I think it is fair to say that Chelsea’s captain John Terry isn’t top of too many managers, fans or fellow footballers Christmas card lists – in fairness, he probably knows that himself.
The former England international’s reputation has been soured after allegations were made involving Wayne Bridge and an ex of his, as well, of course, Terry’s four-game ban for allegedly racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.
Although most of us will forever see Terry as the player we love to hate – unless you’re a Chelsea fan – JT has shown he isn’t all evil after a fan took to Instagram to reveal the grand gesture Terry had done for him.
We rarely see this side to footballers and the fact the Chelsea defender – in action against NK Maribor tonight – wasn’t singing from the rooftops about this perhaps suggests it goes on a lot more than we give our ‘heroes’ credit for?
My amazing girlfriend spoke to JT on instagram and told him my love for Chelsea. As it was my birthday coming up JT was kind enough to send me his match worn shirt with the squads signatures. It was more than what @bethevansbrown asked for which was just a simple happy birthday message (which he also did). I honestly cannot be thankful enough to someone who is a legend at this club and is a fan of CFC himself. To get this from my favourite player ever was a dream come true and I cannot show how grateful I am to the squad and JT especially for this amazing gift. I will continue to support the mighty chels the rest of my life and things like this make me feel so grateful. Thankyou John! I cannot thank you enough! @johnterry.26 #cfc #chelsea #captainleaderlegendA photo posted by Harry Richards (@harryjohnrichards) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:21am PST
Neil Warnock is reportedly lining up a shock move to bring St Etienne winger Max Gradel back to Leeds United, the Sun reports.
The Leeds chief is interested in making the loan deal for Jerome Thomas a permanent one from West Brom, but if that fails he wants to bring Gradel back to Elland Road.
Despite being a regular in the St Etienne team and featuring in all of their league games so far this season, the 25-year-old is understood to be open to offers for a return to England.
The Ivory Coast international scored 24 goals in 74 appearances for Leeds after joining from Leicester, before completing a switch to French side St Etienne for £1.5million in August 2011.
He won the player of the year award in Leeds first season in the Championship, netting 18 goals in the process in a campaign which saw his side just miss out on the play-offs.
Leeds currently sit 14th in the Championship table after a mixed start to the season, but they are only four points off Watford in the play-off places and will hope January additions can help them move up the table.
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It has been a frustrating time for the club, losing key players such as Jonny Howson and Robert Snodgrass to Norwich City over the course of the two 2012 transfer windows and they have had to regroup.
New Everton manager Marco Silva is yet to make a single summer signing since taking charge of the club at the start of the month, has yet to be too active in the summer transfer window, which is perhaps no surprise given the size of the Merseyside outfit’s squad.
The 40-year-old needs to sell before he buys before the window slams shut on August 9 as he looks to take the Toffees into European contention this term, and he will certainly be hoping that their business ramps up in the coming days and weeks.
The Portuguese boss, who has been urged by the fans not to sign a 26-year-old World Cup star with one labelling him as “awful”, will be working in tandem with director of football Marcel Brands to identify the targets that will help the club improve upon the eighth-place finish they achieved in 2017/18, following a disastrous beginning to the campaign that saw Ronald Koeman sacked in October.
While the former Hull City and Watford chief will have the stars he wants to bring to Goodison Park in mind, perhaps he should also be considering bringing some familiar faces back to Merseyside too, as there are ex-Blues out there that would make a big difference for them on the pitch now.
Here are three former Everton players Silva must look to re-sign this summer…
While the 24-year-old is currently starring for England at the 2018 World Cup having scored a brace in the 6-1 win against Panama on Sunday, the same can’t be said of his 2017/18 campaign with Manchester City.
Injury and the arrival of Aymeric Laporte during the January transfer window restricted him to just 18 Premier League appearances, and his future at the Etihad Stadium could well be in doubt – especially if Pep Guardiola signs another centre-back this summer.
Meanwhile, Everton are in desperate need of a new centre-back themselves to partner Michael Keane, and the ball-playing Stones could be the perfect option for them if they are willing to pay the fee needed to bring him back to Goodison.
The Republic of Ireland centre-back only made 10 appearances in all competitions for Everton before joining Blackburn Rovers in 2014, and he has gone on to make a big impression for the Lancashire outfit and Brighton and Hove Albion since.
We mentioned previously that the Toffees need a new central defender this summer and while the 26-year-old Seagulls man may not be an attractive proposition in many ways, his performances for the south coast outfit last term suggest he could be a decent back-up for them.
According to WhoScored.com, the Irishman won 200 of the 294 aerial duels he faced in 37 Premier League outings, while he also made 71 blocks and 327 clearances.
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Having only left Goodison Park for Chelsea in slightly controversial circumstances during the January transfer window, it would certainly be a turn up for the books if the 24-year-old returned to Merseyside this summer.
However, he has found first-team opportunities hard to come by at Stamford Bridge because of injury and being yet to find his form, which could mean that he is sent out on loan by the west London outfit.
A move back to Everton seems unlikely, but there is no doubt that he could add something for them in the final third, as he did on many occasions previously.
Real Madrid could swoop for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen this summer to get one over their Spanish rivals Barcelona, according to Don Balon.
What’s the word?
Los Blancos are expected to make waves in the transfer market when the season comes to an end, and it seems that Spurs are on their radar.
Don Balon reports that the Bernabeu-based club are planning to swoop for Harry Kane but will also make a move for Eriksen if their rivals Barcelona nab one of their other targets.
The publication states that if the Catalan club swoop for Toby Alderweireld, then Madrid will try to sign Eriksen, who has been linked to Barcelona for some time.
The rumour has suggested that Real president Florentino Perez is the man to select the Tottenham pair as transfer targets.
Could Tottenham lose both?
In this modern age, loyalty is not always common in football and money certainly talks.
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Neither Kane nor Eriksen have expressed a desire to leave the North London outfit, but if Madrid come calling, it would be no surprise if their heads were turned.
Tottenham sit in a strong position, though, as both are tied down to long-term contracts, which means that chairman Daniel Levy could demand a staggering fee for the duo.
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The businessman has proven in the past that he can be stubborn when it comes to negotiating transfers.
Levy will certainly use that tactic if two of his best players are wanted elsewhere.
The only sides boasting a 100% record after three games will meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon in a game in which one side’s march will be halted. Chelsea were expected to be in the position they find themselves after three decent opening fixtures, but Swansea have shocked the league to an extent with their start – especially the 2-1 season-opening win at Old Trafford.
The Blues have bashed 11 goals while the Swans have only conceded one, stats you may expect to have been reversed give Jose Mourinho’s penchant for tight football and getting the result.
Here at FFC Towers we’ve been crunching the stats and looking at the form, and here are three players from each side we think could make the difference.
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CLICK ON CESC FABREGAS TO REVEAL
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Diego Costa
Mourinho will be the most relieved manager in the country come Saturday, with reports suggesting that hamstring worries will not rob him of Costa. The bustling Spain international has been electric in his opening three games, with his four goals having helped Chelsea to maintain their 100% record.
The ex-Atletico Madrid hit-man will fancy his chances against the Swans after netting over 30 goals last term, and his tendency to pop up in the right areas could once again prove vital for the Blues.
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Nathan Dyer
Three goals in three game sis some record for a winger. Dyer has really been excellent for the Swans so far this term, with his pace and, importantly, end product vital in the three wins registered by Garry Monk’s men.
He may not be afforded the time and space he has been in other fixtures at Stamford Bridge, but the impish wide-man will need to be watched carefully by Mourinho.
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Cesc Fabregas
The joint top assist maker in the Premier League so far, Fabregas certainly has shown that the move back to England should never have raised any doubts. The Spaniard will once again be the deep creative force in Chelsea’s midfield, where he will use Namanja Matic’s excellent holding abilities to take advantage of the space and feed the likes of Costa and Eden Hazard.
There’s little Swansea will be able to do to stop a in-form Fabregas, but Ki Sung-Yueng may be used to attempt to nullify the ex-Barcelona passer master.
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Gylfi Sigurdsson
The only man in the Premier League able to match Fabregas’ four assists so far is Sigurdsson, who has been a revelation since his return to Swansea from Tottenham. The Icelandic playmaker starred for the Swans during a brief loan stint before joining Spurs, where he failed to replicate the sort of form he showed in the south of Wales.
Afforded the central attacking midfield role at the Liberty Stadium, Sigurdsson has once again been doing what he does best, and his ability to find the right ball will be a worry for Chelsea. The only problem could be a lack of pace, which might see him struggle to get the space he needs against Chelsea’s powerful and energetic midfield.
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Branislav Ivanovic
An unorthodox full-back in the modern era, Ivanovic has become one of Chelsea’s major threats over the years, The rugged Eastern European is surprisingly adept on the ball for a man of his size, and his strength makes him a constant threat from set-pieces.
Mourinho will need Ivanovic on form to shackle Dyer and Wayne Routledge, which could be vital in keeping things tight at the back.
Lukasz Fabianski
Arsenal’s old back-up man has proven that first-team football is not beyond him with a fine start to life at Swansea. With an impressive shot-stopping ratio so far, Fabianski will need to maintain his form against Chelsea, whose attacking threats are likely to pepper his goal in west London.
There’s no reason that a clean sheet is not possible, but the Pole will need to be at the very top of his game to ensure that his attackers have the chance to nick a result for the Swans.
The Champions League is normally seen as the crown jewel of a dominant team’s period of success. Barcelona, Inter Milan and Manchester United in recent years have proven that, coming out victorious in domestic competition and accentuating that success with victory in Europe. But should domestic titles always outweigh Champions League glory, especially as the first step to the building of a dynasty?
Europe’s most prestigious tournament is the richest prize in club football, but it’s still very much a cup competition with an incredible amount of luck pushing the eventual winner to glory. On many occasions, it certainly doesn’t give a realistic indication as to who was the best team in Europe or even in their domestic league.
Chelsea’s Champions League win last season was off the back of a set of tactics and approaches that would never work in a 38 game league campaign. They rode their luck in some stages, benefited from the shortcomings of their opponents in others, but very much came to highlight the famous cup run of an English underdog. They didn’t have a prayer of finishing in the top four of the league as last season wound down, but as the Champions League participants started dropping off en route to Munich, it became increasingly likely that they would lift the trophy.
The parallels between them and Liverpool’s win in Turkey in 2005 are obvious: neither team were anywhere close to being the best in England and arguably not in Europe either, but the Champions League acted as a getaway from the troubles of competition at home.
A league title is more often than not a better indication of how good a team were. Take Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid last season, both of whom dominated on their way to lifting their league titles, showing the necessary consistency against equally or more powerful opposition and etching their names into the books as the best team of that season. It was always a mammoth task for a club like Dortmund to replicate that season, and teams like Real Madrid and Manchester City are proving that the follow-up year can prove to be incredibly difficult to push on again in the same manner.
But Dortmund have built on their first title success under Jurgen Klopp and that disappointing campaign in Europe last year, and even if they don’t retain their title again this season, they are certain to be among the favourites for the Bundesliga crown next year. The idea of three titles in four years or Klopp’s Dortmund side would be the work and creation of a dynasty in domestic competition, especially if the squad is largely the same year on year. Their improvement in Europe this season has also been noticeable and they are good enough to go far in the competition.
A Champions League win for Dortmund this season may be a step too far in predicting the outcome, but so much luck can go into who claims the trophy that a good set of draws and the wind against their backs could see the German champions make a surprise appearance at Wembley.
It won’t matter to them if they don’t make it, and a club like Ajax will also not feel too disheartened if the best they can do this season is qualify for the Europa League via their Champions League group. The Dutch champions are battling a much more realistic and achievable storm at home, for which Frank de Boer was heavily praised for finally reclaiming the Eredivisie title for the Amsterdam-based club. That is where their priorities lie, along with teams like the Greek champions and those from the east; they don’t have the resources to create their own luck in the way the bigger teams can, and they certainly don’t have the players to combat the very best of the top three or four leagues. However, as we’ve seen recently, Shakhtar Donetsk may be one of the few exceptions to that thought.
Those clubs build their reputation at home and through their dominance of domestic competition. Even with Liverpool’s success in Europe and the domestic cups that have come their way in subsequent years, the Premier League title, which continues to elude them, is seen as the biggest prize.
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The Champions League isn’t always the most accurate way of measuring the best in Europe. But by winning consistently in the Premier League, for example, clubs establish or re-establish themselves as the finest their country has to offer. It’s also an idea that in many cases domestic form will spill over into Europe and help to create a winning mentality that can equal that of European competition.
While every major club wants to get their hands on the European Cup, almost all fan bases will be united in the view that domestic dominance is the greatest priority and the necessary first step to building for something greater on the continent.
The importance of England’s final World Cup Group G clash, and how Gareth Southgate should accordingly handle the situation, remains open to interpretation. On the one hand, finishing top of the group will give real recognition to the hugely positive way England have started the tournament; on the other, the permutations of finishing second, within the context of the knockout rounds, appear far more beneficial than claiming top spot.
Likewise, while there is an obvious argument to maintaining momentum by beating one of the World Cup’s better fancied side after facing two countries who were never expected to advance from the group stage, there’s also an inevitable counter-argument – whether it’s really worth risking injury to key players if England have already qualified.
With that in mind, Football FanCast have one simple question for our experts – how many changes should Southgate make for England’s final Group G clash with Belgium on Thursday night?
Ben Goodwin
“You’ll only ever hear me say this once so enjoy it – Roy Keane is spot on. The ITV pundit complained people are overcomplicating things and just to focus on winning the next match, and he’s absolutely right. Momentum is crucial in these tournaments, so making loads of changes and hoping for an easier path to the final would be truly bizarre. The exception to this of course being any players carrying a knock are not worth the risk now qualification is secured, but they should be focused on beating Belgium and nothing else.”
Sam Preston
“Southgate must keep changes to a minimum – Roy Hodgson made five for the final group game of Euro 2016 and it stunted the feel-good factor from the last-gasp Wales win – so I’d make just the one, bringing in Danny Rose for the disappointing Ashley Young. Circumstances will dictate the feel of the match; how many changes Belgium make, where Brazil and Germany have finished in their groups, how Group H ends up – but much of that will only become clear very close to kick-off.
“I have no problem with England not winning the game and coming second in the group if that lines up a theoretically ‘easier’ knockout route, but Southgate can’t plan for that days in advance while so much is still up in the air.”
Is this the best World Cup ever? Give us your thoughts here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
James Beavis
“While Southgate could be tempted to rest most of his starting XI with qualification to the last 16 already guaranteed, I’m a firm believer that multiple changes and rotation are not a good thing – whether it be in club football or at international tournaments. England need to continue the momentum they are building and that means Harry Kane starts, Jesse Lingard starts and Kieran Trippier starts.
“That said, I would make three changes to the team that beat Panama so comfortably, with Dele Alli coming in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek in order to ensure he is ready for the knockout stages, Danny Rose in for the disappointing Ashley Young on the left, as well as an opportunity for Marcus Rashford to impress in place of Raheem Sterling alongside Kane.”
Chris McMullan
“We don’t know how Brazil – who have played well for a grand total of 20 minutes at this World Cup – will fare against a Serbia side who could relegate Brazil into second place. We don’t know how Germany will do in their final group game: they could still top their group, too.
“Imagine resting players in the hope of losing and avoiding Brazil and Germany only for results to surprise us, and for Brazil to come second in their group and Germany top theirs. In that scenario, Southgate would have halted his side’s momentum, ruined whatever confidence they’ve built up over the last week, and deprived his key players of competitive football for over a week in the build-up to a last 16 game which, in itself, certainly won’t be a cake walk.
“Trying to game the system by coming second is where things could yet go horribly, horribly wrong for this England side.”
Jack Newman
“Even though both teams have secured qualification to the knockout rounds, Belgium will always be a very physical contest for England, particularly with the high number of individual Premier League battles. The risk of injury runs high, but I would still keep changes to a minimum as we have seen before what happens when a manager tinkers with his team during a tournament.
“This is England’s first real test and I would like to see how a strong line-up will fare against good opposition. That being said, I would give Rashford the nod instead of Sterling as we are too reliant on Kane’s goals and could well need another in-form striker further down the line, and Sterling has disappointed so far in the tournament.”
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According to West Ham United club insider @ExWHUemployee on Twitter, West Ham United won’t be signing Joe Hart on a permanent basis in the summer.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Irons took the England international on a season-long loan deal from runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City last summer, but despite beginning the campaign between the sticks for the east London outfit he has lost his place to Adrian in recent months.
@ExWHUemployee suggests that has ended any hope that the 30-year-old could move to the London Stadium permanently at the end of the season, with West Ham instead looking to buy another goalkeeper to provide competition for their Spanish number one.
How has Hart done this season?
The Three Lions stopper started all of West Ham’s opening 14 top flight fixtures this term, but he conceded 30 times and kept just three clean sheets with the team struggling towards the bottom of the Premier League table.
The 4-0 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park – where Wayne Rooney scored from his own half after Hart has rushed out of his penalty area to clear the ball – proved to be the final straw for David Moyes and the 30-year-old has only played on three occasions since.
All three of those outings came in the FA Cup, but now the Irons have been knocked out it seems unlikely that Hart will play for the club again this season – or for that matter ever – unless Adrian picks up an injury or suffers a dramatic loss of form.
Is it the right decision?
It probably is, yes.
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West Ham would have hoped that Hart could be their first-choice goalkeeper for a number of years but he has shown few glimpses of the form and quality he showed for Manchester City earlier in his career, and the club are probably much better off with Adrian between the sticks.
Hart departing will give them another opportunity to bring in a new stopper this summer, and they could prove to be an upgrade on the Spaniard.
Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal found himself at a rather unique situation at Brazil 2014.
The Dutch media had already written off Oranje’s chances of winning the World Cup, or even venturing too far past the group stages, but van Gaal entered the tournament with a point to prove, following news that he would take over at Manchester United ahead of next season.
The 62 year-old already boasts an envious CV, including Bundesliga, La Liga, Eredivisie and Champions League titles throughout spells with Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AZ. But having never plied his trade in the Premier League before, in England at least, there is a shroud of mystery surrounding the now-stepped down Holland gaffer, whose reputation as a managerial maverick tends to precede him.
Well, the Brazil 2014 gave us a fantastic insight into the incoming Carrington boss, and with that in mind, here’s a list of the FIVE things we’ve learnt about Louis van Gaal from Holland’s World Cup campaign.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON THE MAN HIMSELF TO REVEAL SOME LVG LESSONS
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Ability to adapt and experiment
Before the World Cup, there were concerns over how Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie would fit into Louis van Gaal’s 4-3-3 formation, a system he’s continually championed throughout spells at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
But Brazil 2014 showed the Manchester United gaffer’s ability to adapt and experiment. Despite favouring the 4-3-3 formation for much of his Netherlands tenure too, before the World Cup he made the surprising switch to 3-5-2, which Oranje went on to stick with for the entire tournament:
It completely gazumped Spain in Holland’s opening fixture – a now famous 5-1 victory – and perhaps most importantly addressed Oranje’s intrinsic weakness of a lack of established quality at centre-back.
Thus, rather than one of Rooney, Mata or RVP getting the boot this summer as rumoured by some…
It’s more likely van Gaal will find a system that accommodates for all three.
GOALS GOALS GOALS
A product of the total football era, it’s no secret that Louis van Gaal favours attacking football. But to what degree truly came of light amid the World Cup, with the Netherlands’ 15 goals only bettered by eventual winners Germany (18).
Some of which included Arjen Robben’s sensational solo run against Spain…
…Robin van Persie’s header, also against Spain…
…and Daley Blind’s stunning take to pour on Brazil’s misery in the third-place Play-off.
Considering Holland also finished their World Cup qualifying campaign with the most goals scored of any European side, a ridiculous 34 goals in ten matches, it’s safe to assume it will be goals galore at Old Trafford next season.
Venturing into the unknown
Have you ever seen a manager bring on a goalkeeper exclusively for a penalty shoot-out before?
Apparently then-Southend boss Paul Sturrock did the old goalie switcheroo during January 2013 in the JPT, but to do it at a World Cup final takes Phil Mitchell levels of bottle.
In the last minute of extra time during their quarter-final tie with Costa Rica, Louis van Gaal switched Holland No.1 Jasper Cillessen – who allegedly, has never saved a penalty in his competitive career – with Newcastle’s Tim Krul.
Whether a rational decision, a moment of madness or simply a psychological ploy, there’s no doubt the substitution had the desired effect:
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Equally brave was LVG’s decision to utilise Dirk Kuyt as a wing-back. The former Liverpool star has plied his trade as a striker and a winger previously, but moving him even further back into a five-man defence proved to be an inspired selection choice, as seen below:
Faith in youth
For a club once immortalised by Alan Hansen’s ill-fated quote “you can’t win anything with kids”, Manchester United’s youth policy has lost its way in recent years.
But the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign suggests Louis van Gaal will be more than prepared to address that balance at Old Trafford – as detailed below, his squad included just one player over the age of 30 and eleven aged 25 or under:
That includes centre-back partners Stefan de Vrij and Bruno Martins Indi, both aged 22, who racked up 13 out of a possible 14 World Cup appearances between them, and impact sub Memphis Depay, aged 20, who claimed two goals from the bench, including this strike against Australia:
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If you wish to compare that to other World Cup squads, here’s a graph.
But perhaps most importantly, not only did LVG bring a host of young talent to Brazil 2014, but he also gave them all a chance to impress and gain experience. The only player not to feature for Oranje was unfortunately Swansea City’s Michel Vorm.
He’ll get the best out of Robin van Persie
It’s not as if we didn’t know Robin van Persie and Louis van Gaal enjoyed a you’re-like-the-father-I-never-had relationship before the World Cup, and it’s not as if the Manchester United striker is in particular need of some added motivation, having netted 48 times in 76 appearances for the Red Devils.
But Brazil 2014 produced further evidence that LVG is capable of bringing an even higher level of performance out of the 30 year-old, who netted four times in six World Cup appearances – the most of any Netherlands player – as detailed below:
That includes this mouth-watering strike against Ecuador…
…and this clinical spot kick against Brazil.
The last time RVP was in hot form, he fired Manchester United to their 13th Premier League title. Just sayin’.
QPR chairman Tony Fernandes insists he has “complete faith” in under-fire manager Mark Hughes.
The London club currently occupy 19th spot in the Premier League and are only above Southampton on goal difference.
Despite managing just one win from their opening ten games, Fernandes believes that it would be a mistake to sack Hughes and has given him his vote of confidence:
“I have complete faith in Mark Hughes and we have a great squad, we just need to hold out for that stability and I’m sure things are going to go right,
“It’s been one of those frustrating seasons for us but I’m keeping the faith and keeping calm. It’s not a time to panic.
“I am 100 per cent committed, and we won’t be detracted by fans or media. We’re confident in our approach, and changing a manager now would be suicidal in my point.
“Mark’s a good guy, he’s got good records before him. He needs a bit of luck, but also you’ve got to make your luck.
“But I say cream always rises to the top, you can’t keep a good man down. He has our backing.”
The Malaysian also believes that a sense of security is needed at Loftus Road:
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“I think fans who are true fans know that stability is needed.
“QPR doesn’t need another four-year plan of chopping and changing every few weeks, and Mark has done it before.”