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Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Correction! Jim Smith NOT Returning to QPR! (At least for now)

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SKY SPORT - Smith says no for now
By Simon Fudge - Created on 7 Feb 2006


Jim Smith has turned down the chance to return to former club Queens Park Rangers 'for the time being'.
Smith, who managed the West London outfit for a for a spell between 1985 and 1988, spoke with QPR chairman Gianni Paladini on Monday regarding a role whereby he would assist caretaker boss Gary Waddock.
The Championship club placed Waddock in charge after putting manager Ian Holloway and his assistants Gary Penrice and Tim Breaker on gardening leave.
Growing speculation that Holloway is set to succeed Craig Levein as Leicester City manager prompted Paladini to place the former Bristol Rovers boss on leave in order to steady the ship at QPR.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Smith felt now was not the right time to return to Loftus Road, but he hinted that a move back may be on the horizon.
"With the situation at the club and the management problems, it wasn't the time for me to go because it was politically not correct, I don't think," Smith said.
"It's a shame because it's a great club. Mr Paladini is a personal friend and I feel as if I've let him down a little bit.
"I met Gary Waddock yesterday (Monday), who is going to take charge, and I was very impressed with him.
"I just felt that for me, with the situation, it just wasn't politically correct for me."
Smith stated his confidence that he will return to football in the near future, though he ruled out any possibility of succeeding Phil Brown as Derby County manager.
"This is the longest period I've ever been out of football in my life," he added.
"In about 27 to 30 years, I've only done a year all told (out of football), and this is about half of it at this moment in time.
"I have turned opportunities down in that period, to be honest, but there are a couple of opportunities that are coming up now.
"I think, in the very near future, I'll be back in serious full-time football."
Smith feels the Leicester speculation will make it difficult for Holloway to return to his QPR post. "Looking at it - whatever the circumstances regarding Leicester is - to me, he's not going back," Smith said.
"I don't know how long it will take for him to do the garden and how big his garden is, but I don't think there is any going back (for Holloway now)."
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=361204&CPID=10&clid=&lid=2&title=Smith+says+no+for+now


BBC - Smith decides against QPR return
By Andrew McKenzie
Smith spent over three years as boss at QPRJim Smith has held talks with QPR but will not be making an emotional return to the club as manager.
QPR suspended manager Ian Holloway on Monday after a poor run of results and following links with the Leicester job.
Smith, 65, was widely reported to be making a return as director of football to Loftus Road - where he was manager for three years in the 1980s.
"There have been talks and I've decided things are not right for me there at the moment," he told BBC Sport.
"It's been a very hard decision for me. I more or less said 'yes' to QPR and then I've had to say 'no' - it's that close and I feel a bit sad about it but I just felt it wasn't right.
QPR suspend Foxes target Holloway "I'm not going to be involved there."
Smith guided the club to fifth in the old First Division in 1988 before leaving later that year for Newcastle.
He rejected suggestions he was set for a director of football role at the club, adding: "I've never wanted to be a director of football in my life. I don't even know what he does."
Smith has been out of work since his contract was not renewed at Southampton in May 2005 and has since had talks with Bristol Rovers and been part of a consortium trying to take over Oxford United.
But he said he was in talks with other clubs, adding: "It's a funny life. There are no buses then suddenly three come at once." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/4688366.stm


SOCCERNET Feb. 7, 2006
Smith turns down return to Loftus Road

Former QPR boss Jim Smith has rejected the chance to re-join the club - but did not rule out a return in the near future.
Rangers placed manager Ian Holloway on 'gardening leave' on Monday and chairman Gianni Paladini offered Smith - who managed Rangers from 1985-88 - a role alongside caretaker-boss Gary Waddock.
Smith revealed: 'I held talks with Gianni Paladini, but given the circumstances at the club I did not feel it would have been politically correct to go there right now.'
But when asked whether he would reconsider his decision if Holloway - who has been linked with managerless Leicester - was to leave the club definitively, Smith told Sky Sports News: 'That is always a possibility.
'I think I will be back in full-time football in the near future. I have turned down opportunities, and this is the longest I have been out of the game.'
Smith also believes 'there is no going back' for Holloway at Loftus Road.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=357765&cc=5901

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