By Ben Kosky QPR striker Antonio German is aiming to emulate Jermain Defoe if manager Neil Warnock opts to send him out on loan this season. Warnock wanted to offer the 18-year-old a loan spell when he took over at Loftus Road in March, but shelved the id

By Ben Kosky

QPR striker Antonio German is aiming to emulate Jermain Defoe if manager Neil Warnock opts to send him out on loan this season.

Warnock wanted to offer the 18-year-old a loan spell when he took over at Loftus Road in March, but shelved the idea due to a dearth of forwards in his squad.

Since then, though, the Rangers boss - who watched German score both goals in Saturday's 2-1 friendly win at Hampton & Richmond Borough - has signed Jamie Mackie and Leon Clarke and brought Heidar Helguson and Patrick Agyemang back into the squad.

And German has cited the example of Tottenham and England striker Defoe - who went to Bournemouth as a teenager and broke the League record for consecutive scoring appearances - as proof of the benefits of the loan scheme.

"It's nice to come off the bench and get a couple of goals," German told the Times. "The manager's told me to be a nuisance and I'll score goals - at the moment it seems to be paying off.

"Going on loan could be a good move - he's spoken to me about it before and I'd like more experience of playing football for three points. It's more competitive than reserve games and I think you learn a lot more.

"It could be very good for me long-term. I've seen Defoe do it - he went on loan and scored loads of goals, then came back to his parent club and carried that form on.

"But it's up to the manager - if he wants me to stay I'll happily stay. If I do then my target will be to start a couple more games for the first team, hopefully score and then maintain my place.

"I look at the other strikers at QPR and feel I could learn a lot from them, but I also tell myself that I want to get ahead of them and be in the team instead of looking up to them all the time."

The teenager, who grew up in Harlesden, actually had a brief loan spell with Aldershot Town last autumn, but returned to Rangers and scored on his full debut at home to Doncaster in February.

Ian Hodges headed Hampton & Richmond in front 10 minutes into the second half of Saturday's game, but German - who came on as a half-time substitute - levelled with 20 minutes remaining.

And the youngster grabbed the winner from close range five minutes from time, pouncing after the goalkeeper had saved his initial effort.