Diary: QPR owner dreaming of Lippi service

NEIL Warnock must be feeling pleased with the job he has done so far at Queens Park Rangers - guiding them to the top of the Championship and making them serious candidates for a top-flight return. So imagine his mood yesterday when he heard what his boss had to say.

Co-owner Flavio Briatore has revealed his "dream" was to have former Italy coach Marcello Lippi in charge of the club if they reach the Premier League.

Although he stood down as chairman in February, it seems Briatore still wants a say in football matters at Loftus Road.

Briatore told Italian magazine Chi: "Bernie Ecclestone and I have a 70 per cent stake in QPR, and we are top of the table. If we go into the Premier League, I have a dream. That is to have Marcello Lippi as our coach."

QPR were quick to distance themselves from Briatore's comments. A club statement read: "We would like to confirm that stories linking Marcello Lippi with Queens Park Rangers Football Club are completely unfounded. The Board of Directors - including Bernie Ecclestone, Amit Bhatia and Flavio Briatore - are 100 per cent behind Neil Warnock and will continue to be so in the future."