The birth of a beautiful club

We return to the subject of "Money versus God" and the concurrent rebirths of both AC Ancona and QPR. You may recall from previous blogs setting up the contest where QPR got Briatore and Ecclestone and Ancona got the Pope. At that point as a veteran fan of the Hoops, I thought that disaster loomed and that Ancona would take the divine intervention and streak away. Money in football is no guarantee of success. Whereas Maradona proved that God can often come in at the most helpful times to save a sinner.

Now nearing the end of the season the picture is fast evolving where money is shifting into the final furlong a length or two to the good. Admittedly Ancona seem set for promotion and Serie B but they were in that slot from the day they kissed the Pope's ring. They have continued in a steady vein since the takeover. QPR on the other hand have dramatically stemmed form that would have guaranteed them a dip into the 3rd Division [old habits sorry] and are now developing a neck complaint looking up the table. All well and good but the true joy of this Lazarus like comeback [Mark, not the biblical one] has been the ability for Briatore to transform the whole fabric of the club, to turn them from a gun toting laughing stock of an operation, to a slick and sensitive club that is going places.

To me it's all marketing but it is just the kind of marketing that a club like QPR needs. The tradition of QPR is very glamorous. Since 1965 QPR have enjoyed some heady times and laced through that recent history have been players of immense skill and personality. The list is endless. No other club can boast a series of number 10's like it. Briatore and his sidekick Amit Bhatia can constantly be heard preaching the gospel of the club traditions and the power and passion of the support. QPR appear rich but they are using their heads not their wallets to build a sustainable viable club. "We are not Chelsea". is the mantra. Who wants to be? You only have to look at the likes of Terry and Lampard and their pay packets to see the poisoness route Chelsea have chosen. Pay packets that appear to all of us as indecent and obscene, but to Frank and John the slip is always half full.

The new kids in Hammersmith will build something unique and precious because that is what that have bought in it's rawest form in the very first place. Exciting days lie ahead. Briatore made Benetton Shops and F1 success out of thin air and just watch him create the greatest football club in the world. You read it hear first.

Under New management 2

Back in October we opened the debate of God vs. Money with the Vatican taking over Ancona and the equally international and potent Briatore and Ecclestone taking over QPR. Since then there has been a revolution at QPR with a series of eye-cacthing developments which have illustrated what makes Briatore a worldwide success in both the fields of fashion and Formula 1. Whilst QPR are still at the wrong end of Division 2 [sorry old habits] there is much to suggest that the goal of Champions league in 4 years is well within a compass that for too long was heading magnetically south.

But what of Ancona - has divine intervention been the path to the italian second flight?

Back in October Ancona were riding high in SerieC1-B which is a southern division of this third tier of the Italian football, and whilst the are still in the promotion running they are fifth in the and going through what might be termed a slump, having lost their last two games and drawn the three before that. In a league of 18, there isn't the same relentless battle of fixtures the Championship serves up. This leads to a much more consistent form based development of the league table, so 2 defeats have seen the "RossoBianci" drop out of the promotion places.

So how have the two clubs compared since October. Well Significantly and ironically QPR have employed an Italian coach. Luigi di Canio, a huge culture shock for all involved. Heck he can't speak English - imagine that. With a limited vocabulary and a good translator he has succeeded in creating a new football at Loftus Road something that the fully worded up Gregory and Waddock were unable to do. Whilst on the personnel front there has also been a dramatic influx of new blood at Loftus Road during the January window. Eleven new signings and an equal number of cancelled contracts and loan exits have left the 2007-8 team picture looking a bit sad and redundant. Ancona by contrast have continued with a largely unchanged squad and team - when your topping the league I'm guessing it ain't broke.

As for the new owners, Briatore and Ecclestone continue to turn up to most home games. With the F1 season beckoning I suspect their time and focus may understandably switch shortly. Whilst over in Italy, the Pope is yet to swell the mass ranks of the Ancona faithful, I'm guessing there's a problem, when games are mostly on a Sunday and the Pope is generally working.