Gavin Mahon / Gavin Mahon / 15 October 2008 / Leave a comment

The QPR player offers words of support for a fellow Championship star and predicts blood and thunder in the Steel City derby.

We've not been in action at QPR due to the international matches, but because the breaks are known about at the start of the season, our time during these fortnights is much more planned out than ever used to be the case when you were waiting on call-ups to see if your game would be off.

The gaffer had a lot of stuff planned out - including a welcome four days off. The manager is very big on players spending time with their families and that's great, as far as I'm concerned. So it wasn't a massive surprise to have a bit of time away, but it was very welcome.

Funnily enough, though, when results are going really well you don't want a break. But when there's a few bits and pieces to sort out on the training ground, then to get away from it all - even for a few days - can really make a positive difference to the way you come back into training. After a few days out of it, I'm missing the buzz and the banter and want to get stuck back in.

The Championship player who's made most headlines in the last week is Chris Iwelumo, when he made his Scotland début at the weekend.

As a fellow professional, I can see what he's trying to do with his body shape when he created that miss of all misses against Norway. Of course he won't need reminding you don't get many chances like that at international level but, credit where it's due, for him to have forced his way into George Burley's plans in the first place is a tribute to his determination.

I've played against him three or four times over the years but I don't think he's ever been in better nick than he is now at Wolves. Mick McCarthy's really getting the best out of him and he's maintaining that form he ran into at Colchester when he really kick-started his career again after drifting from loan to loan for a while.

A bit similar to Emile Heskey, he's not always the most prolific of strikers but he's such a big, powerful unit that he takes all the looking after and draws players away from fellow forwards, creating the space that they need.

He uses his physique to great effect and is very much an old-fashioned English centre-forward. He probably wished that cross in the Scotland game had arrived on his head, thinking about it again.

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Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United, Sky Sports 1, Sun Oct 19, 1.15pm

Every week Betting.betfair.com's regular Premiership previewer Richard Walker chats to Gavin about the biggest of the weekend televised matches in The Championship and recommends a couple of bets based on Gavin's insight into the match.

Gavin says: "Against Sheffield United, you've got to earn the right to play by matching them physically. We conceded two early goals at Bramall Lane earlier this season and that was that for us.

They've got a long throw merchant in Greg Halford and big men up front with James Beattie and my old Watford team-mate, Darius Henderson. So you've got to be real men and withstand all of that.

I think Sheffield Wednesday will be prepared, especially in front of their own fans at Hillsborough. These two are massive clubs; 30 thousand gates no bother when they're flying along.

Wednesday have had one or two key players missing at various points, but their good start is largely down to their home form. For a smallish striker, Marcus Tudgay always makes his presence felt - I remember an old colleague of his at Derby warning me that we should watch him closely.

Deon Burton's still there, as well. He's not scored yet this season but he's one of those strikers who gets them in clumps and perhaps when least expected. He's not always in the game, but has international pedigree and is well used to delivering at this level of the game.

But I'm coming back to the blood and thunder nature of this local derby. Chris Morgan, the United centre-half, epitomises the no-nonsense approach I expect the visitors will take to this game.

It's going to be 100 miles an hour stuff and pretty heated at times I reckon. But I don't see too many goals. The game might never settle down to be open enough for that.

Gary Speed, who's a magnificent example of a professional footballer still hungry to do well at 39, is still giving a lead in the United midfield. He's a dab hand at making a late run or two in the box and I've got a feeling that set-pieces will play a big part in this one."

Richard suggests:

Back a Sending Off at around [4.0]

Back Under 2.5 goals at around [1.9]

Back Gary Speed to be First Goalscorer at around [16.0]

Editor's note: If you wish to ask Gavin a question about any aspect of life at QPR or The Championship please post a comment underneath this article and we'll do our best to get him to answer.