BBC 8/8/06
Leeds lining-up Celtic's Camara
Celtic left-back Mo Camara is poised to join English Championship outfit Leeds United on a season-long loan deal.
A Leeds spokesman told BBC Sport that the deal had not yet been concluded but was hopeful that the former Burnley player would be moving to Elland Road.
The 31-year-old joined Celtic last summer after two seasons at Turf Moor but failed to convince despite 24 outings for the Scottish champions.
He will vie for a place at Leeds' with ex-Celtic left-back Stephen Crainey.
Guinea-born Camara, who began his career at Beauvais before moving to Le Havre then Wolverhampton Wanderers, was impressive in Celtic's opening-day 4-1 defeat of Kilmarnock.
But natural right-back Mark Wilson was again preferred for the weekend defeat by Hearts following the return of Paul Telfer from injury.
Celtic have told another left-back, Charlie Mulgrew, that he can find a new club despite an impressive loan spell with Dundee United last season.
And, on Tuesday, they decided against signing Bulgaria international Ivaylo Petkov after a two-day trial.
But they have still allowed Camara to leave despite their lack of options at left-back.
Guardian 8/8/06
Baidoo's late strike thwarts Leeds
Rob Smyth at Loftus Road
Wednesday August 9, 2006
The Guardian
Shabazz Baidoo scored an injury-time equaliser for QPR to deny Leeds a deserved victory after they had dominated for almost the entire match. He turned in Gareth Ainsworth's near-post cross from two yards, and Rangers could even have stolen a winner.
It was a largely unsophisticated contest in which brawn had the better of brain, but Leeds were superior and deserved to be in front long before Eddie Lewis, the outstanding player, struck an excellent goal. QPR equalised through a Martin Rowlands' penalty with nine minutes remaining but within a minute Geoff Horsfield volleyed another for Leeds.
Beforehand QPR introduced a new signing, the former England Under-17 centre-half Zesh Rahmam from Fulham, but it could not lift a pre-match mood of weary resignation which was in total contrast to the optimism usually associated with first home game of a new season.
Once the whistle blew, however, the mood was transformed. Rangers started with fury and hunger, and for a while their intensity was too much even for a team as battle-hardened as Leeds.
In the second minute Matthew Kilgallon inexplicably left a blind punt only for the on-loan Adam Czerkas to poke wide when one on one with Leeds's on-loan goalkeeper Tony Warner. A minute later Ainsworth surged infield to make Warner work from the edge of the area.
Leeds took 15 minutes to get a foothold in the game but when they did their superior know-how and self belief began to tell. Their first real chance came when Paul Butler headed down the lively Lewis's corner and David Healy's close-range prod was smothered by Paul Jones.
Slowly Leeds turned the screw. Healy side-footed at Jones from the edge of the area after Damien Stewart had missed Steve Stone's cross, and soon after the former England winger was denied by two desperate point-blank saves from Jones.
It was not especially pretty - both teams seemed determined to give a thorough work-out to the old Brian Clough adage about God putting grass in the sky - but it worked for Leeds and at times QPR were struggling to get out of their own box, never mind their half.
Gary Kelly thrashed high and wide from 10 yards after 34 minutes, and Lewis's free kick was palmed away by the besieged Jones. It was a minor miracle that the home side got to half-time on level terms.
Only one side wanted the interval to come and it showed afterwards. Leeds struggled to pick up where they left off and QPR, glad to have any pieces to pick up at all, emerged with renewed vigour.
As in the first half, however, Leeds reversed the momentum and when another Lewis free-kick caused mayhem in the penalty area, Healy's left-foot shot was blocked by a posse of defenders.
A goal was not so much in the post as on its way by recorded delivery, and it finally arrived with 25 minutes remaining. Stone's clipped cross was headed against the underside of the bar by Healy and as the ball broke loose, Lewis fired a left-foot volley into the top corner. Leeds were as comfortable as any side leading could be and they will find it hard to fathom how they did not make it six points out of six.
leedsunited.com 8/8/06
HONOURS EVEN
QPR 2 (Rowlands 80 pen, Baidoo 90), LEEDS UNITED 2 (Lewis 64, Horsfield 81)
QPR: P Jones, Bignot (Baidoo 77), Milanese, Rose, Ward, Ainsworth, Rowlands (Bircham 88), Lomas, Cook, Stewart, Czerkas (R Jones 55). Subs: Cole, Kanyuka.
UNITED: Warner, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Crainey, Stone, Bakke (Westlake 49), Derry, Lewis, Healy (Carole 76), Horsfield (Moore 84). Subs: Gregan, Blake.
Ref: K Friend
Att: 13,966
United manager Kevin Blackwell stuck with the same side that accounted for Norwich at Elland Road on Saturday. Eirik Bakke and Paul Butler recovered from minor knocks to take their place in the starting line-up along with on-loan goalkeeper Tony Warner, who continues to deputise for Neil Sullivan.
Warner was called into action twice inside the opening 15 minutes as QPR made a brisk opening - the imposing keeper stood his ground well against Adam Czerkas and saved from Gareth Ainsworth. It was a lively start by the home side as they attempted to give Leeds no time to settle.
However, United boss Blackwell again tinkered with his system during the early exchanges and after stemming the QPR flurry, Leeds slowly took control and carved out a number of good opportunities.
Geoff Horsfield was first to capitalise when he almost cashed in on a poor back-pass while Paul Butler threatened with a close range header. Home goalkeeper Paul Jones reacted well to deny David Healy after good work by Steve Stone, and Stone himself had two attempts blocked.
United's best chance of the first half came on 35 minutes when Gary Kelly smashed an Eddie Lewis cross over the top while, moments before the interval, QPR goalkeeper Jones saved well from a curling Lewis free-kick.
United lost Bakke through injury shortly after the break, but they remainded in the ascendancy and continued to dominate the clash. Steve Stone and Eddie Lewis were constant threats and the American was also a danger at set-plays as Leeds looked to force the advantage.
It took some quick defending to deny Healy on the hour-mark, who capitalised on a Butler knock-down from one Lewis free-kick, while Horsfield came within a whisker of turning another Lewis delivery towards goal.
But the goal that Leeds so richly deserved finally came on 64 minutes. Horsfield and Stone were both involved as Healy saw a header rattle the bar, but the ball was only cleared as far as Lewis and the Californian made no mistake with a rasping finish.
Yet, with Leeds cruising, the home side were handed a shock lifeline when Stephen Crainey was adjudged to have committed a foul during a rare QPR sortie and the referee had no doubt about awarding a penalty. United protested - Warner was booked - but Martin Rowlands made no mistake from the spot.
It took less than a minute for United to restore their lead though. Stone played in Horsfield with a delightful ball and the loan striker took his chance with aplomb to open his goalscoring account for his new club. It was no more than Leeds or Horsfield deserved, but there was still more drama to come.
Rangers came pouring forward in search of an equaliser and substitute Shabazz Baidoo came up with the goods in the final minute when he poked home from close range after a good break down the right by the Londoners.
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/8/06
Blackwell hits out
By Phil Hay
Leeds United manager Kevin Blackwell today launched a fierce defence of his players after fending off criticism of their 1-0 victory over Norwich City.
Blackwell admitted he was mystified by claims that United were fortunate to take three points from their Championship opener after an entertaining fixture at Elland Road on Saturday.
City hit the post twice and wasted a number of early chances, but David Healy's 41st-minute penalty settled the game in Leeds' favour following a wild challenge by Lee Croft on United midfielder Steve Stone.
Norwich manager Nigel Worthington later insisted his team had deserved a result on the strength of their display, but Blackwell, whose players will turn out for their second game of the season at QPR this evening, angrily rejected negative assessments of United's start.
The Leeds boss said: "You'd wonder with some of the comments I've heard whether we played at all on Saturday. They had chances, but we had four or five excellent chances – I don't see anyone mentioning those. I'm going to defend my players. I'm only worried about Leeds United and I think the players here deserve an immense amount of credit. They won't always get things right, but they will try."
United's narrow win reflected the tight nature of the Championship across the board as only three clubs – Burnley, Luton and West Brom – secured victory by more than one clear goal at the weekend.
Leeds could ironically move to the top of the Championship tonight with a convincing victory at Loftus Road, but Blackwell is reluctant to set grand targets while the season remains in its infancy. Blackwell said: "If you start setting targets and you don't achieve them, it puts you on a downer straight away. What we do look at is being in or around the top 10 by the end of September. If you're there, you've got a solid start to the season and a platform to build on."
Meanwhile, the United boss is having a look at former Portsmouth defender Aliou Cisse, who is on trial at Thorp Arch.
Leeds lining-up Celtic's Camara
Celtic left-back Mo Camara is poised to join English Championship outfit Leeds United on a season-long loan deal.
A Leeds spokesman told BBC Sport that the deal had not yet been concluded but was hopeful that the former Burnley player would be moving to Elland Road.
The 31-year-old joined Celtic last summer after two seasons at Turf Moor but failed to convince despite 24 outings for the Scottish champions.
He will vie for a place at Leeds' with ex-Celtic left-back Stephen Crainey.
Guinea-born Camara, who began his career at Beauvais before moving to Le Havre then Wolverhampton Wanderers, was impressive in Celtic's opening-day 4-1 defeat of Kilmarnock.
But natural right-back Mark Wilson was again preferred for the weekend defeat by Hearts following the return of Paul Telfer from injury.
Celtic have told another left-back, Charlie Mulgrew, that he can find a new club despite an impressive loan spell with Dundee United last season.
And, on Tuesday, they decided against signing Bulgaria international Ivaylo Petkov after a two-day trial.
But they have still allowed Camara to leave despite their lack of options at left-back.
Guardian 8/8/06
Baidoo's late strike thwarts Leeds
Rob Smyth at Loftus Road
Wednesday August 9, 2006
The Guardian
Shabazz Baidoo scored an injury-time equaliser for QPR to deny Leeds a deserved victory after they had dominated for almost the entire match. He turned in Gareth Ainsworth's near-post cross from two yards, and Rangers could even have stolen a winner.
It was a largely unsophisticated contest in which brawn had the better of brain, but Leeds were superior and deserved to be in front long before Eddie Lewis, the outstanding player, struck an excellent goal. QPR equalised through a Martin Rowlands' penalty with nine minutes remaining but within a minute Geoff Horsfield volleyed another for Leeds.
Beforehand QPR introduced a new signing, the former England Under-17 centre-half Zesh Rahmam from Fulham, but it could not lift a pre-match mood of weary resignation which was in total contrast to the optimism usually associated with first home game of a new season.
Once the whistle blew, however, the mood was transformed. Rangers started with fury and hunger, and for a while their intensity was too much even for a team as battle-hardened as Leeds.
In the second minute Matthew Kilgallon inexplicably left a blind punt only for the on-loan Adam Czerkas to poke wide when one on one with Leeds's on-loan goalkeeper Tony Warner. A minute later Ainsworth surged infield to make Warner work from the edge of the area.
Leeds took 15 minutes to get a foothold in the game but when they did their superior know-how and self belief began to tell. Their first real chance came when Paul Butler headed down the lively Lewis's corner and David Healy's close-range prod was smothered by Paul Jones.
Slowly Leeds turned the screw. Healy side-footed at Jones from the edge of the area after Damien Stewart had missed Steve Stone's cross, and soon after the former England winger was denied by two desperate point-blank saves from Jones.
It was not especially pretty - both teams seemed determined to give a thorough work-out to the old Brian Clough adage about God putting grass in the sky - but it worked for Leeds and at times QPR were struggling to get out of their own box, never mind their half.
Gary Kelly thrashed high and wide from 10 yards after 34 minutes, and Lewis's free kick was palmed away by the besieged Jones. It was a minor miracle that the home side got to half-time on level terms.
Only one side wanted the interval to come and it showed afterwards. Leeds struggled to pick up where they left off and QPR, glad to have any pieces to pick up at all, emerged with renewed vigour.
As in the first half, however, Leeds reversed the momentum and when another Lewis free-kick caused mayhem in the penalty area, Healy's left-foot shot was blocked by a posse of defenders.
A goal was not so much in the post as on its way by recorded delivery, and it finally arrived with 25 minutes remaining. Stone's clipped cross was headed against the underside of the bar by Healy and as the ball broke loose, Lewis fired a left-foot volley into the top corner. Leeds were as comfortable as any side leading could be and they will find it hard to fathom how they did not make it six points out of six.
leedsunited.com 8/8/06
HONOURS EVEN
QPR 2 (Rowlands 80 pen, Baidoo 90), LEEDS UNITED 2 (Lewis 64, Horsfield 81)
QPR: P Jones, Bignot (Baidoo 77), Milanese, Rose, Ward, Ainsworth, Rowlands (Bircham 88), Lomas, Cook, Stewart, Czerkas (R Jones 55). Subs: Cole, Kanyuka.
UNITED: Warner, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Crainey, Stone, Bakke (Westlake 49), Derry, Lewis, Healy (Carole 76), Horsfield (Moore 84). Subs: Gregan, Blake.
Ref: K Friend
Att: 13,966
United manager Kevin Blackwell stuck with the same side that accounted for Norwich at Elland Road on Saturday. Eirik Bakke and Paul Butler recovered from minor knocks to take their place in the starting line-up along with on-loan goalkeeper Tony Warner, who continues to deputise for Neil Sullivan.
Warner was called into action twice inside the opening 15 minutes as QPR made a brisk opening - the imposing keeper stood his ground well against Adam Czerkas and saved from Gareth Ainsworth. It was a lively start by the home side as they attempted to give Leeds no time to settle.
However, United boss Blackwell again tinkered with his system during the early exchanges and after stemming the QPR flurry, Leeds slowly took control and carved out a number of good opportunities.
Geoff Horsfield was first to capitalise when he almost cashed in on a poor back-pass while Paul Butler threatened with a close range header. Home goalkeeper Paul Jones reacted well to deny David Healy after good work by Steve Stone, and Stone himself had two attempts blocked.
United's best chance of the first half came on 35 minutes when Gary Kelly smashed an Eddie Lewis cross over the top while, moments before the interval, QPR goalkeeper Jones saved well from a curling Lewis free-kick.
United lost Bakke through injury shortly after the break, but they remainded in the ascendancy and continued to dominate the clash. Steve Stone and Eddie Lewis were constant threats and the American was also a danger at set-plays as Leeds looked to force the advantage.
It took some quick defending to deny Healy on the hour-mark, who capitalised on a Butler knock-down from one Lewis free-kick, while Horsfield came within a whisker of turning another Lewis delivery towards goal.
But the goal that Leeds so richly deserved finally came on 64 minutes. Horsfield and Stone were both involved as Healy saw a header rattle the bar, but the ball was only cleared as far as Lewis and the Californian made no mistake with a rasping finish.
Yet, with Leeds cruising, the home side were handed a shock lifeline when Stephen Crainey was adjudged to have committed a foul during a rare QPR sortie and the referee had no doubt about awarding a penalty. United protested - Warner was booked - but Martin Rowlands made no mistake from the spot.
It took less than a minute for United to restore their lead though. Stone played in Horsfield with a delightful ball and the loan striker took his chance with aplomb to open his goalscoring account for his new club. It was no more than Leeds or Horsfield deserved, but there was still more drama to come.
Rangers came pouring forward in search of an equaliser and substitute Shabazz Baidoo came up with the goods in the final minute when he poked home from close range after a good break down the right by the Londoners.
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/8/06
Blackwell hits out
By Phil Hay
Leeds United manager Kevin Blackwell today launched a fierce defence of his players after fending off criticism of their 1-0 victory over Norwich City.
Blackwell admitted he was mystified by claims that United were fortunate to take three points from their Championship opener after an entertaining fixture at Elland Road on Saturday.
City hit the post twice and wasted a number of early chances, but David Healy's 41st-minute penalty settled the game in Leeds' favour following a wild challenge by Lee Croft on United midfielder Steve Stone.
Norwich manager Nigel Worthington later insisted his team had deserved a result on the strength of their display, but Blackwell, whose players will turn out for their second game of the season at QPR this evening, angrily rejected negative assessments of United's start.
The Leeds boss said: "You'd wonder with some of the comments I've heard whether we played at all on Saturday. They had chances, but we had four or five excellent chances – I don't see anyone mentioning those. I'm going to defend my players. I'm only worried about Leeds United and I think the players here deserve an immense amount of credit. They won't always get things right, but they will try."
United's narrow win reflected the tight nature of the Championship across the board as only three clubs – Burnley, Luton and West Brom – secured victory by more than one clear goal at the weekend.
Leeds could ironically move to the top of the Championship tonight with a convincing victory at Loftus Road, but Blackwell is reluctant to set grand targets while the season remains in its infancy. Blackwell said: "If you start setting targets and you don't achieve them, it puts you on a downer straight away. What we do look at is being in or around the top 10 by the end of September. If you're there, you've got a solid start to the season and a platform to build on."
Meanwhile, the United boss is having a look at former Portsmouth defender Aliou Cisse, who is on trial at Thorp Arch.