegal approach made to Kaspars Gorkss.
Gorkss arrived at Bloomfield on New Years Day in 2007 from Latvian champions Ventspils after Simon Grayson had spotted the Latvian international on a scouting mission to the former Soviet state. The 26-year-old made his debut five days later as a second half substitute in Pool's 4-2 FA Cup win over Aldershot seven days later he made his English Football League debut in a 2-1 over Port Vale at Bloomfield Road. He went on to make further 11 appearances during the Seasiders promotion season. Last season Gorkss established himself as a regular in the Pool back four making 44 League and Cup appearances. The big defender also weighed in with some crucial goals including a brace in the Carling Cup at Derby...
Nards.....
Zesh
The final piece of the jigsaw sees Pakistan International captain Zesh Rehman join on loan for six months, Simon Grayson has the option to extend the loan until the end of the season or make the move permanent.
The 25-year-old is a product of the Fulham Youth Academy and has also represented England at Under 17 and Under 20 level.
Rehman made his Fulham debut in a 1-0 League Cup defeat at Wigan Athletic in September 2003 and was the centre of a lot of media attention from British Asian groups for being one of the first Asian players to play in the top division of English football.
A week after making his Fulham debut Rehman joined Brighton on loan for three months where he made 13 appearances and scoring twice.
The following season back at Craven Cottage Rehman made 17 Premiership starts, the following season he started the season for the Cottagers but after half a dozen games Zesh found himself in the reserves and ended the season at Norwich where he made five appearances.
Desperate for regular first team football the centre back who, has also played at right back and as a holding midfielder joined Queens Park Rangers, once again he started the season and made 27 appearances, but once again the season ended with a loan move this time back to Brighton where he made 8 appearances.
Last season Rehman made 17 starts and a further 4 as substitute but found himself back in the reserves following the arrival of free spending chairman Flavio Briatore.
Having travelled down from Scotland on Tuesday to discuss the move and watch Pool's game with St Mirren, Rehman made a whistle stop trip back to his London home on Wednesday and was back in the North West on Thursday to finalise the paperwork.
Blackpool
READING OFFICIAL SITE
Royals sign Kaspars Gorkss from QPR
Reading Football Club are very pleased to announce the signing of central defender Kaspars Gorkss from QPR.
The 29-year-old Latvian is captain of his country and will add great experience to our ranks at centre half, having signed a three-year contract at Madejski Stadium.
He played in 42 out of QPR's 46 League games as they won the npower Championship title last season, helping his team to the best defensive record in the division with 25 clean sheets, including a run of 638 minutes without conceding a goal for club and country. He has played 172(+9) games in English football, keeping 58 clean sheets and contributing 14 goals.
Chairman Sir John Madejski said, "I am very glad to welcome Kaspars to the club and I am sure he will be very instrumental in our defence. You could almost call it the missing link! We have made two signings this week now with Mills and Gorkss so it is a sign that we are moving on.
"He has got an incredible track record and you tell just by talking to him that he is very professional and influential, it is a great coup for Reading Football Club as other clubs were after him as well."
Boss Brian McDermott commented, "He's been a target of mine since the summer when we knew there was a chance Mills would go. We lost a lot of experience in the summer, so it was important we brought that experience to the club. He's an international, he's played a lot of games, played 42 games for a team that won the League last season, we know him really well and I think he will do very well for us and be very popular.
"I just got the sense we needed to get some calm around the place. We'd lost three games and we need to calm the whole thing down, start talking about football again rather than other matters. That's really, really important. There's been a little bit of anxiety around the place, both within the group and the supporters, and I understand that. That needs to go down, we need to calm the whole thing down and do what we do best, which is the football."
Kaspars added, "It's very good to be here, I'm looking forward and am very glad that I've joined this club, I can't wait to get to work.
"Hopefully I will bring some experience, hopefully some banter too, but I doubt it! A little leadership, a little bit of everything maybe! Obviously my goal is to get back to the Premiership again and hopefully I can help Reading achieve that goal."
Kaspars began his career in his native Latvia with FK Auda in Riga, a club that counts his father Juris as Chairman and his brothers Jorens & Rihards as players. His progress then took him to the Swedish top flight with Östers IF and Assyriska Föreningen, and he gained UEFA Cup experience before a move back to one of Latvia's biggest clubs Ventspils.
After experience with his country's u21s, his full international career began at this time, and he has gone on to face the likes of Spain on the international stage, winning 35 caps and scoring 4 goals, recently becoming his national team captain.
Whilst at Ventspils he won the Latvian title and played against Newcastle United in the UEFA Cup, which helped bring him to the attention of Blackpool, who brought him to England in 2006. He won the League One play-off final with 'Pool, was named a supporters' group's player of the year, and was runner up for Latvian Player of the Year in 2007.
His continued good form for the Tangerines took him to QPR in 2008, and he was extremely consistent and dependable in his Loftus Road career. He played 33(+2) games in his first season, 45(+1) in his second and then 43 last year. He was runner-up in QPR's players' and supporters' player of the season awards in 2010.
His performances in West London helped him become Latvian player of the year in both 2010, and 2011, and he played many games forming the spine of the QPR team with our midfielder Mikele Leigertwood.
He signed off his QPR career as a substitute in their 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday, and he will now wear the blue and white shirt of Reading.
The transfer paperwork is subject to normal ratification from the football authorities, and this is expected to go through soon.
Read more: qprreport.proboards.com/thread/25661/kaspars?page=1#ixzz4xdW2Ynyx