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Blackstock Forest switch back on? Weekend News
Blackstock Forest switch back on? Weekend News
Sunday, 19th Jul 2009 16:48

The on-off transfer of Dexter Blackstock to Nottingham Forest could finally go through this week after the Midlands club renewed its interest in the player.

Blackstock controversially spent the end of last season on loan at Forest scoring three crucial goals in their fight against relegation leaving QPR short of strikers and goals. He is known not to be a favourite player of the owners at Loftus Road and the offer of a contract extension was withdrawn before Christmas last year leaving him with just a season left to run on his current deal.

Forest have remained keen on Blackstock since he returned to QPR in May but the deal seemed to be dead when they bought Southampton’s David McGoldrick for a fee in the region of £1m earlier this summer. Despite this, and the presence of Tyson, Earnshaw and Adebola at the City Ground, Forest boss Billy Davies is pressing ahead with a bid for Blackstock and a £1.6m transfer could be completed early this week if terms are agreed and medicals passed. Blackstock did not feature in QPR’s friendly draw with Celje earlier this week and is unlikely to play tonight against Karlovac in Croatia.

The transfer, should it go through, again raises questions about just how much say the QPR manager has over his team and the comings and goings at Loftus Road. Jim Magilton’s appointment as manager this summer had seemed set to revitalise Blackstock’s QPR career with a goal in the first friendly at Aldershot and insistence from the new man that Blackstock was a big part of his plans. Just last week Magilton was quoted in the local press saying: “As I see it, Dexter's a QPR player and you haven't heard anything from me to reverse that situation. I'm sure if an offer came in for any player at any club the length and breadth of the country, the board would always consider it. But at the moment there hasn't been any offer. Dexter's applied himself terrifically well. I've absolutely no problem with him or any of the other players being here and, as long as they keep applying themselves in the same manner, there won't be any problem.”

Yesterday assistant manager John Gorman was insisting to the press that he and Magilton know what they have let themselves in for and can handle Flavio Briatore’s influence over the team. Gorman said: “Jim and I knew what we were taking on when we took the job. We feel we are strong enough to handle it and have a good relationship with the people above us.”

Magilton himself was bullish about the relationship with Briatore telling Sporting Life: “There is nothing wrong with people giving their opinions, but at the end of the day I will live and die by my opinions and my decisions. If you have bought a football club I think you have earned the right to have an opinion. I value people's opinions and I value the opinions of everyone at the club - but in the end they'll agree that I'm right.”

Who, if anybody, will replace Blackstock if he goes is unclear although a £1m deal for Italian striker Alessandro Pellicori is currently on the table. Damien Delaney is yet to be replaced following his departure to Ipswich with the club seemingly happy to use Gary Borrowdale instead at left back. I can’t help but think that QPR would stand a better chance this season if they had used the money spent on Faurlin and potentially on Pellicori to buy Dan Fox, Chris Gunter and Ched Evans who are all about to move to Championship teams for fees in the region of £1.5m. Still, we shall see.

Probably glad to be out of all this and back as just a player is Gareth Ainsworth. LoftforWords understands that, contrary to some rumours, it was indeed Ainsworth’s decision to go back to a purely playing role after a season of coaching and caretaker management at Loftus Road. Ainsworth told the club’s official website: “I think the best thing for everyone was for me to get back to being a player. Not for me, not for anyone else - but for QPR. Last season came a little bit too early for me. We needed a fresh start this summer and the new set-up here is looking great. It's still very early days, but we're looking really sharp. It's great to be around the lads again and I'm loving every minute. The gaffer knows what he's going to get from me - the leadership, the fitness and the will-to-win. I'll always keep grafting for this football club.”

While Ainsworth and the first team enjoys the hot weather and tough training in Slovenia and Croatia, the Under 18s, now manager by Steve Gallen, are on their annual German trip. The boys beat Bundesliga side Kaiserslauten 2-1 on Saturday thanks to a last minute penalty from Frankie Sutherland. Basagan Graham got the other goal, first teamer Antonio German had one ruled out for offside.

In former QPR news there is a rumour today that Sam Di Carmine could be back in the Championship next season – on a year long loan deal to Paulo Sousa’s Swansea. Di Carmine struggled terribly in this league last year with QPR, scoring just three times, but apparently Sousa saw enough to show an interest in the Fiorentina man again at his new club. Down at Plymouth more problems for Simon Walton who endured a terrible first season at Home Park littered with poor performances, red cards and arguments with manager Paul Sturrock and has now been left at home as the rest of the squad goes on tour. Sturrock said: “I have said all along that there is a clean slate for everyone. Simon has asked to be a centre-half and taking that into consideration, I have other players.”

Walton’s former QPR team mate Danny Nardiello is getting rather more sympathetic treatment at Blackpool, where Ian Holloway is offering the striker a second chance after a poor first season that included just one start for the Tangerines. Holloway said: “Danny has gone here and there and it hasn't quite worked. He has to deal with that and I will try to help him because I believe most of it has not been self-inflicted at all but has been very unfortunate. He has had a few injuries, and I will talk to him and try to get him over those injuries. I want to make sure he is tough enough, ready and not too bruised from the past to climb back up. That's what good players do – they get knocked down but they get up again.” Nardiello joined Blackpool last summer as part of the Kaspars Gorkss transfer.

Emmanuel Ledesma has been on the move again. After an early return from QPR in January Genoa have now allowed the Argentinean winger to join Novaro Calcio who play in the top tier of Serie C.

Elsewhere in the Championship this weekend Nottingham Forest’s spending continues apace with the £1.8m capture of Tottenham full back Chris Gunter who was with them on loan last season. Aberdeen are eyeing a double deal for Plymouth’s Jim Paterson and Steve MacLean. Watford have completed the signing of Slovenian full back Jure Travner from Celje – he was not involved against QPR last week. Reading are on the verge of a season long loan deal for Chelsea’ Ryan Bertrand who has previously impressed in this league with Norwich City. Coventry striker Freddy Eastwood has been fined £1,000 for fly tipping household waste near Coventry.

Photo: Action Images



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