And so it comes to this; QPR chairman Tony Fernandes sits at the poker table in his underpants, carefully placing the keys to his house on the summit of a large pile of chips.

THE impressive Carling Cup displays of Graham Stack have earned the promising Arsenal youngster a call-up to the Irish squad for tomorrow night's friendly against Brazil.

QPR midfielder Mark Bircham whose reckless tackle cut short Graham Kavanagh’s first start for Ireland has apologised to the Cardiff City skipper for the injury which saw a distressed Kavanagh leave Lansdowne Road only eight minutes into Tuesday’s friendly.