Andriy Shevchenko: From Hero to Hero

Pride of Ukraine

Queens Park Rangers manager Andriy Shevchenko has just been named as the Ukraine Coach of the Year for 2012 after a very impressive year with the Rs, after being appointed manager in July 2012 to help the downward-spiraling club.

In this interview which he so kindly agreed to, Andriy talks to us about the award, QPR, and his future in management.


"Hello, Andriy, and congratulations on winning the Ukraine Coach of the Year award."

"Thank you, it's truly a great honour."

"How do you feel about getting this award?"

"Well... honoured, obviously, hahaha. It's a prestigious award and I never thought in my lifetime I would be winning it, because I always thought of myself as more of a player than a manager. Credit also has to go to the team, because without them I am not a manager, and just a retired footballer."

"Do you think you are lucky, being able to manage a team in the Premier League like Queens Park Rangers immediately after retirement from football?"

"Yes, I do feel that I am very lucky and I will be eternally grateful to Tony Fernandes for having handed me such an opportunity."

"So do you feel you have done a good job at QPR?"

"I don't like to praise myself or boast... but if I haven't been doing a good job, I won't be receiving this award."

"How far do you think QPR can go in the league this season?"

"Realistically, maybe 6th or 7th. That's the aim I am setting for the boys because I want to improve on last season's position. However I think we have the quality to make maybe 4th place, and a Champions League spot. People might say I'm 'deluded' but I honestly think we can."

"What about the cups?"

"Final for the Capital One and FA Cup, and maybe around the Quarters for the Europa League."

"Isn't that a bit unrealistic?"

"It was unrealistic when we won the FA Cup last season too, so why can't we pull it off again?"

"True, true. Well... we understand you almost left QPR at the end of last season because of contract issues. How long more do you think you will stay at Loftus Road? You are a fan favourite here now, so are you planning to leave anytime soon?"

"I'm under contract here until 2017, so I won't be planning to think about leaving until then, unless a fantastic opportunity came along. Then, that could change."

"Alright, thank you for the interview Andriy, and once again, very nice job."

"Thank you!"

Nice Update Glenn, Keep Up The Good Work!

2012-12-15 16:11#72332 CockneyReject : Nice Update Glenn, Keep Up The Good Work!

Thanks Cockney

December: Shortage

I was raging. Injuries, injuries, injuries, injuries everywhere! We had been playing the last few games with only three, yes, THREE players on the bench, and many were also played out of position. When players were tired, I couldn't sub them out. It was horrible. 7 first-team players are currently injured, and about 4-5 of those injuries will last more than a month.

Coincidentally, December was also the month where we would have the most games. Thankfully, the injuries didn't affect results too much.




QPR 2 - 0 Millwall
Owen
Cisse

Fulham 1 - 4 QPR
Faurlin
Cisse
Barton
Doria

Newcastle 1 - 2 QPR
Cisse
Barry

Wigan 2 - 0 QPR

QPR 3 - 1 Chelsea
Doria
Campbell
Doria

Tottenham 2 - 1 QPR
Cisse

QPR 1 - 3 West Bromwich
Mbia


Capital One Cup Quarter Final
QPR 3 - 1 Wolves
Zubar
Cisse
Cisse



Europa League
Gladbach 1 - 2 QPR
Granero
Campbell

QPR 3 - 0 Zilina
Gasparik
Shaw
Hoilett



I continued looking through the documents that Mark had left on my table. It seemed we would be playing Roma in the First Knockout Rounds of the Europa League. I was really surprised when we finished top, with zero defeats. I was at least expecting Gladbach or Sporting to pull us down a notch.

QPR Player of the Month

Doria


Doria has once again not only proven himself as the best defender at the club with his defensive duties and performances, but has also proved to have a knack of getting to headers. He has scored 3 goals from headers this month, especially netting a brace against Chelsea after scoring two goals from two corners to give Queens Park Rangers a crucial three points.

World Award Winners 2013

Ballon d'Or
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)


World Player of the Year
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)


World Team of the Year
Buffon; Alves, Vidic, Kompany, Marcelo; Xavi, Ibrahimovic; van der Vaart, Gotze, Ronaldo; Messi


European Golden Boy
Mario Gotze (Dortmund)

I will be following. Im liking it a lot so far Glenn.

The Lure of Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao chairman Josu Urrutia has confirmed his interest in appointing Andriy Shevchenko as the new manager to replace Gregorio Manzano, who was sacked last week.


The Ukrainian manager is currently in charge of Queens Park Rangers after taking over the reins from Mark Hughes in July 2012, and has done a splendid job with the Rs, leading them to a 9th place finish and an FA Cup win in his first season in charge.

This season, Shevchenko continued his miracles as Queens Park Rangers reached the Semi-Finals of the Capital One Cup, as well as topping their group in the Europa League to qualify for the Knockout Rounds. This, obviously, has failed in warding off interest in the 37-year-old.

Shevchenko, who is understood to have an uneasy relationship with QPR chairman Tony Fernandes, may seize the opportunity to move on to a bigger stage in Spain.

Shevchenko: "I will not leave"

In the face of interest from Athletic Bilbao, Andriy Shevchenko has decided to come out publicly to talk about his future with Queens Park Rangers.

"Bilbao is interested," Shevchenko confirmed. "They came over here yesterday and offered me the job, but I rejected it. I am fully committed to Queens Park Rangers."

Shevchenko's turning down of the Bilbao job would have delighted Rs fans, who have been on edge the whole week as rumors of the Ukrainian leaving his post in London to link up with the Spanish club.

Good decision man.Hope you continue to have success with QPR.

Hi Great story!! I have just read it all and I couldnt comment because I have not signed up but I have just made a new account! So yeah amazing story

2012-12-15 21:55#72366 Fabio_Casablanca : Good decision man.Hope you continue to have success with QPR.

2012-12-16 01:23#72395 jamo86 : Hi Great story!! I have just read it all and I couldnt comment because I have not signed up but I have just made a new account! So yeah amazing story

Thank you

January: Downward Spiral

I almost cried as I looked at the January monthly report. What a disastrous month, all thanks to the injuries. Or was it?

The injuries had left our squad in disarray, with key players like Alejandro Faurlin, Wellington Nem, and Samba Diakite all still on the injury list. This has made me resort to playing players in different positions, for example, Jose Bosingwa playing in defensive midfield. Players like Doria and Luke Shaw are also both getting very tired, yet are forced to play every match because of the injuries, and maybe that is why the quality of our play is worsening.

Our bad form this month has also kicked us out of the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup, very harshly, after defeats to West Bromwich and Newcastle. I am very disappointed with the team and have been telling them how shit they are and to buck up every week, but my criticism seemingly goes in one ear and out the other with them. Djibril can't score, Adam is starting to look like a shit buy, and Michael Owen... well, he's just Michael Owen.




Ipswich 3 - 2 QPR
Jese
Jese

Liverpool 3 - 2 QPR
Doria
Cisse

QPR 2 - 0 Man Utd
Jese
Onuoha


Capital One Cup Semi Final Leg 1
QPR 1 - 1 Newcastle
Jese

Capital One Cup Semi Final Leg 2
Newcastle 1 - 0 QPR


FA Cup Third Round
Hartlepool 1 - 1 QPR
Cisse

FA Cup Third Round Replay
QPR 3 - 0 Hartlepool
Barry
Barry
Granero

FA Cup Fourth Round
West Bromwich 3 - 2 QPR
Reid
Jese

"Well, at least we won against Manchester United," I comforted myself. "And we're still in the Europa League!"

QPR Player of the Month

Jese


Despite almost every QPR player looking like shite this month, Jese has shone. He has scored crucial goals and is now looking like a great player after an initial slow start to his QPR career after moving from Real Madrid in the summer. He cost only 5k and that amount is now looking like a bargain.

I had done no transfers in January, to my own surprise. We had tried to pull off bids for a few players, but they had all fell through. Thus, there was no transfers report on my table, like I'd expected.

Hopefully next month will be better...?

HUGE thanks to FMRegen27 for the QPR banner that I will now use as the heading for every monthly update

Y U NO GO 2 BILBAO???

2012-12-16 17:48#72526 Arvind K : Y U NO GO 2 BILBAO???

I don't like to leave teams hanging at the mid of the season! Maybe if Bilbao came to me at the end of the season I would give it serious consideration