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When I was a kid I spoiled one of the ‘big weeks’ of my life. 

I loved American comics, particularly ones featuring Superman.  One day on a trip to Peckham I saw a life-size Superman poseable figure and knew it was the best toy ever invented. I wanted it and nothing else would do. Over the next couple of weeks I nagged, dropped hints, sulked, pleaded and engaged in some utterly selfish kiddie behaviour. Eventually, driven to desperation, my mum told me she had already bought for me and I had ruined her birthday surprise for me.  I can remember sloping away feeling guilty, stupid and greedy.

The life of a QPR supporter in recent times has been filled with proverbial ‘big weeks’ for the club.  It’s been a mixture of sweet and bitter big weeks, with most of the sweeter variety arriving since September 2007.

Before then, the big weeks comprised police investigations, court cases, VAT winding up orders, take over bids fading away, kung fu fights with Chinese Olympic teams…oh you get the gist.

Since then our big weeks have included successful take-over bids that exceeded our wildest expectations, new managerial appointments (thanks for all you did LDC), some great loan signings and the type of permanent signings that once seemed forever beyond the reach of the club.

So will this week be a big week of the good variety. I have no idea.  But I want it to be. I want some of the promises I think we’ve been made to come to fruition this week. I want to see a Real Madrid defender come on board.  I want Watson, Shittu, Cook, Zamora, Evans or whoever else represents a serious step in the right direction to join our ranks. I suppose I want the bookies to be right in making us promotion favourites and I know we don’t have quite the right personnel to make that happen at the moment.

I’m not ungrateful - I appreciate that where we are now is fantastic in relative terms.  I suppose I just hope that our new owners are wily old souls. I hope they are telling the world it’s a three-year plan, whilst privately they are bursting to be in the Premiership by 2009-10. 

Maybe this week will be the big week, I suppose we’ll have to wait and see. But I’ve decided not to repeat the mistakes of my childhood.  If a metaphorical Superman come along this week - well that’s OK.  If they don’t I’ll be patient. Who knows what surprises might wait next week, or the week after that…

A few months ago at a home game against Southampton, R’s fans experienced two very different emotions.  First, the tributes to Ray Jones - with commendable support from Saints fans - and the sight of Ray’s family on the pitch brought a lump to the throat of even the most hardened supporters.

Later that same day, a sun-tanned Italian saviour took the grateful applause of long suffering supporters, who had feared for the very existence of their club.  Perhaps if we had known quite how bad things were (no money to mend photocopiers and no authorisation to use credit card facilities) we might have applauded even louder.

The next few months saw an upward curve of improvements in playing staff, management and quality of football.  Behind the scenes it seemed a robust and commercially sensible approach to rebuilding the club was kicking into action.  Flavio and others said nearly all the right things and even Gianni was not dropping as many bombshell comments as we had become used to.  The tone of the QPRNet messageboard and others was one of general positivity and confidence.

The outside world started calling us the richest club in the world and we started singing “we’ve got loads of money”.  (Initially this song seemed ironic to me - so I sung it.  When it felt like some people might actually mean it in a Chelsea kind of way, I stopped). Flavio, Bernie and Lakshmi Mittal had carried us into dreamland.  Loftus Road seemed to be at the end of the rainbow and we were enjoying life.

But perspectives change quickly and grattitude can turn into scepticism through just a few acts and words.  Flavio appeared to suggest that ordinary supporters are not as important as big time investors in a little-known marketing magazine.  Some of us were perturbed, but maybe he was misquoted or misunderstood?  Soon after, the season ticket rises are announced  - and it seems he might well have meant exactly what was written?

Our mood changed to that of a fanbase feeling betrayed and exploited.  Supporters who sat in their cherished seats during years of football that, in itself, could rarely be described as ‘cherished’ were told pay up more, move, or say goodbye.  The prices contradicted promises that rises would be “reasonable” and, for many, trust and respect for our new owners took a serious downturn. The saviours became the exploiters. 

Now we demand value for money next season, rather than remain simply happy that we still exist and reside in English football’s second tier.  Now each official announcement is viewed with a concern that some unspoken agenda is being played out.

I expressed my concerns to a Chelsea supporting friend of mine. (He’s actually a decent bloke when you ignore his choice of football team).  After his dispassionate analysis of things, my perspective changed again - at least a bit. 

What were we expecting?  Our owners would simply pour endless millions into a loss-making entity until they lost interest and left us in another precarious position.  Did we not realise that building a lasting foundation would require more of us to pay more?  Did we not realise that they would change a lot of things - some of which we wouldn’t like?

To be honest I was initially a bit cheesed off at what he said, but some of his thoughts had that annoying ring of truth.  I think at some commercial level the club has done roughly the right thing, although the approach and delivery could have been handled much, much better.

So now, I’ll wait. Siting on the fence, I’ll see where they go next.  My paranoia fears that good people will be priced out, and a new rich elite wil be attracted to London’s most trendy club.  But I hope that new streams of support will mingle with those who have braved ‘Grimsby away’ and other less glamorous afternoons and nights of agricultual football.

I hope the next things that shift my perspective are positive ones -  not things that start to distance me from a friendly West London club, that has often punched above its weight. 

The advent of Rogue junior has certainly curtailed my visits to the keyboard and you can forget watching anything for longer than 15 minutes…unless its something that you don’t have to concentrate particularly hard and is easy to dip in and out of.

Hooray for Euro 2008!!!

Despite having to give up virtually every other viewing pleasure, both his parents have deemed Football, as ideal viewing fodder and as a result I’m fully engaged with the tournament so far.

The Holland-Italy game was great, the Spanish performance was inspirational and Croatia vs. Germany made me feel better as an England fan and ever so slightly worried for the coming World cup qualifiers. Even the Swiss in a paddling pool and the hapless Austrian attempts to score have been thoroughly enjoyed.

The dreamer in me has watched previous football tournaments half considering the possibility of unearthing a gem for the R’s. This was always unlikely in the past given our perilous grip on finances and league position, but now it seems like a worthwhile exercise.

During the World cup you are likely to find an Australian, Nigerian or American that might very well fit the bill. Young, raw and desperate to go shopping on the kings Road, more importantly he’ll be represented by a dozen different agents and once the lottery is played out he could easily end up at your club.

The Euros are trickier, less teams and less available talent. Here you are more likely to end up with an aging Swede than a young player of promise. It’s fair to say we’d end up with and Austrian who couldn’t score or a Swiss who couldn’t defend, neither of which will advance our cause.

While not completely dismissing the lure of West London, money is going to talk here. If, as we like to think, we are at least equal to the spending power of a middling premiership club then we have a chance of picking up a player or two. But is it worth the risk.

AC Milan, who I’m not comparing us to, recently balked at 10 million for Artur Boruc, Celtic’s bigoted and brilliant keeper. Last night he doubled that price with a fantastic performance against Austria. There’ll be no bargains here. Would you be happy with us spending 10 million on any player? Not this year I’m sure.

So maybe now is the time to make a few mental notes for future reference, let me start us off. Croatia’s left wing back, Nicola Pokrivac, 23 plays in France and was a surprise selection for their squad. I thought he was outstanding against Germany…I bet I’m not alone and I don’t for one minute think that he’d swap his current status for championship footy with us, but two years down the line lets see where he and we end up.

I think he’d allow us to forget Chris Barker

Last Wednesday night should’ve been a textbook evening. Despite my worst football fears being realised, Chelsea appearing in a Champions league final, there was every chance that the ultimate indignity would be realised too! Actually losing it!

I’m no fan of JT, as a player or a man. I’m sure he’s a great pro and missing an occasion like this would be heartbreaking for anyone, but I was only surprised that his injury was on the football field not some kind of metal pole/piss/electricity incident in a lap-dancing establishment.

Anyway he made it and I returned in good time from a long drive to Somerset to settle down and watch.

With me was Rogue Junior, hoping to nap through his first final. RJ will not be a regular feature of this blog, but he’s relevant here.

Everything seemed to be going to plan, Utd, as far superior team, swarmed over the hapless hotel team and should’ve been long out of sight by the time that Frank ‘no longer hated because he loved his mum’ Lampards pinball equaliser. It was getting uncomfortable.

At least, I thought, if They win after being so comprehensively outplayed, I’ll be able to find solace there.

But no. Chelsea dominated the second half, RJ slept on, I sank into the sofa. It seemed the tide had decisively turned…but I’d reckoned without the presence of one man! JT.

Again I reiterate, I don’t think he’s anywhere near the best centre back in England, but if you like your defenders cut in classical English cloth, obdurate, slow on the turn and usually in the way, then I can concede his worth. His header off the line from Giggs was nothing short of magnificent. I couldn’t believe it, just as the footballing gods were beginning to see sense, one man was going to drag them over the line.

His influence grew. A minor spat was escalated (his speciality) into a brawl that ended with his own player getting sent off. As a charming rejoinder Terry ’snotted’ on Tevez (who would later accuse him of spitting as I’m sure that the South Americans had never come across this most delightful of acts).

Chelsea hung on; penalties and they had a German…booo!

These were remarkably competent, of course Ronaldo missed and it was left to our hero to step up and consign Utd and my evening (and probably the whole summer to oblivion).

…And then it happened, it wasn’t fate, or the wet turf. Terry missed because he’d forgotten that he couldn’t really play. Rather than smacking the ball like he was clearing his lines or tackling a lap dancer, he decided to be clever…he’d seen others doubt, why not him.
As he planted his standing foot he opened it out, Van Der Sar expecting the rocket had already gone right, Terry had done him, like a Maradonna or a Pele he’d fooled the keeper, but unlike them he’s 15 stone of thud and blunder and all that weight going the wrong way had to buckle and so it came to pass…Jt on his arse, crying like a baby!

The inevitable happened and it was nice that a true mercenary in the new Chelsea tradition ambled forward to strike an indifferent Penalty to lose the Cup…drained, but happy, my night was complete.

Terry was inconsolable, I should’ve been delighted…but I wasn’t. Why? Because of the seven week bundle on my lap.

RJ had a difficult start, took a battering from the forceps and coupled with the usual stretched head look so fashionable with the newborn and a bizarrely tufty hairstyle…he actually looked like John Terry!!!

He’s settled down now…looks like a baby, but my gaze went from him to Terry I found I couldn’t laugh. I felt sorry for him…

…Having a child does change your life!

Taking a break from the nappy strewn front line of new fatherhood, Rogue Male takes a moment to wonder about the summer to come.

 
The last few weeks have passed as pretty much one long blur! Mostly this is because the machinations of Rogue Junior have taken precedence (for a while he held an un-beaten record as an R’s fan, the miraculous Preston come back was his debut and I really did think the gods favoured us). But to be honest, the club went on holiday early too!

 
Five minutes into the Norwich encounter the season came to an end. I generally have ambivalence to Norwich City, but I was mildly riled by the rather catty comments of Norwich fans over our display. Yes we lay down, but lets not forget how close they came to disaster and to be perfectly honest I can’t see much room for optimism for next years campaign in the flatlands!

 
The referee and to be honest, all right thinking deities conspired to ensure that West Brom were crowned champions at Loftus road. It’s bad enough that Stoke went up without them getting a trophy…in fact if they had to go up, then second was ideal, no championship, no big day out at Wembley.

 
What was missing this year was the huge sense of relief that the season was over. Usually, the avoidance of the play-offs, relegation or just the plain relief that the utter banality of mid-table aimless football was finished was enough to make the average R’s fan go rushing towards the summer with open arms.

 
This year I think we’d have quite happily carried on watching. With the advent of De Canio and the Italian way of life, Loftus road has seen, in patches, something that it was beginning to fear had gone forever…football! Outbreaks of intelligent, thoughtful and committed football!

 
Obviously this is no heralding of a glorious future, especially now Luigi has departed. This was still a team capable of total football and capitulating 4-2 at home, as the home game against Burnley proved. Despite the fact that were not going to run into too many Andy Cole’s, we’ll still manage to engineer enough defeats to happily keep our feet on the ground and in the championship for at least another season. But I did expect us to lose with style. I’ve no idea if that’s still the case.

 
Before that there is the pre-season to negotiate. Previously we’d have been looking forward to trips to Aylesbury, an ill-thought out tournament on a holiday Isle and a drubbing by Celtic. What’s going to happen this year? Real Madrid? Juventus? I’d have thought  we’d at least be looking at some kind of all-star Grand Prix XI involving Michael Schumacher!

 
We’ve also got used to failing to shed deadweight, vague rumours of transfers and then an unseemly scramble for a couple of decent loans before August begins. Is all that a thing of the past? A few weeks ago the club, without too much fuss, announced that five young players were surplus to requirements. Of these only Sefan Bailey had made much of a mark. But from the moment Flavio appeared on the Uxbridge road you knew his days were numbered. This new efficiency is rather thrown by Nardiello returning, it’ll be interesting to see how the club sorts him out?

 
What will be interesting is who’ll be coming in to the club…and who’ll be buying them.

Obviously we are being linked with everyone at the moment, though rarely anyone you’d want. How many of us are excited by the new arrivals Radek Cerny and Peter Ramage?

Now I’m not one to start shouting for anything other than prudent progression, but surely we can be looking at some more inspiring signings. Can we prise proven performers at this level away from lucrative contracts. Bobby Zamora, Kevin Phillips, Danny Shittu or Steve Sidwell? If we really are going to push for promotion surely this is the calibre of recruit that ought to be being mentioned.

 
As the departure of Luigi De Canio was announced my first thought was …who is going to be buying the players? On balance I’m sorry to see De Canio go. Under him we’d begun to play some proper football, and despite his inability to make any progress with his English I thought he was starting to build something of substance.

 
I’m sure the Billionaires know what they are doing!

They do, don’t they?

Wait a minute…Season tickets!

It’s the summer and normally, around this time, my attention turns to The Oval, planning the odd trip to Cornwall where my parents live and trying not to get too hot on the tube going to work.

This year, however, my attention is firmly on the goings on at Loftus Road.  Journalists bandy around superlatives far too much, but unless I’m mistaken, this summer will be a defining one for the next 5 years at Loftus Road.  Never in all my 30 plus years of supporting QPR has there been so much expectation and interest in the off season.

Maybe I’ve fallen for those superlatives, but expectation is high.  Am I wrong to anticipate 4 or 5 more signings (and by that I mean players who actually cost money)? 

Should I temper my expectations when it comes to the new kit we’ve been tantalisingly shown in the season ticket brochure (no I’m not going to comment on that!), whilst waiting for some mage-brand sponsor with 1 million times more kudos that Binatone or Car Giant? 

And then there is the new catering to sample in August – by Cipriani if the Flav interview on the BBC is to be believed.   Do I go for the scallops or roast truffles with my pizza?  Do they cook chips and burgers in Italy?

Ill admit to checking the Offish two or three times a day right now.  I’m excited to be a QPR fan – just broke after renewing my season ticket (damn I said I wouldn’t comment!).  I hope that doesn’t collapse under a Dowie inspired stupor as we start the season with worse results than our last two! (Is that possible?).  At the end of the day, all that I have written about here wont mean a thing unless we get off to a good start next year.

Two weeks ago I was going to write a blog about a various subjects, we changed our badge and made a right cock up of presenting it, the kids won their league again, we signed two players and let five go. Hardly groundbreaking news but all noteworthy stuff.

Then Luigi De Canio left.

So instead I wrote about my disappointment with that and hoped things wouldn’t get worse with the board making a poor appointment. Earlier this week I was going to sit down and revisit the lost blog and round things up for the end of the season.

Then we appointed Iain Dowie.

So instead I had to write about that, whilst it’s not a total disaster it certainly wasn’t the most exciting move the club has ever made and it didn’t exactly make me relish my season ticket renewal coming through.

Then I got my season ticket renewal through.

I think everyone was expecting a rise, we are paying high wages to attract players and the owners constantly stress that whilst they are rich the club isn’t. We all understand how close we came to administration and I’m sure we all accept that for the club to be a viable business they need to bring more money into it but nobody expected prices to rise to this level.

QPR have always had a small to medium loyal following, they are there rain or shine, come what may, they have supported the club through thin and thin and would be happy to dig a little deeper in order to see it move onto a level we all thought impossible but to hit people as hard as they have is heartbreaking.

Only a few weeks back QPR’s Deputy Managing Director Ali Russell was telling the AGM that they wouldn’t over the top with rises and that whilst there would be rises in all areas they would be “reasonable”. His idea of reasonable seems to be making us one of the most expensive clubs in the division.

To rub salt in the wounds the club are busy posting stories on the website about “unprecedented demand” whilst the phone lines ring off the hook with angry fans trying to make their point. Either they really believe this has been well received or they really don’t care. Either way it’s been the new owners first massive blunder and they could well pay for it for years to come.

We are all grateful for the new owners coming in and saving the club, we are surely excited about the potential they bring with them but it looks like they have seriously misjudged just how much our gratitude is worth.

Expectations for next season were already sky high, possibly too high and I believe we were already heading for disappointment. The club are at fault on this, they put out countless sound bites about new eras, global brands, don’t miss out etc etc. Add these crazy prices to this and you are going to be left with a pissed off, pent up fanbase who won’t just want success they will demand it. If we are going to be charged Premiership prices then we will expect Premiership quality.

As if to add insult to injury you have to pay £4.50 to have the book sent to you! Another nice little earner on Royal Mail prices there.

The first line of the season ticket story on the official site continues in the propaganda vein

“The 2008/09 Coca Cola Championship campaign promises to be one to remember for Queens Park Rangers Football Club”

At these prices it better be, it’s just such a pity so many will have to enjoy it via Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports.

No its not too bloddy early!  Just hang with me for a minute…

We now know the 21 of the 23 teams we will face next year.  Unfortunately Fulham wont be one of them.  I will admit to wanting either Donny or Carlise to come up automatically from the 1st as well, as that would mean one of the ‘big’ clubs in Forest and Leeds definately missing out.  I would put money on Leeds winning the playoffs, just to compund the whole thing.

In some people’s eyes, we are already fovourites, but this seems to be based upon fiscal opportunity rather than anything else, so lets look (or preview) the evidence… (see where Im going now?).

 I want to compare thios season to the potential next season, and Ill do it in a number of categories:

 1 - Our team.

At the momnet we have a decent startign XI, when all are fit.  ON its day this team can beat anyone.  But as was shown at the arse end of this season a couple of injuries and we start to struggle.  This is one area where our new found wealth will come in handy.  I expect at least half a dozen championship standard players to come in over the summer - a huge improvement on what we have had to scrape together in previous season and one which should improve our squad and provide compeition for places - which isnt usually a bad thing.

Verdict: Improvement

2 - The tactics.

We had three managers last year - and our tactics varied quite considerably from the sublime (mostly under De canio) to the ridiculous (the Hawthorns).  Even under the De Canio, however, there were issues, such as our inabilioty to hold onto a lead going into injury time.  We dont have a manager right now, and IMO the key thing is to get a decent tacticain - someone who understands how to play Blackpool away on a cold, wet and windy tuesday night in novemeber as well as at home in August when its 100degrees on the pitch and Blackpool have decided to turn up in black.

Verdict: Expect to be more consistant and probably imrpovement.

3 - Stability.

After the rollercoasters of the last few seasons, the one things i really crave is some stability on and off the pitch.  those people who say that off field shenannigans dont come onto the pitch with the players are talking crap.  In this respect we should surley see a massive improvement.  but then this is QPR…

Verdict: Improvement

4 - Opposition

I hoenstly beleive Derby will struggle big time - a team with no money, no decent players and no confidence will struggle next year - but I beleive that Birmingham and reading will be better teams than Stoke and whoever wins the playoffs.  Forest have the ability to spend a few quid, Swansea less so, but come up as champions and we saw what Brizzle did.  Certainly that coming up is better than Colchester and Scunny.  Add oonto that the strange years that teams like Preston and Cardiff have had.  This league will be tougher.

Verdict: Tougher next year.

We can all add more categories, but all I am trying to say is that its not a foregone conclusion we will go up next year - I think you should see a significant concl;usion, and I will be dissappinted if we are not in the shake up for the play offs as a minimum come the end of the season.

Whoever becomes manager will have huge (all be it unrealistic) expectations behind them, and that will create pressure; pressure they could probably do without.  I just hope they can cope with it, juggling 20 players who all want to be in the first team and Flav’s media profile.  Good luck mate.  Ill be there to roar you on.

Earlier in the season I worte we should give JG a chance.  he was fired in a week.  2 days ago I worte how De Canio should get the recognition for the seasons (relative) sucess, hes gone already.

 I will no longer comment on managers (unless we want him out).

 Yours Sincereley

 Chris Tonto Cole

“Life is a roller coaster” sang the girlie looking one from Boyzone. It certainly was for QPR this year. We very nearly hit the ultimate low - extinction, instead we’ve been given 3 rich sugardadies and the largest dose of optimism for 20 years.

The end of season reviews will, of course, be all about Flav, Bernie and Mr Mittal. Their spending power will make us a favourite for promotion next year. I have already written how much we should be thankful for GP for sorting the mess out, and finally the majority are realising just that.

Really the end of season reviews should concentrate on the achievements of De Canio. It is he who has taken a team which was at its lowest ebb and transformed it one that can compete. I suspect, however, that his achievements will be lost in the journalist’s rhetoric about Flav and co. I find it annoying that his achievements have essentially been under reported.

Maybe I should move on? Start thinking about the new season to come - and one of the most exciting off seasons (for the right reasons) that we have faced in a long time? Maybe I should be thinking which players we need to turn our decent team into a promotion chasing squad (yes there is a difference). My championship manager tactic for this year consisted of basically selling the lot and starting again, using the money raised in selling Camp and Dex to fund an entirely new XI (I did manage to buy Buzz for a pittance! I doubt I will be doing the same with the 2009 edition.

I am glad the season is over, its been emotional (should I be saying those words considering who said them?). I missed more games this season than the last 5 combined due to work commitments. Thats something I dont want to repeat next year, and I suspect Firebrace may have been shitting himself after our start to the season and 53 points looked a mile off (you still owe us all a pint BTW)

All I am saying is that it is one roller coaster I dont fancy riding again. Yeah sure, the highs were great, the lows were horrible, but its time to start new ride, maybe a bigger better ride, with different thrills and spills, and resign the old one to the been there done that column.