Portsmouth vs QPR: Joe Gallen looking for another Championship scalp in FA Cup against a familiar face
The fourth round of the FA Cup is upon us.A competition that started with 736 clubs is now down to the final 32.Barnet are the only non-league team left in the hat, but there are plenty of lower league sides out to take a scalp this weekend.
The FA Cup fourth round draw in full
talkSPORT’s Matchday Live show will be hosted by Adrian Durham at Fratton Park as Portsmouth, currently leading the way in League One, take on Steve McClaren’s QPR from the Championship.Ahead of that match, talkSPORT caught up with Pompey’s assistant manager Joe Gallen – who comes from a family with their fair share of associations to the west London outfit…
8Portsmouth assistant Joe Gallen, pictured at Wolves, is looking forward to facing his beloved QPRThe Blue and White blood runs thick through the Gallen brothers’ veins.Joe, Steve and Kevin all come from footballing backgrounds, with their father Jim the instigator in drumming Queens Park Rangers Football Club into them.The youngest of the three, Kevin, remains a club legend after a superb playing career at Loftus Road.It was behind the scenes where Joe and Steve played their role, and very key ones too, with a particular emphasis on youth.
8Joe’s youngest brother, Kevin, remains a club legend among QPR supportersAfter having to retire from the game at 26, Joe’s mind turned immediately towards coaching.Within two years he had acquired all his coaching badges, subsequently taking charge of the youth team at QPR in 1998.He went on to hold several different roles in W12, most notably as head of youth development, before eventually departing the club in 2007.Twelve years on and a lot has happened in that time.
8Middle brother, Steve, right, enjoyed a successful spell coaching numerous age groups at QPR right up to the first teamHe has forged a formidable partnership with Pompey boss Kenny Jackett, who enjoyed a successful stint working as Ian Holloway’s No 2 at QPR from 2001 to 2004.The pair have experienced many memorable moments together along the way, achievingpromotion from League One with Millwall in 2010 after beating Swindon 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley.Better was to follow when Joe linked up with Jackett at Wolves back in May 2013.Bereft of confidence having been relegated to the third tier, the pair masterminded an instant return to the Championship, winning the league with a record points tally.
8Jackett celebrates play-off glory with Millwall back in May 2010Following the duo’s short-lived spell at Rotherham in 2016, the next port of call was Fratton Park, with Joe signing on the dotted line a week after Jackett agreed a two-year deal to take over the reins in June 2017.They have surpassed expectations to date, with Pompey currently lying top of League One, ahead of the likes of Sunderland and Charlton.They have already beaten Championship opposition in the shape of high-flying Norwich this season, with Andre Green’s stoppage-time winner securing them a spot in round four of the FA Cup.Saturday’s clash is one where every member of the Gallen family, bar one, will be praying for an away win as QPR come to town.
8Jackett led Wolves back to the Championship at the first attempt in 2014 with a record points tallySpeaking to talkSPORT, Pompey assistant Gallen insists that QPR go into the game slight favourites, despite only recently ending a dreadful cup record.He said: “I can sense the QPR fans are really excited about this one.“There hasn’t been too many cups runs for the club over the years, so this is a game for them to really look forward to.“It takes the pressure off us being at home and playing against someone in a higher division.“We pulled off a shock in the last round squeezing through with a last minute goal (at Norwich).“I don’t think we start off as the favourites, though. I think Steve McClaren will be taking this game very seriously, and they’ll be looking to bounce back (from losing 4-1 to Preston).”
8Jackett and Gallen are searching for a third promotion working togetherHe continued: “All my family are QPR fans, we love the club. We’ve all sort of worked there as well in some capacity over the years.“Kevin obviously had a fantastic playing career there, and behind the scenes Steve and myself did our bit, too.“We’re all QPR mad. Family wise the cousins, uncles, brothers, sisters – you name it – will be out in their droves and coming to the game.”With three promotions to his name and an average win percentage of over 44 per cent in his managerial career, Gallen insists that close ally Jackett still doesn’t get the respect he deserves.“He’s a very successful manager in his own right, but he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves,” insists Gallen.“If you based it on the stats and the facts, Kenny’s record is absolutely outstanding.
8Kenny Jackett’s men lead the pack in League One“We’re talking win percentages, promotions, buying and selling players, making money – it’s been the same at every club.“Look what he did at Millwall, then there was the record points tally at Wolves, and he isn’t too doing badly here at Portsmouth is he?“People don’t necessarily look at the facts these days.“The truth is there for everyone to see, but some people clearly don’t like it.”So can Portsmouth maintain their surge at the top of League One and be crowned champions?Gallen admits he didn’t expect Pompey to be challenging at the top of the division, but remains hopeful they can maintain their focus in the final few months of the season and get the job done.
8Portsmouth fans celebrate promotion to League One two years ago“All of our focus and energy is on getting this football club promoted to the Championship,” he says.“It’s a fantastic place to be and the fans are something else.“Every game is basically a sell-out at home. Our average home attendance is around the 18,000 mark and that in itself speaks volumes.“The passion the fans have for this club is second to none.“We’ve been up the top for the majority of the season. I personally didn’t expect us to get there and then stay there.”He concluded: “Our players deserve a lot of credit for keeping the momentum going.“We’ve brought in a lot of players on free transfers and from the non-league scene, take Jamal Lowe for example he’s been nothing short of exceptional. “It’s about getting those rough diamonds and moulding them into better players.“I did think it would take a bit more time for them to settle in as there were a lot of changes over the summer.“We don’t have a big squad and when you look at the stature and financial muscle that some of the other sides in this league have we don’t compare.“Staying up at the top is going to be tough as we’ve got the likes of Luton and Sunderland behind us, but this group of players will not stop going until the very last minute.”It’s that work ethic that Jackett and Gallen have instilled into their respective squads over the years which makes a third promotion together all the more likely come May.
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