Iain Dowie admits he can't wait to take charge of the R's for the first time at Loftus Road, when AC Chievo Verona come to town on Saturday.

Dowie has overseen four pre-season friendlies so far, but it's Saturday's showdown against the Serie A newcomers that he's relishing, ahead of the all-important season opener against Barnsley seven days later.

"We've got to keep building, and it will be useful to test ourselves against Chievo's style of play this weekend," he told www.qpr.co.uk

"It's important to be able to adjust to different tactics. It will be a good exercise to see how we cope, and I am really looking forward to it.

"Chievo are a very good side. They're a very hard-working unit with good technical players, so it is going to be a tough challenge."

The R's First Team Coach has made no secret of the players who are likely to start against the Tykes for the season's opener, and he admitted: "The side that starts against Chievo will, pretty much, be the same team that starts against Barnsley.

"We're still trying to do one or two bits and pieces, but we are where we are and I've been given some headaches by a few players, who have done very well during the pre-season.

"Young Angelo Balanta is an example of that. He impressed me against Kilmarnock

There's no doubt that there will be some difficult decisions for me to make when it comes to selecting my starting XI, but that can only be a good thing."

Despite losing both matches in Scotland, Dowie was rightly buoyed by his team's display against Kilmarnock on Tuesday night, and he is looking for a similar one on Saturday.

"Our performance against Chievo will be very important and I want the fans who come along to enjoy it - that's the key, it's got to be entertaining for the supporters," he added.

"But it's all about preparing for the big one, because right now all things lead to Barnsley."

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