Cameron keen to stay at QPR – but for now other things are more important

Geoff Cameron is keen to stay at QPR for at least another season.

The American’s contract is due to expire this summer and the club hold an option to extend it by a year.

Cameron, who turns 35 in July, has had discussions with Rangers about his future.

The issue has inevitably been shelved because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“There have been talks, but right now it’s not the focus,” Camerson said.

“Right now is probably not the right time to be speaking about that, with people struggling, losing their jobs and worrying about family.

“I’m happy at QPR and I’d like to stay, and when the time’s right there’ll be more discussions, but right now it’s not the priority.

“At the moment it’s a difficult situation. Everybody’s just trying to do the best they can.

“Mark Warburton, the staff and the whole club are trying to do their best to make sure everyone’s OK and their families are well.”

Tough times

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Understandably, Cameron’s immediate concern is the well-being of family members during the coronavirus crisis.

He has a three-month-old baby and admits finding it hard being separated from his parents back in the United States.

He said: “My father has a heart condition and has had surgery. Being away from them is difficult.

“You just make sure that they’re safe and they’re doing OK – doing the right things, staying isolated and that kind of stuff.

“It’s tough being away from them, but it is what it is. Many people are in the same boat. Everyone’s just dealing with the situation as best they can.

“My parents live a minute’s drive down the street from my niece and they haven’t been able to see her.”

QPR for the play-offs?

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QPR were unbeaten in six matches and had moved to within six points of the play-off places when matches were suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Cameron says Rangers’ players were beginning to talk about the possibility of snatching a play-off spot when games were halted.

He says it was “something we were speaking about” following a 3-1 win at sixth-placed Preston.

He was sent off in that game after picking up two bookings. It took his tally of yellow cards for the season to 12.

That’s a source of annoyance for Cameron, who admits his season has in some ways been a frustrating one.

“Unfortunately I got the red card, which was just another thing,” he said.

“This season has just been so inconsistent with yellow cards and things like that.

“The first yellow card in the game wasn’t a yellow card – I didn’t touch him.

“For me this season it’s been the most yellow cards I’ve picked up in my career.

“Some of them have been justified yellow cards but some of them have been absolutely awful. That’s really disappointing.”

Missed chances

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QPR’s campaign has also been frustrating at times, exciting at others, and certainly never dull.

Scoring goals has not been a problem, even since the loss of top scorer Nahki Wells.

Conceding goals certainly has been a problem.

Shoddy defending has blighted Rangers’ season and they would be closer to, or even in, the top six but for their defensive vulnerabilities.

But Cameron agrees with manager Warburton’s insistence that missed chances rather than defensive lapses have primarily led to points being dropped.

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Cameron said: “We went through that tough patch in the middle of the season when we weren’t taking our chances.

“People were talking about us leaking goals. Yes we were leaking goals but they were at times when we were pushing forward, having opportunities and not finishing.

“Then all of a sudden they score one and then you’re pushing forward again and are open.

“It’s about experience. The guys now have an understanding that sometimes it’s not just about winning pretty and playing cute football.”

Bright future

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Much of the “cute football” has centred around Ebere Eze and, increasingly, Bright Osayi-Samuel, who has grown in stature in recent months.

Both players are expected to move on before long and Cameron, who played for Stoke in the top flight, has no doubt they are capable of eventually making the step up.

Cameron said: “I did seven years in the Premier League and played against some good players.

“My biggest advice to Ebs and Brighty would be that they have to be consistent – perform in every single game – and their intelligence on the pitch has to continue to grow.

“What I tell them is that they have to be consistent and make an impact even when the games are ugly and things aren’t going their way. They have to then find a way to be that creative spark.

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“With the abilities that Ebs and Bright have, there’s a lot of those kind of players in the Premier League – numbers 10s who can play off the front, or wingers. The competition is steep.

“Being the creative guys at QPR, they need to take on more responsibility and more on their shoulders.

“They’ve stepped up to that and done a fantastic job. I think the future is very bright for them.”

Have faith

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For now, though, it’s a waiting game.

The squad have been given instructions to maintain their fitness and be prepared for when football eventually resumes.

Cameron explained: “We have workouts that we’re doing – fitness stuff.

“We have to continue that to try to stay as fit as possible. Maintaining our fitness is obviously key.

“The club staff have done a good job of reaching out to the players every day and making sure we’re all sending in evidence of completed workouts and that kind of stuff.

“It makes us accountable, but we all know this is not a vacation. We didn’t want to be in this situation.

“But have faith – we’ll be back to playing football, whenever it is.”

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