Forum | My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears by QPR

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My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears 06:17 - Jun 19 with 4741 views

The dust will settle sooner or later and he'll be seen in a different light (as part of that excellent piece Clive wrote says).

But I think between yesterday and today, I finally got it. I finally understand it all.

I'm a QPR fan who happens to be born and bred and living in South America. Having supported QPR for almost 20 years now (mostly long-distance, reading this forum and previous and others) and having followed English football for a very long time (watching games, reading news, columns, etc), it helps me understand the football culture that exists in England and I get the mentality of most English fans. I do. I really understand the value most English fans give the midfield enforcer, the hard-tackling centre back, the one-dimensional striker who would head a brick into the top corner despite not being able to dribble past a defender. I do.

So I get it when I see a bigger number of QPR fans than I would have liked to see, hammer Adel with their criticism. Fair. Harsh. Just. Excessive. All sorts of criticism. I get it. I never shared it or joined in, but that doesn't mean I don't understand other people's point of view.

But you see...I come from a land where there are PLENTY of tough cookies like Adel. Our best of the best tend to have attitude issues. And clubs, managers, teammates, fans, family, friends, girlfriends, wives and even the media, indulge. It comes with the package. It's part of life. You accept it. It's there, but it mostly stays off the pitch.

They are the ones bringing people through the turnstiles. They are the ones we come home to talk to our friends about. They are the ones that will deliver the goods when it matters. They are what we always dreamed of being. They allowed our nations to consistently beat richer and better-structured and better-prepared nations at the biggest stage. They are the reason we love this sport even from a passive/neutral/inactive/secondary point of view (meaning we love to WATCH the sport we can't possibly PLAY like they do). And because of that, we take care of them. We protect them. Sometimes, obviously, they get over-protected and that has a negative effect on them as they never get their act together, but who said they were ever going to change or settle down?

Sometimes it pays off. Sometimes it doesn't. But imagine what would have been of so many stars had they been taken out of their teams the minute they didn't behave?

Where would icons like Garrincha, Romario, Maradona, Tevez, half the Chile national team coming late and drunk after a baptism (YES! A baptism), Edmundo, Ortega, SuÃ¡rez (though he misbehaves more on the pitch than off it, but you get my point), most of the Colombia squad in the 90s and even Arturo Vidal this week.

See? Arturo Vidal spent his day off in the Copa America his country is hosting and trying to win for the very first time in history as they try to make the most of the best generation of players they have ever seen, gambling at a casino to then speed his Ferrari until he crashed it driving under the influence, risking his and other people's lives. He was arrested. He had his driving license taken away from him. He then, drunk out of his brains, told the officer arresting him: "Go ahead and handcuff me, but be aware you're damaging the whole country by doing this". There's a video of that moment. And yet, the following day he was forgiven by his national team manager and is now expected to start today's group match vs. Bolivia.

He had previous. He was also part of that baptism party a few years back. Real Madrid have reportedly ruled themselves out of the race to sign him because of this scandal. But in my opinion and despite all this, he is on the verge of further securing his status as absolute legend of Chile (if they win the Copa America, because if not, he risks being singled out as the main reason why they didn't). People have forgiven him for that drunken baptism party when they were also in the middle of a competition (WC Qualifiers). And people will forgive him again.

Now I don't know what I would have done if I was the Chile manager. There were probably pressures from federation, sponsors, Vidal's teammates...who knows what goes on behind the doors. But this episode further helped my penny drop.

It's hard for me to explain and I'm sure it's hard for you to understand where I'm coming from.

But I have always put Adel's talent in front of everything else that comes with him. Because he is not paid to do solid runs on the training ground. He is not paid to stay at home the night before the match. He is not paid to be a role model for our children. It's expected, but it's not why Adel was signed by QPR for. Whoever says that, it's a hypocrite.

For what it's worth, none of us sees what they do in training. None of us get access to live images of players smoking or drinking at a night club. None of us, I hope, really expects our children to behave like footballers.

We just see them 90 minutes a week (180 if we are really unlucky -perhaps I'm a bit affected by what we saw of QPR the last three seasons-).

And Adel has rarely failed to perform when he was given a proper run. Not just THAT season. After THAT team was dismantled and newcomers had goes at him before they even played a game for QPR, and then he was in and out of the team. And then, when he rarely started, he had fÃ¼cking SWP to one side ruining every single play and fÃ¼cking Park next to him doing fÃ¼ck all and fÃ¼cking DJ Campbell to blow every single chance Adel created for him and fÃ¼cking B*singw* (I refuse to write his full name) and fÃ¼cking Fabio to cover on the flanks....I really don't want to keep listing those names.

Adel has always been our best player since he signed for us. In my eyes, even fat as he was lately, he has always had a lot more in his bag of tricks than any of the others could ever dream of. But he wasn't in a culture (or a period of time) that allows him to prosper. It's not the style of play. It's not the speed of play and that non-sense of "he's more suited to a slower-paced league like Italy or Portugal" that people like to repeat. Saying that and assuring Messi would struggle on a cold Tuesday night at Stoke, are quotes that are too similar in essence and I couldn't possibly disagree with them more if I tried. Great, talented players will do it anywhere, anytime. Yes, they could have a better handle of this or that league, they can enjoy a better spell in one country than in another, but if they are good, they are going to be good anywhere they play. They just need a foundation and some structure and they need to be accepted for what they are. They need to be looked after.

Adel only found those things under Warnock and possibly under Seedorf too. And I really hope he gets that at Benfica.

What I feel about his time at QPR being over is a huge sense of impotence. I went through all the stages: anger, disappointment, resignation, frustration, vindication (when we all saw he could do it for AC Milan in Serie A and Champions League), optimism (when he was back in the team and was consistently our best player every time he was out there) and finally more anger followed by more resignation.

He was never an example like Clint Hill and probably he never tried to be even half of the model professional Clint is, but to expect him to behave like Clint was also part of the problem. Warnock accepted it and we all celebrated it by obtaining the only piece of silverware of many of our lifetimes thanks mostly to him (please don't count the play-off trophy! Have some dignity!).

My apologies for such a long text, but it so happens that my favourite footballer not-named Lionel Messi has just left my beloved QPR and I have been missing him for far too long already. I'm sad because of his departure and glad (in a way) that finally my hope of watching him start every week for us has been killed for good. Whatever happens next, will hurt me. If he fails to adapt or impress and his career derails any further, I'll be sad. And if he does the opposite and brings it both in the local league and the Champions League, it'll hurt me he won't be doing it at the club I love. It's a lose-lose situation, but at least I think there's a good chance I'll get to see him play football.

I will never forget Adel Taarabt, the most "South American-like" player we have ever had at QPR. The whole package.

I'll still miss him. Have a great journey, you crazy son of a bÃ¯tch of a genius footballer!

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 07:31 - Jun 19 with 4693 views

QPRski

Arg - thanks for expressing your views in detail which are very interesting and much appreciated.

The Arturo Vidal story was in the news here in Poland , and yes, the journalist was suprised that he will not be banned from the national team!

If the training and good behaviour rules were applied to Stan Bowles, then I don't think he would have got much game time!

[Post edited 19 Jun 2015 7:32]

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 08:13 - Jun 19 with 4639 views

batmanhoop

Adel and Morrison have provided some pieces of sheer genius for us. For all the huff and puff of the Bartons and Mackies, the game would die if we didn't get the chance to see something a little special now and again. Great post Arg, agree with your sentiment

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 08:18 - Jun 19 with 4630 views

WokingR

What an extremely well written and articulate piece Arg
Thanks for taking the time to express, far more articulately, what most of us have felt.

Now, can we finally move on ffs !

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 09:04 - Jun 19 with 4587 views

Rangers67

Really good article and agree with a lot of what you say Arg. Two things I would gently disagree with. Adel and his style of play would always be a role model for any of my kids. He along with Rodney, Stan, Roy Wegerle, John Byrne, Tony Currie etc are what sets QPR apart from other teams and one of the reasons I have enjoyed watching Rangers over the years. When I think back over my more than 40 years of watching our team the most enjoyable times have been when we have had one of those guys in the team. Someone who can do things with a football only you and I can dream of, priceless memories literally! I for one will miss Adel massively and hope he goes on to have a great career. Secondly, this story that he was 3 stone overweight put about by Harry, really ? Come on he may have not been training as much as the other guys but I ask you who would you sooner have at the club, Adel or Harry ?

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 09:06 - Jun 19 with 4580 views

Jamie

Jesus wept.

And not for Saint Adel..

-2

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 10:01 - Jun 19 with 4518 views

Pommyhoop

I feel your pain Arg.
Chin up tho son we lost Adel but the king of the ricochet throw in has triumphantly returned.
Huzzah !!

	http://cdn.meme.am/instances/250x250/55039027.jpg
Poll:	How much should we sell Eze for. What will we get.

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 10:18 - Jun 19 with 4497 views

Lblock

Great piece -- I dont agree with it all and I made my point on Clive's superb article

But I need to take issue with you on one thing

The Play Off Trophy
I disagree totally.
That is the ultimate in knock out trophies and seeing my team go up the steps at Wembley and hold a lump of silverware above their heads was/is just the ultimate. Winning a title is the ultimate in football but to win a knock out one off game at Wembley is up there with it.

Cheers

Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 10:20 - Jun 19 with 4493 views

QPunkR

Great post mate, sums it up to a T.
I now only feel sympathy for those who say 'what has he ever done for this Club?' Quite apart from being the main catalyst to getting us promoted, he's also given us outrageous moments of skill week in week out, and made me look forward to going down the Bush for more than just a pi$$-up and a sing-song as I have done previously and since. The dude put the fun back in football.

Shit but local

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 14:22 - Jun 19 with 4387 views

QPR_ARG

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 10:18 - Jun 19 by Lblock

Oh, no. Don't get me wrong. I embarrassed my wife and I scared my 5-year-old (he was 4 back then) with all my jumping, shouting and crying. I was shaking for half an hour after that goal from Bobby. Couldn't help the tears. Probably the best moment I had since I started supporting QPR (the Mackie flying header at the Etihad, Adel's goals at Cardiff and Watford, Furs vs. Oldham, Charlie vs. Wigan, spring to mind), but that trophy can't be compared to the one from 2011. It's just "decorative". It doesn't count as an official title. It's symbolic (that's a better word). Unforgettable. Enjoyable. But ultimately, not a REAL piece of silverware.

Is in that sense that I wrote what I wrote about it. Trophies shouldn't be handed out that day. That's my view on it.

My farewell to Adel: Crying South American tears on 14:25 - Jun 19 with 4382 views

QPR_ARG

And thanks for the comments. I honestly needed to write that and I also thought about hitting the ADD THREAD button no less than a dozen times. I even considered deleting the whole thing. Thanks for the messages. Means a lot.

And yes, we can put the "I love Adel vs. I hate Adel" battle to bed now.

That doesn't mean we can't post videos of his nutmegs in Portugal, does it?

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