Adel Taarabt paid tribute to the effect of Neil Warnock on his career after being named the Championship Player of the Season at the Football League Awards on Sunday.

News

Taarabt, who beat Norwich striker Grant Holt and former QPR loanee Scott Sinclair to the crown, said: "For me, I am a player who works with affection. My family is not here so I need people who love me and trusts me. Sometimes, I do not play two or three games well but they say 'don't worry, you will still play.'

“I didn't play at Spurs and people said 'English football is not for you' and you have to go to Spain, France or Italy because you are more technical'. In the summer, Warnock was calling me every day saying 'I want to sign you, I want to sign you - I want to make you one of the best players in the world'. He even came to Morocco, he called me but I did not want to see him - and then we spoke and he said ' I want you to come'. I then thought, 'I will never have another manager like this in my life'. A manager who wants you to be like his son. I will never find this again. He has been like a father. I told my family that I was going to sign for QPR as I trusted the manager. I am happy I am here.

“I've been here only a year, it has been so quick and I am very happy. I have found a home and a family. Warnock's wife has looked after me and his kids have been like family to me. I cannot describe our relationship. Sometimes I think God has brought this guy to me, I am a very difficult guy to control but Neil does it. It is special between me and him, he changed my life. He tells me to just go out onto the pitch and enjoy it. After all that he has given me I try and repay him.

"I had a couple of very difficult years at Spurs so to go one League lower and to be voted the best is fantastic. I am happy to have this trophy. It was my target at the beginning of the season. Harry told me before I left 'the quality you have got, even Modric does not have your talent. But if you do not work, you will not make it. ‘ He said for me to stay at Spurs and if I worked, he would play me. But after Spurs spent so much on players, I knew I would not have a chance and did not have time to wait.

“I want to help take this Club to the Premier League. I want to stay at QPR and play for Neil Warnock. I think as long as he is here I will be here too. I'm very happy to win this award. This award is for me, my team-mates, the fans and the club in general. The fans have been fantastic for me. I feel really close to them. I have never had this kind of support."

Taarabt, who missed Saturday’s win at Doncaster after his cousin was shot dead in Marseille, has joined up with the Morocco squad for their match against Algeria on Sunday.

After the Doncaster game Neil Warnock declared himself satisfied with the workmanlike win. He told the club’s official website: “With sixteen days off until our next game I think it was an important victory for us. Certain lads today were superb. I thought Fitz Hall was a man-mountain at the back and everybody contributed. It's a long time since I've been to Doncaster and had a team that have played more long balls than mine! It was a cracking goal. Routledge and Faurlin were involved and he took it well.

“The Premier League is where I want to be - it's where the Club wants to be. It's taken us just over 12 months to turn the club around and we've got a great bunch of players. I'm enjoying every moment. Once the first goal went in I was quietly confident but you've got to give Doncaster credit. They kept going."

The Press Association agreed with the QPR manager, and LoftforWords’ Man of the Match award, and named QPR captain Fitz Hall in their team of the week for his performance at the heart of the defence at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Team of the Week: Simonsen (Sheff Utd), Edwards (Ipswich), Ingimarsson (Reading), Hall (QPR), Moxey (Palace), Burke (Cardiff), Mullins (Portsmouth), Bullard (Ipswich), Sinclair (Swansea), Borini (Swansea), Ward (Derby).

Finally Melbourne Heart right back Michael Marrone is the latest player to join QPR on trial in an attempt to earn a permanent deal in W12.

Loan Watch

Martin Rowlands has returned to QPR after making just one substitute appearance for Millwall during a month long spell at The Den. Millwall boss Kenny Jackett said: “"We have had a good run of results and no injuries have opened up the situation for Martin. I had Liam Trotter and Tam Mkandawire in midfield and they both did very well. There may have been a situation where I would have had to play Tam at centre back, allowing Martin to come in, but the defenders have done well too. All the same, we would like to thank him for all that he has done for us."

Rowan Vine is staying with MK Dons though. He extended his loan with Carl Robinson’s side through to three games before the end of the season and played last night as the Dons continued their assault on the League One play off positions with a 1-0 home win against high flying Peterborough. Angelo Balanta was an unused substitute.

Elsewhere Max Ehmer played in Yeovil’s 3-2 win at Exeter at the weekend but Antonio German didn’t even make the bench. Lee Brown made it two goals in a week for Hayes and Yeading in a 3-2 win against Kettering. Brown scored from the penalty spot, just as he had done in a 3-2 win at Tamworth the previous Saturday.

Championship Shorts

- Cardiff’s injury worries are mounting with centre half Mark Hudson ruled out for up to six weeks by a knee injury. Michael Chopra is already out for the season and the Bluebirds lost Jay Bothroyd and Paul Quinn to injury in the 3-3 draw with Millwall on Saturday although both are expected to be fit after the international break. Meanwhile Craig Bellamy has stated his intention to return to Man City at the end of the season regardless of whether Cardiff are promoted. He said: “The deal Man City did with Cardiff was for them to pay a lot of my wages but if we got promoted, they would have to buy me. It sounded romantic in August but if we look at it money-wise, it's probably not going to happen."

- Leicester have signed striker Diomansy Kamara on loan from Fulham for the rest of the season to boost their play off hopes. Meanwhile Nigerian international Yakubu says he is willing to sign a permanent deal with the Foxes in the summer. He said: “I would love to stay. I hope we get promoted. I want to be here and I know the club want to be in the Premier League. It was a big decision to leave Everton but I love to be on the pitch."

- Scunthorpe say they have been “swamped” with job applications since sacking Ian Barraclough last week. Brian Laws, who has had two previous spells in charge and was sacked by Burnley earlier this season remains the favourite for the position.

- Goalkeeper Dean Gerken has signed a new two year deal at the club despite playing second fiddle to David James for the whole of this season. The Robins are also hopeful of loaning, or even buying, Spurs defender Steven Caulker who scored an injury time equaliser for City against QPR earlier this year and has impressed all season. Manager Keith Millen said of the 19 year old: “I've told them I'd love to keep him and I'd love to buy him. We’ll discuss things, but they'll probably be thinking to get him some Premier League experience. If that happens there's nothing you can do."

- Jamie Ward says Derby’s survival is more important than his own future amidst talk of a permanent move from Sheffield United. He said: “There was talk but that's up to the manager. I'm not too worried about that, I'm worried about making sure Derby are safe and we'll talk about that at the end of the season if it comes to it."

Photo: Action Images

Myke added 22:59 - Mar 22 It sounds like Warnock was really hoping Rowlands would have got more game time at Millwall, so hopefully that means he is still in the manager's long term plans. Any word on why Miller didn't even make the bench last Saturday Clive?
0

Northernr added 23:27 - Mar 22 turned his ankle in training on friday apparently.
0

ade_qpr added 23:56 - Mar 22 simply thank you from afar clive love your work especially as I only get to see games that are televised by sky on foxs sport in australia. match reports, previews and away days 2nd thing I go to on the net. As to Micheal Marrone he is a local lad from adelaide who came thro ranks at Adelaide United and played right back in A league and performed very well right from the start very disappointed when he left to go to melb. He is very attacking player with good passing skills, truck load of pace so can close people down quickly and reasonable tacker. Think he could succeed at champship level but premier league bit out of his depth at the moment but he has continuely stepped up to the plate at each level and big matches so in time may make it. Keep up the great work Clive.

0

JB007007 added 07:22 - Mar 23 Well done to Adel for the award and lets not forget that lots of credit must go to everyone else that has made the award happen. Its been a fantastic season so far and to have a player scoop this prize is great. We just need to top this off by winning the league.
0

DesertBoot added 10:02 - Mar 23 It was an extremely heart-warming interview with Taarabt following a richly deserved award.
0

Rodneylives added 18:58 - Mar 23 I enjoyed Warnock's revelation in The Times that he fines any player who passes the ball to Taarabt in his own half - or did everyone know that already?
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls