Magilton told the club’s
official website: “It was the perfect time to score. We have enough dead-ball specialists in our squad to provide the quality that's needed to score from set-pieces, so it was nice to win it through Gorkssy's header. We should probably score a lot more from dead balls than we do, but I can't fault the lads at all. It was an ugly win, but that's just as satisfying for me and the rest of the lads in the dressing room as it is winning four or five.
“It is a nice win for us heading into the international break. We have got an awful lot of credit this year for our attacking prowess, but today we had to dig in and the lads showed they have the quality to do that. Make no mistake about it, Hillsborough is a very difficult place to come and get a result. We knew we'd have to weather a storm with them kicking towards The Kop in the second half, but despite a few scares, we stood up to them and in the end our class shone through from the set-piece. We're by no means the finished article - not by a long stretch. However, this is a very significant result for us and I couldn't be more delighted.”
Wednesday manager Brian Laws was understandably less impressed, telling his own club’s
website: “Football can be cruel at times and I think we experienced that this afternoon. In the first ten minutes we were sloppy and I thought we gave them too much respect and they got one goal and could have got another. That was the warning sign but after that we got back into the game, scored a great goal and after that, we were in control. In the second half, we pinned them in, they didn't cause us too many problems at the back and I was delighted with the performance against a very good side, no question about it. So to lose the game in the manner that we did, from a corner that was not even a corner, probably typifies the referee. He was so inconsistent, we were all scratching our heads with disbelief at some of his decisions. But I don't want to talk too much about the referee, he can't take all of the blame, it was a basic corner and we have conceded direct. But I think everyone would say it was unjust.”
Elsewhere rumours of interest in QPR’s 14 year old starlet Raheem Sterling continue to circulate with Man City the latest club linked. Sterling came on as a sub for England Under 16s against Northern Ireland on Thursday and turned the game in England’s favour with a fine performance and two assists. The People reports that Brian Kidd was in attendance in his role as a Man City coach and scout and was impressed, while Arsenal are said to be willing to part with £500k to get their man.
Sterling’s coach at QPR Steve Gallen has told the club’s
official website that he is confident Sterling will stay at QPR where a debut shortly after his 15th birthday next month is said to be an option as something of a carrot for the player to stay. Gallen said: “Raheem was excellent and he changed the game when he came on. It was no surprise to me, in all honesty. I was at the game and spoke with him afterwards. As you can imagine, he was absolutely buzzing. He was the youngest boy on the pitch, but it certainly didn't look like that. He plays in a way that belies his years. He's clever, his decision-making was good and he is clearly a very talented lad.
“He wants to stay here, and his mum wants him to stay here. He loves the place, and we all love him. Everyone here is aware of him, from the chairman through to Jim Magilton and John Gorman. I don't see any reason why he would want to leave. Sitting in the stand watching the game last night, I personally thought some of the lads had a bit of arrogance about them. But I didn't see that in Raheem at all. He just loves to play football. I have known him now for a number of years and there isn't an ounce of arrogance in him, none whatsoever. He is a very important part of our team.”
The rumour mill has today, in the
Daily Mirror, linked QPR with a £250,000 bid for Peterborough full back Russell Martin. Assistant manager John Gorman has worked with Martin before during his time with Wycombe.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Tottenham will recall Adel Taarabt in January to provide cover for Aaron Lennon. It has been reported that Spurs can recall him midway through his loan if there is a chance to loan him to another Premiership side but whether they would be allowed to end a season long loan deal to strengthen their own hand I’m not sure.
In former QPR news Liam Miller continues to win plaudits for his performances in the SPL with Hibs. He has just won the division’s player of the month award and told the
BBC: “I'm enjoying myself day in and day out which I hadn't done for a year. As long as I am happy here, I don't see why I shouldn't stay. I can definitely see myself being here for the long term. I have found it really welcoming here and I felt straight away I'd made the right decision. We have a really good bunch of lads and a lot of characters in the team. We are getting the right results on the pitch and we are training really hard and it's paying off.”
Former assistant manager at Loftus Road Kenny Jackett has been named League One manager of the month for his continued good form at Millwall.
Elsewhere in the Championship this weekend Cardiff boss Dave Jones was named manager of the month, narrowly beating Swansea’s Paulo Sousa to the award although the Portuguese got his revenge on Saturday when the Swans won the South Wales derby game 3-2 at the Liberty Stadium. Newcastle maintained the pace at the top with a 3-1 home win against Peterborough United who now prop up the table after Ipswich won a point at fellow strugglers Reading. Sheff Utd and Barnsley meet on Monday evening
