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Football: Harford hints at QPR move

Catherine Riley
Thursday 04 December 1997 00:02 GMT
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Ray Harford has dropped the broadest hint yet that he may resign as the manager of West Bromwich Albion and take charge of managerless Queen's Park Rangers.

Harford admitted that travelling to and from his Berkshire home to Birmingham every day was beginning to take its toll and he wants to be at a club nearer to his family.

The former Blackburn, Wimbledon and Luton manager has never signed the contract that was placed in front of him when he took over at The Hawthorns 10 months ago.

Harford admitted: "This is the toughest decision of my life. The club have been fantastic to me. The warmth I have been shown by the board and the supporters has been incredible. The players couldn't have given me any more.

Roy Evans, the Liverpool manager, has been in talks with Oldham about signing their England Under-21 full-back Carl Serrant, who is also being tracked by Blackburn, Leeds and Leicester. West Bromwich have already bid pounds 600,000.

Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, said yesterday he was "disappointed" that Rod Wallace and Gary Kelly had not signed long-term contracts with the club. Kelly still has a year left, but Wallace will be a free agent in the summer and Ridsdale has made it clear that he will not be held to ransom.

Leeds were also unhappy at yesterday's news that Harry Kewell has been selected to play for Australia in this month's Confederation Cup in Saudi Arabia. Kewell has been included in a 20-strong squad which also includes Mark Bosnich of Aston Villa, Stan Lazaridis of West Ham and Southampton's Robbie Slater.

Australia's assistant coach, Raul Blanco, said that under the rules of Fifa, the sport's world governing body, clubs had no option but to release their players.

Juventus are reported to be considering buying a 10 per cent stake in Crystal Palace. The Italian club's vice-president, Roberto Bettega, attended last night's game at West Ham but declined to comment.

The extent of Portsmouth's financial plight was revealed yesterday as the club confirmed they had not yet been able to pay last month's wages to players and staff.

Gary Mabbutt, the veteran Tottenham defender, has told the club's new coach, Christian Gross, that he still wants to play for the club, despite being left out of the Everton match. Across north London, Arsenal are reported to be interested in the St Johnstone full-back Callum Davidson.

Meanwhile, the Perth club's attempts to sign Swedish striker Lars Gunnar Karlstrand could be thwarted by Britain's quarantine rules. The player is stalling over a move to Scotland after learning he may have to leave his pet rottweiler, Ted, in Sweden.

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