The English Premiership is awash with small clubs with big ambitions, and in some cases big backers. Many years ago Queens Park Rangers in Shepherd's Bush was a high-flying London representative in the old first division, coming second once Mr Blatherskite seems to recall, under the managership of former player Gerry Francis. And QPR was about as small a club as you could find, with a stadium that could barely squeeze in 20,000 in the days when most fans had to stand. But it didn't matter so much then, of course. Another successful QPR manager was former Spurs and England player Terry Venables who also managed Crystal Palace, Spurs and, during the 1996 European Championship, England. Despite reaching the semi-final of this competition (it was held in England, mind) when England lost on penalties to Germany, Venables' services were dispensed with by the Football Association because of his tangled web of business dealings. Terry always wanted to be a businessman as well as a manager and this is why he fell out with abrasive tycoon Alan Sugar in his spell at Spurs. Now, at 65 and running his hotel and golf course in Spain (that's if he hasn't been caught by the property crash there) he's being talked about as QPR's next manager following the peremptory sacking of  Iain Dowie. QPR is now owned by a gaggle of tycoons including Formula One's Bernie Ecclestone, Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal and Renault Formula One boss Flavio Briatore, who seems to be calling the shots (and picking the team according to some insiders). Venables is used to dealing with volatile continentals (he gained his El Tel soubriquet, which he hates, as manager of Barcelona where he only lasted two years despite winning La Liga and getting to the final of the European Cup). But Venables, like his near contemporary Harry Redknapp the new Spurs manager, would want to be in charge; picking the team obviously and deciding on transfers. Redknapp looks as he though he has that authority now at Spurs although for how long is anyone's guess as the Spurs board are notorious meddlers. So there are lots of reasons for Venables to walk away from any QPR job offer. But at 65 there might not be that many offers on the way. So a tricky one for our Tel.