Lloydy från sponsringsträffen.
The QPR-ambassador rapporterar från spelarträffen då Swedish Hoops fick sin spelartröja från Ian Evatt.
Richard Lloyd representerade Swedish Hoops på sponsträffen när alla spelarna träffade sina tröjsponsorer, här är hans rapport från evenemanget.
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"The sponsors do this year was at the training facility in Harlington (near Heathrow) and as it was my first visit there I was keen to see how it compared to the site in Acton. A distinct improvement for sure, the pitches looked in a far better state of repair and the buildings newer and more welcoming. Of course not having to share the facility with a rugby side must help the pitches but it seemed a better place to train away from the distractions of West London and the players I mentioned it to seemed to find it any easy commute.
The first person I spoke to was the Swedish Hoops very own Ian Evatt who presented me with the home and away shirts and thanked me for the sponsorship. He didn't seem particularly aware of the Swedish Hoops but was impressed with our Scandinavian friends commitment to the cause. He was still unsure of his own future and is still adjusting to the move South which is a very different life to that he was leading in Chesterfield and he felt it was beginning to come together so we'll see for next season if he's been bought or is still on the team as he has 2 years left on his contract.
Almost all the players were there though Simon Royce was suffering from flu so absent and I missed Martin Rowlands though apparently he was there at the beginning. Steve Lomas was the most conspicuous by his absence but with the exception of a few of the released youngsters and new debutant Ray Jones it was a full squad to pester! A number of them were relaxing playing table tennis as the crowd of fans descended on them so the game was soon abandoned. I was a little surprised there was no Gianni Paladini though.
The easiest thing is to run through the players/staff I spoke to and let you know what they had to say, they were all very obliging in terms of getting signatures:
Lee Cook who Evatt revealed lives near by and they travel to training together didn't have a great deal to say but agreed with me when I suggested he was unlucky not to get the player of the season award.
Paul Furlong was as charming as ever and is always a pleasure to speak to, certainly one of the more eloquent of footballers and hopefully he'll still have a few good afternoons in the Hooped shirt before hanging his boots up.
Marc Nygaard was well impressed with the whole Scandinavian Rs idea and was particularly taken with the Swehoops shirt that I was sporting (perhaps someone could send him one in very tall size?). He is very happy at the Rs and can't wait for next season to start and he is desperate to stay fit. From a personal point of view he doesn't look particularly skilful but knows exactly where the goal is and you can't really ask for more than a goal every other game from a striker which is what he achieved this season. It may depend on Cookie still being there or replaced with someone who can so consistently put the ball on his head though.
Marcus Bignot was particularly chirpy for someone transfer listed but said he felt certain he'd still be playing in the Hoops next season and there are two reasons for this, we don't currently have another right back on the books and also I'm not sure its particularly likely anyone will come in with a cash offer for him.
Georges Santos is another player who comes across as intelligent and charming and I think its a real shame that he had to sign off with the own goal at home but he was pleased to be wished luck for the future and I'm fairly sure he'll find a club either in the Championship or League 1.
Danny Sh1ttu was as ever not one to try and hog the limelight and he was fielding questions about his future from almost everyone with typical good grace, its amazing that someone so quiet off the field should be quite such a formidable force on it. I'm fairly sure he doesn't want to leave but money talks and he deserves to play at a higher level if its offered.
Richard Langley probably didn't want to be there and I can't really blame him but he remains popular with the fans, especially the kids who all wanted their picture taken with him. As yet he has nothing fixed up for next season but I wouldn't be surprised to see him line up against up with one of our rivals next season.
Matty Rose was as ever on the injury list and is soon to have a 'routine' operation to clear out his ankle but should be back in for pre-season training and fortunately he didn't hear me warning him not to fall off the radiator he was sitting on as I don't think he'd have been too amused!
I managed to speak to Kevin Gallen this year unlike the last time I went but he is struggling with his injury(s) and it is proving very hard to locate exactly what it causing it. He's not sure yet how much he'll be able to play next season unless they can find out what's wrong but he'll be having a procedure soon that should help identify it.
Mauro Milanese looks every inch your typical Italian but his English is good and also seemed very popular with the picture hunters. He was obviously pleased to have been a regular under Waddock and would like to continue that next season - watch out for his free kicks apparently if he gets to take them!
Gary Waddock and Alan McDonald were probably the most in demand in the room though I'm sure if the latter hears anyone utter the word 'legend' in front of him again he'll have trouble smiling! Macca currently commutes in from Ireland but says its actually easier to fly to Heathrow than drive from Wiltshire where he used to live! Without saying as much I get the impression both will be leading the team next season so certainly wished them all the best from the Scandinavian contingent.
A quick round up of the others, Marc Bircham seemed pretty down but spoke to as many people as possible, Dominic Shimmin really hopes to be ready for pre-season but has been really frustrated by his injury, Paul Jones should find out this week if he's being offered a new contract (though Jake Cole I see today has been given an extended deal), Scott Donnelly didn't have much to say but again was happy to sign autographs. I think most of the kids were a bit overawed by the situation.
There is one player I haven't mentioned yet but it was the player I had the longest chat with and that's Gareth Ainsworth, another very popular character and I was more than a little chuffed when he remembered me from the gig where I won/bought his shirt in the auction. Having been given what actually wasn't his match shirt that day he then had made sure I was posted with the real one, signed and with a letter of authenticity. The one I was given on the night I took yesterday to get everyone to sign as I intend to auction it myself for charity to go towards my fundraising for the Chicago Marathon that I will be doing in October. Gareth was interested in marathons as he'd like to do one when he retires and was asking what its like to 'hit the wall' - I suggested it would be similar to how he feels after 70 minutes playing for the Rs which fortunately he took very well!! Top bloke!!
Well that's quite long but I know you guys like your Rs news, the only other thing to be mentioned was the possibility of an Italian pre-season tour though the details have yet to be finalised but it seems a likely event. The lads are back for pre-season in June and it will be interesting to see who's there and who isn't. In the meantime we can concentrate on the World Cup and Oster's pursuit of Allsvenskan glory"
