SC: Sky won't fall in on Hughes

Albion will be looking to win their fourth successive top-flight home game at the start of a campaign for the first time in 93 years when they take on Rangers on Saturday.

It is in stark contrast to Rangers, who revamped their squad this summer but are still searching for their first win of the campaign in the Premier League.

Clarke wants to ensure QPR, beaten 2-1 at home by West Ham on Monday, leave The Hawthorns empty-handed but has faith in Hughes to turn the west Londoners' current predicament around.

He said: "You go to a club, they invest in a number of players, sometimes it gels quickly, other times it takes a little bit longer.

"That is the case with QPR. They have got some really good players. It hasn't quite clicked for them.

"It is up to us to make sure this Saturday it doesn't click for them and they are still struggling going into the international break. That is our job.

"They need to turn their season around and we need to make sure we are 100 per cent at it and make sure it doesn't happen this weekend.

"It is a difficult situation for Mark Hughes. But he has got far more experience than me in terms of being a manager.

"I'm sure he has been in this position a couple of times before and he will know what to do - and he will know how to get his team out of it.

"There is expectation at every club. There is an expectation level at West Brom and it is something you've got to live with and deal with."

Baggies striker Peter Odemwingie will return after a three-match suspension after his sending-off at Fulham but there is no guarantee he will instantly return to the starting line-up.

Four-goal Shane Long and on-loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku have impressed in the absence of the Nigeria international.

Clarke said: "Peter is available again. He is in the squad. He has trained well. But Peter has had to sit on the sidelines for the last three game s through his own fault.

"He accepts that, he accepted that at the time, and we just welcome him back to the squad.

"If and when he gets the chance to make amends, he is more than welcome to do that.

"But everyone has got to battle for their place. It has been like that since the start of the season.

"We have sat here on a number of occasions and spoken about the competition for places, how it gives me a headache.

"Nothing has changed, it is the same situation now and it is one that we relish."

Albion are lying in sixth position after collecting 11 points from their opening six games.

But Clarke insists: "We don't look on ourselves as a club in the top six. We're sixth in the table at the moment but it is very early in the season.

"A couple of negative results and you can quickly fall down the table.

"We don't look too much into where we are in the table. We look at the points total we have and we are reasonably satisfied with that.

"But it doesn't matter when you get your points and the lads turned around a poor start last season and ended up with 47 points.

"All that matters is that you try and keep a level of consistency in your performance that gives you great belief."

Right-back Billy Jones and skipper and midfielder Chris Brunt are ruled out with knee and hamstring injuries suffered during the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa last weekend.

Taylor unhappy with FA

The Professional Footballers Association is to seek talks with the FA in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the dragged-out case, with the union's chief executive Taylor saying the affair had been allowed to "fester" for too long.

Chelsea centre-back Terry was banned for four matches yesterday for using racist language towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in October last year and Taylor called for the game to move on and to continue to eradicate racism.

Taylor said: "Almost 12 months on and the John Terry case was still not heard by the FA until the day after Luis Suarez shook hands with Patrice Evra at Anfield.

"Such a delay has allowed the matter to fester and cause divisions in the football family which will take a long time to heal - if they ever do.

"We have to move on now and move on together and continue our focus to eradicate racism from the game and society.

"There should be new educational processes for all players - young and old, and for managers and directors.

"There should be equitable recruitment processes, and a fast-track disciplinary process that does not allow for delays or holding off at the request of the Crown Prosecution Service."

The FA had delayed their own disciplinary hearing until after the magistrates court case - where Terry was acquitted - at the request of the CPS.

A PFA statement read: "The time it has taken for a decision to be reached in this case, nearly 12 months, has benefited no one.

"We will be speaking with The FA to seek changes to their disciplinary processes to ensure cases are heard more quickly.

"The time this has taken has caused a lot of issues including, for example, international selection and captaincy, respect for opponents and the image of the game.

"We must therefore work together to ensure that matters such as these are dealt with as expeditiously as possible.

"It is important that any sanction is served as close as possible to the original offence to avoid situations festering and greater resentment building up."

Terry quit the England team on Sunday, claiming his position had been made "untenable" by the FA continuing to pursue him despite that previous not guilty verdict.

The issue of racism has also been pushed back to the forefront of the English game, with the PFA vowing to redouble their efforts to ensure progress continues to be made.

"We believe that through many of our initiatives progress has been made and the huge level of publicity for these recent cases shows the importance of these issues in this country," said the PFA.

"Our Government has recognised that football has been at the forefront of anti-racism campaigns and has achieved much success.

"This is an opportunity for football to demonstrate going forward that it can deal with such issues if they arise, recognising that penalties are significantly higher than would apply in the Courts.

"We have to move on now and move on together by reiterating our full support for all anti-racism initiatives.

"We need to focus on education for players, managers, owners, administrators and supporters. We also need to look at equitable recruitment policies.

"We must put in place additional support for players to feel comfortable in reporting incidents of racism. Thereafter, a streamlined fast track disciplinary process which the players have trust in to deliver fair decisions and appropriate sanctions if racist behaviour is proven.

"By doing this, football will continue to show its ability to deal with this problem which can divide our game and society in general."

Anton speaks out after Terry ban

Ferdinand hit out at abuse he claimed to have received on Twitter since Terry was handed a four-match ban and 220,000 fine by an independent Football Association panel over the pair's altercation almost a year ago.

The QPR defender posted on the social network site this morning: "On a serious note people need 2 read the facts before they send stupid tweets 2 me with liar and grass in it footage don't lie!"

Ferdinand's tweet appeared to refer to the now-infamous YouTube video that showed Chelsea captain Terry using the words "f****** black c***" towards him during last October's west London derby at Loftus Road.

Terry was cleared in July by Westminster Magistrates Court of uttering the words as an insult, but that did not prevent him being found guilty of a similar charge under FA rules yesterday.

Terry, who has always denied all charges against him, was still deciding today whether to appeal that verdict.

For that reason, Chelsea ref used to answer questions on yesterday's outcome at their press conference this afternoon to preview tomorrow's Barclays Premier League game at Arsenal.

That did not prevent manager Roberto Di Matteo being quizzed on the subject but head of communications Steve Atkins repeatedly interjected, most notably when the Italian was asked about the club's policy on players found guilty of using racist language.

Chelsea are renowned for their zero-tolerance approach to racism among their own fans.

Di Matteo was allowed to confirm Terry was fit and available for tomorrow's match and would continue to captain the club if picked.

He revealed Terry had trained today and yesterday, that he had spoken to the 31-year-old, and that he had no fear about the player's mental state or how he would react to abuse he might suffer tomorrow and beyond.

"He trained well today, as hard as always," Di Matteo said.

"He's an experienced player who has played many difficult games before, in difficult circumstances and environments.

"If selected, I don't think there will be a problem."

Di Matteo felt the same about the possibility of disharmony among Terry's team-mates following yesterday's verdict, saying: "Well, there isn't any, no, as far as I know and as far as I can see."

Terry's career has been one of defiance in the face of adversity but asked whether this was his biggest test, Di Matteo said: "He still has many years to play to come. I don't know what the future will hold.

"He likes to focus on the football, and that's all I have to be concerned about."

Di Matteo also shrugged off what the outside world might think of Chelsea in the wake of the Terry verdict.

"We don't really care too much the way the outside environment sees us," he said.

"We have to focus on our strength. That's the way we operate."

Terry quit England on the eve of this week's hearing, accusing the FA of making his position "untenable".

Di Matteo said: "I know that John loved playing for England. It was his childhood dream. It was a very difficult decision for him to take.

"When he wants to discuss the reasons, I'll leave that to him."

He added: "It certainly increases the chance to play a bit longer when you don't play internationally."

Di Matteo did admit he felt the case had dragged on for too long, saying: "Everybody would've like it to be a bit quicker."

Former Chelsea star Clive Walker also hit out at the "ridiculous" delay but suggested Terry might ultimately decide his punishment was "probably about fair".

"John Terry probably guessed that he was going to get something - he just probably didn't know how much," Walker told talkSPORT.

"Looking at it, he'd probably say that's probably about fair.

"Does he want to pursue this? Does he want to push it on? Does he want to let sleeping dogs lie and just say, 'Okay, I' ll take the punishment and move on'?"

Former FA executive director David Davies said: "I was expecting that the ban would be longer.

"Knowing JT as I have been lucky enough to do, his instincts for sure will be to appeal.

"He will be hurt by this decision even if, in his heart of hearts, I don't think he will be surprised."

Nelsen expects change of fortune

Hopes were high for QPR this summer after Mark Hughes brought in 10 players including Esteban Granero, Julio Cesar and Park Ji-Sung, but the Londoners are still searching for their first league win of the season after five games.

Defeats against Swansea, Manchester City and Tottenham, and draws against Chelsea and Norwich, have left the west London outfit second from bottom of the table and they will sink to the foot of the pile if Reading draw against Newcastle today.

Assistant manager Mark Bowen yesterday admitted the players and staff at Loftus Road had become highly frustrated at their "ridiculous" league position given the quality of the squad, but Nelsen is refusing to panic.

The New Zealand defender, signed on a free transfer after being released by Tottenham in the summer, is confident that it is only a matter of time before the wins start rolling in for the club.

"With the characters we have in the dressing room, it is only a matte r of time (before we get the win) and when one happens it will be like a monsoon after that," Nelsen told QPR's London call-in.

"We are giving everything, the management are giving everything and the players are giving everything. We just need that win to get the monkey off the back."

Rangers missed a good chance to raise their spirits on Wednesday night when they were knocked out of the Capital One Cup at home by fellow strugglers Reading.

Although Granero and Alejandro Faurlin have struck up a good understanding in the centre of midfield, it is clear that the Hoops are still a work in progress in other areas of the team, particularly in defence.

Nelsen insists everyone must be patient, however, considering the vast number of arrivals and departures over the summer.

He said: "The manager has a way he wants to play and it's been proven for many years that it's a very successful one.

"It just takes time for players to come in to it an d kind of get in to the mould of how he wants us to play. That's life.

"Nothing comes easy. You just have to keep going and do the right things as we have been doing. You are going to have your ups and downs in a season.

"Obviously the Reading game was a big disappointment but that happens. It's pretty ruthless in the cup competitions and the league."

Some fans have started to worry about their club's future, but Nelsen insists the supporters must continue to back the team.

"Monday's game is a London derby so we will need the fans right behind us," the 34-year-old said.

"We are obviously looking forward to it and it really can't come quick enough."

Anton Ferdinand is out with a hamstring problem, so Nelsen is likely to continue alongside either Clint Hill or Stephane Mbia in defence.

QPR are hopeful that Adel Taarabt will feature after missing the last two games with a hamstring problem and Faurlin should also be fit despite s uffering a dead leg in midweek.

McDonald: Grass Greener for Rob

The 32-year-old spent six years with the Hammers before leaving this summer to join the west Londoners at the end of his contract.

Green started QPR's opening four games but, after a few shaky performances, lost his place to Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who has been an ever-present since the home draw with Chelsea.

The Brazilian is set to start once more against West Ham in Monday's Barclays Premier League encounter - a game in which McDonald had expected to face the goalkeeper that helped his side to promotion last season.

"Yes, of course (I am surprised) because it is early up in the season," Sam Allardyce's assistant said today.

"The two games I have seen them against Spurs and Reading they had Cesar, who seems to be a really, really good goalkeeper even though he let a few in.

"He has made a couple of good saves and he looks comfortable when it is passed back to him.

"It is disappointing for Rob, of course. He was h ere for a few years and he will fight for his place, no doubt.

"He is very good. He got us promoted last season and his contribution was very, very big, but he wanted to move onto pastures new.

"It hasn't worked out so far for him but, as with all players that are not in the team, he will have to work hard and keep on banging on the manager's door saying 'I'm ready, I'm ready' and wait for his chance. I am sure he will do it.

"He has moved onto a new club and he has got a fight on his hands to get his place back and I wish him all the best with that."

QPR head into the match with just one victory this season against League One side Walsall in the Capital One Cup.

They - like West Ham - were knocked out of the competition this week after failing to deal with the physicality of Reading's front line in a 3-2 defeat at Loftus Road.

Hughes' side will be expecting a similar test when West Ham come to town, although they will not have to de al with Andy Carroll as he is still missing with a hamstring injury.

"He has been progressing really, really well," McDonald said of the England international. "The game on Monday might just come a little bit too early for him.

"He needs to get a good week's training in to make sure he's fit and well so probably the target is for Arsenal."

Carroll will be joined on the sidelines by midfielder Jack Collison, who continues to struggle with a knee injury.

On-loan Yossi Benayoun could make his first start since re-joining the Hammers and Gary O'Neil is likely to return from a knee complaint sustained during the 4-1 Capital One Cup defeat to Wigan on Tuesday.

The following day West Ham were hit by the news that club legend John Bond had died aged 79.

The club will wear black armbands against QPR in tribute to the former defender, who made 444 appearances for the east Londoners.

"John Bond has been a big part of this football club," McDonald added. "He represented the club over 400 times and it is a tragic loss.

"The club will be wearing black armbands on Monday and I am sure they will do something special at the Arsenal game. We'll see how that develops.

"I am sure the fans will appreciate it because they like players who show a little bit of loyalty and give their all for the football club and he certainly did that."

Baggies pair out of R's battle

Skipper Chris Brunt and right-back Billy Jones have failed to recover from respective hamstring and knee injuries suffered during the first half of last weekend's 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

The Baggies are already without first choice right-back Steven Reid (hamstring) and back-up keeper Boaz Myhill (hand).

Northern Ireland international Brunt had only just returned to the side after being laid low with other injury problems.

In addition, winger Jerome Thomas' return to training after various injury setbacks has been curtailed by illness.

But Baggies boss Steve Clarke has challenged the fit members of his squad to effectively fill the gaps.

He said: "We gave quite a positive injury bulletin mid-week but unfortunately this game has come too quickly for some people.

"Myhill, Reid, Jones and Brunt won't be fit. We are missing a few bodies.

"Hopefully it won't affect us at all because we've shown this year that we have a good squad. We've utilised the squad well.

"The players that have come in off the bench have always made a really positive contribution and we hope that will continue this weekend."

Regarding Thomas, Clarke added: "He started training this week but unfortunately the last two days he's been off ill.

"He's had a terrible time since I came here with one injury after another.

"All those have cleared up. Unfortunately he fell ill during the week and we are hopeful next week we can start right from the beginning and get some good work into Jerome."

Striker Peter Odemwingie is available to face QPR after serving a three-match suspension for his red card at Fulham.

But the form of four-goal Shane Long and on-loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku means the Nigerian international may have to battle for his place.

Albion are bidding to achieve a fourth successive home win at the start of a season for the first time in the top flight since 1919.

Triesman: Black players let down

Ex-England skipper Terry was found guilty of using racist language towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand by an independent FA panel earlier this week, but is awaiting the full written judgment before deciding whether to appeal against a four-match ban and a fine of 220,000.

The 31-year-old has always protested his innocence and was found not guilty of a racially-aggravated public order offence in a criminal trial in July.

Terry retired from international football last Sunday night ahead of the hearing, claiming the FA's decision to pursue a case against him after he was cleared in court made his position in the national team "untenable".

He has represented his country in the 11 months since the incident, though - something which may not have happened had Triesman still been at the FA helm.

"I take a fairly hard view and I think we should have zero tolerance," he told BBC Radio Five's Sportsweek programme.

Asked if that meant Terry sho uld not have played for England with the case hanging over him, Triesman replied: "Personally, I would have preferred that, yes.

"However good he is - and I have no doubt about the quality of the player - I really think as you look around the country and talk to black players, what you will find is they respect him as a player but they really feel let down because they don't feel the line has been drawn clearly enough."

Triesman said the fact the punishment was not handed out until 11 months after the altercation was unacceptable.

"The delay, the fact it has taken a year, is unconscionable," he said.

"You shouldn't have any kind of system which has got a judicial, judgmental element, which takes this long because it gives the impression people are indifferent to the issues. And people shouldn't be indifferent to the issues.

"I can't for the life of me see why the FA couldn't have proceeded before the court case.

"Sports bodies do hav e the capacity to act earlier (than the courts), to demonstrate their leadership, and they should have done so.

"I know some people will say if you have any hearing it's likely to prejudice the outcome of the court case, but I think the application of the rules of the game are issues for the body that controls the game - and those should be dealt with in a timely way.

"I just wonder what impression it gives to the rest of the world, and particularly to those players from ethnic communities who do face abuse, sadly - less than they used to, but still do face abuse - I wonder what it says to them if it takes a year to get to this stage."

Piara Powar, executive director of the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network, was in agreement with Triesman that the 11-month span between incident and hearing needed to be addressed.

"There are two key issues - one is the sanction itself and the other the time it's taken," he said.

"It really is unforgivable for an offence that took place during a game 11 months ago has taken this long to come to a governance hearing.

"Of course, the FA will say there was a criminal trial and there was a request from John Terry's lawyers to postpone, but the two processes are entirely different.

"The ICC (International Cricket Council), for example, with the spot-fixing trial last year, the criminal trial happened after the hearing by the governing body. There's no reason why the same couldn't have happened.

"The almost year-long wait, the drawn-out saga, has done quite a lot of damage."

He added: "I don't think the issue is John Terry. The issue is, 'how do we repair the reputation of football? How do we move forward from this in a positive way?"'

Liverpool's Luis Suarez was earlier this year given an eight-match suspension for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra, and Triesman feels the way Chelsea dealt with the Terry situation coun ted in their favour.

"It doesn't sound very consistent - that I'm sure of," he said, comparing Suarez's ban to Terry's.

"I suppose we'll all have to wait to see the written reasoning to see if there's a material difference between the two cases.

"If I was asked to guess (why the inconsistency), I'd think the dignity with which (chairman) Bruce Buck and the guys at Chelsea have handled this may well be in sharp contrast to the way Liverpool handled the Suarez case, which I thought was a masterclass in how not to do it."