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Last night, while everyone else was celebrating, we enjoyed a traditional footballers' New Year's Eve; tucked up in bed in a hotel just outside Norwich.
As on Christmas Day I trusted the players, so there was no going round checking everyone was in bed before midnight. They are aware they will have plenty of New Year's Eve celebrations when they give up football. Really, it's not that much of a sacrifice. They all get paid well and they are aware that preparation and sleep are important. I just had to hope we got the quiet end of the hotel – you can't find a decent hotel at New Year's Eve that hasn't got a few parties on.
It is important the players do look after themselves as after today we have to get back and prepare to face Bristol City at home on Monday. There's no let-up in the Championship. It's not like those soft Premier League teams who get an extra day to recover; I suppose it is so they can get their snoods and gloves washed and dried. At least our schedule isn't too bad. Preston, after playing today, are at Crystal Palace on Monday, and Hull travel to Portsmouth. You have to have sympathy for the supporters as well as the players.
It was nice after two defeats to get back to winning ways over Christmas. It doesn't matter whether you're top of the league or bottom, when you start losing you put pressure upon yourself. I can assure you Carlo Ancelotti, despite all he and his team have achieved in the game, will have felt very relieved after their win against Bolton.
5. Continued stint at QPR would be in Walker's best interests
The transfer window starts today and every manager in the land will find his phone ringing non-stop. I have brought a lad in from Norway, Petter Vaagan Moen, whom we have watched for the best part of a year now, but I don't anticipate making any big signings. We are thinking about trying to get a couple of loans in to the end of the season, but on the flip side it looks as if Kyle Walker is going back to Spurs. I hope they change their mind. He had a great game against Coventry on TV but he's not always been like that. Young lads do blow hot and cold and I think the experience of another 20-odd games at this level would do him good.
22nd February away v Charlton is the 40th Anniversary of my support of QPR and my first game. Away v Chelsea 3-3 23rd Feb 1974. 40 years of pure magic!!
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