Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Magilton shrugs off Briatore talk

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Magilton not distracted by Briatore furore

QPR manager Jim Magilton says his team must not be distracted by off-the-field speculation regarding Flavio Briatore.

The Championship club is under the spotlight after co-owner Briatore was banned by Formula 1's governing body following the race-fixing scandal.

According to Football League rules, no-one can own a club if they are banned by another sporting governing body.

Magilton said the players were aware of Briatore's position but was determined to keep them "focused on their jobs".

"We are not being naïve," Magilton told BBC London 94.9, who is busy readying his side for Wednesday's Carling Cup tie with Chelsea.

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"We're all aware of what's happened and what is going on, but footballers are pretty selfish brutes and they tend to take care of their own business. Quite rightly, too.

"My job as a manager is to keep them focused on their jobs. The next job is Chelsea away and we'll all be concentrating on that."

Magilton also shrugged off suggestions that a change of ownership could affect his own position.

"As far as I'm concerned, I am the manager of the football club, so let's hope that continues for quite some time," he said.

The Football League has asked the FIA for more details of Briatore's ban before deciding whether to take action.

Flavio Briatore
Briatore bought into QPR in 2007

The 59-year-old Italian left his post as Renault team principal last week, along with executive director of engineering Pat Symonds, after the team decided not to contest FIA charges of fixing the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

The charges were brought after driver Nelson Piquet Jr claimed he had been asked to crash in order to help team-mate Fernando Alonso.

At a World Motor Sport Council hearing on Monday, the FIA banned Briatore from all FIA-sanctioned events and said it would not grant a licence to any team Briatore was involved with or renew an F1 Superlicence granted to any driver associated with him.

Briatore is co-owner of QPR along with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

He is also chairman of the holding company that owns the club and a director on the board of the Championship side.

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