“He couldn’t quite understand it, I said, ‘You’re going to win me things, son. I’m going to love having you. That was the only time I’ve ever thought about a player with that ability, because he was a luxury, he got it off the back-four and he nutmegged somebody and he scored.”
Receiving praise from a manager as stern as Neil Warnock is hard enough, but to for him to praise a player in the way he spoke about Adel Taarabt is testament to the impression the tricky Moroccan left on his old boss during their time at Queens Park Rangers.
While times have been hard in West London over the last few years, it’s always nice to reflect on a period where they were one of the most entertaining sides to watch in the English game. Having won the Championship in 2011, The Rs beat relegation first time of asking in their first season back in the top flight, but faced the drop a year later which spelt the beginning of the end for Taarabt at Loftus Road.
The Moroccan, who arrived from Tottenham Hotspur with a reputation for his dribbling and eye for goal, had been overshadowed by a reluctance to track back, and this poor attitude meant he was cast to the second tier. On his day, Taarabt was absolutely world class and a step above the rest of the Championship, and the fact he’s forged a career at Benfica, now playing in the Champions League, is testament to his ability. Warnock unearthed his best form, and it instantly made QPR favourites in the windrawwin championship predictions, whilst winning over neutrals that saw his sheer breath-taking displays.
So much has changed in the decade since in terms of tactics and systems. In an era where individuality is often scrutinised, it’s rare you see a player with such aesthetic technique, especially in the lower tiers of the English game. But Taarabt had that innate ability to completely embarrass a defender with panache one minute and then rifle the ball into the top corner the next.
Taarabt managed 40 goal contributions in 44 league games — 19 goals and 21 assists, picking up the Championship player of the season award in the process. While clubs from across Europe had sent scouts to watch him, clearly interested in his signature, he remained in West London and helped QPR beat the drop, although Warnock was sacked in January and replaced by Mark Hughes.
While his team mates, including Championship stalwarts like Paddy Kenny, Danny Shittu and Jamie Mackie helped them win the league, they simply weren’t able to make the step up in quality when it came to the Premier League. QPR saw less of the ball and created less chances, leading to the Moroccan’s inevitable frustration. He picked up injuries and gained weight, with Harry Redknapp suggesting he was simply un-coachable.
The story ended sadly for Taarabt but he is still remembered fondly in West London and adored by QPR fans, who will always remember how he lit up the league in his debut campaign. It would be refreshing to see more players with the charisma and confidence from academy conveyor belts in the mould of Taarabt in future.
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