āNeil Warnock has recalled a brilliant and hilarious story about maverick player Adel Taarabt during his time at Queens Park Rangers.Ā
Former Premier League gafferĀ āWarnock announced his retirement from football after 42 years in management last weekend.Ā
He enjoyed managerial spells at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Cardiff City.
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Not to mention QPR where he had aĀ none otherĀ than Taarabt on the books.Ā
And the 73-year-old has revealed the Moroccan playmaker's first day in training, recalling an epic story about him that involves Harry Redknapp and gloves on a red-hot day.Ā
Speaking on talkSPORT via The 72, he said:Ā "Harry [Redknapp] said, 'Youāll never do anything with him...'Ā Iāll never forget the first day in training -Ā it was a red-hot day and Adel was playing in black gloves. And Iām asking him, this coach, 'Whoās that?ā āWhoās that?'
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"We got to Adel and he [the coach] said, 'You donāt want to know him, gafferā¦ Heāll get you the sack, him. Heās [already] got two managers the sack.'
"I went up to him and said, 'Here, Adel, everybodyās telling me that youāll get me the sack.'Ā He said, 'No, no, no, no.'
"You know on Saturday, I said, āIām going to play you against West Brom. And if youāre poor on Saturday, Iām going to play you the next game, Adel. And if youāre poor the next game, Iām going to play you the next game. Do you understand?ā
"He couldnāt quite understand it, I said, 'Youāre going to win me things, son. Iām going to love having you.'"
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Warnock added: "That was the only time Iāve 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.
"I banned the defence, straight away, from giving him the ball in our half. Banned them all. I told him [Taarabt], āIf you come over the half-way line into our halfā, I would sub him.
"One of the best years of my life, that promotion. One of the hardest, but fabulous to get the best out of players, and they were average players who loved it."
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āTaarabtā was unplayable in the 2010/11 season, helping the R's to promotion to the Premier League after winning the Championship title.Ā
He played 44 league games and chipped in with 19 goals in a spectacular campaign.Ā
Topics:Ā Football, Neil Warnock, QPR