Damion Stewart’s agent says Bristol City’s ambition attracted the player to Ashton Gate, but the team he left behind could be about to land Adel Taarabt in a cut price deal.
News:
Taarabt has been Neil Warnock’s top transfer target all summer and while his attitude and inconsistent performances divided supporters, few would be able to argue with the business sense of signing the Moroccan international for £600,000. That’s the fee quoted in the Evening Standard today, the paper claims the deal could rise to £1m but either way it sounds like a good move from our point of view.
Taarabt infamously said he planned to move to Spain this summer and Spurs were looking to recoup the £3m they paid for the maverick attacker when he arrived from RC Lens three years ago but with little interest from anywhere other than Loftus Road has forced both club and player to lower their expectations to Rangers’ advantage.
Taarabt would be the most ambitious signing made by QPR this summer, and the low key transfer activity so far may have played a part in Damion Stewart’s departure to Bristol City on Friday.
Stewart signed a three year deal at Ashton Gate. Speaking to the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper this weekend his agent has said that the signings made by City this summer and the ambition shown by their board had attracted his client to the club.
Romel Wallen said: “It was just a case of a club outdoing another in terms of their ambition and their love. They got David James from Portsmouth signed the same day as Damion and Nicky Hunt from Bolton. So in other words, they have bought three players so far this off-season - Nicky Hunt, David James, who are two players from the premiership, and Damion Stewart. So it shows you in what high regard they hold him.
"It is a lucrative three-year deal, which is fantastic for him at age 29. That is unprecedented really in the general context of football, let alone for a Jamaican. By getting such a lucrative deal at 29, it shows that he is being rewarded for the work he has done and it puts us back on the planet as it shows that a Jamaican defender can come up here and do well over a long period of time and be rewarded for that," he added.”
Stewart himself told the Bristol City official website: “I'm really excited about the new challenge. I've been in London with QPR for the past four years but I'm looking for a new start and new challenge, and I feel Bristol is somewhere I can really focus on my football. "It's a very ambitious club so hopefully I can come in, show what I can do and repay the gaffer's faith in me. My mate Jamal Campbell-Ryce is here and says it's a good place. City have been there or thereabouts in recent seasons so hopefully we can go one better this year. It's a very ambitious club so hopefully I can come in, show what I can do and repay the gaffer's faith in me. Steve Coppell says he has ambitions to go up and is trying to build a team that can do that. To be acknowledged by a club like Bristol, that is really looking to make steps forward, and seeing me as part of their plans, is a good feeling. I am really delighted. I have only been at the club for three days now and I have spoken with the coach and he has told me straightforward that his plan is to get promoted by whichever means possible.”
Stewart may be joined at Ashton Gate by former QPR team mate Jay Simpson. Rangers’ top scorer last season is unwanted by both the R’s and his parent club Arsenal opening the way for Steve Coppell to make a move according to the Bristol Evening Post.
Elsewhere QPR reserves were held to a 1-1 draw at Harrow Borough on Monday evening with Romone Rose getting the Rangers goal.
Afterwards Harrow Borough manager Dave Howell told LoftforWords: “It was probably a fair result on the night .QPR started the brighter and definitely looked the better side for the first half. However it was different story for the second half. Despite QPR taking the lead just before the hour mark I felt we definitely looked the brighter side even though my keeper was forced in to making a couple of decent saves. “We showed a lot of speed in our attacks coupled with some good movement and passing. When one of my new young signings headed in the equaliser the match became slightly stretched and more open. However even the staunchest QPR supporters would have to agree we put on a better second half performance. We finished strongly creating some good chances in an entertaining match.
“The match was played in front of 1000 supporters so I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of Harrow Borough Football Club, to thank all the QPR fans that came down to support the evening. Living in West London it was great to meet up with many of the QPR faithful from my days as a supporter at Loftus Road, including Vic Stevens, Anthony Jones, Steve Riley and many more... I even met Chris Shaw, an old class mate that I hadn't seen for 30 years, who made the effort to come down and support the evening. In the end it was a great night for the club and I hope QPR supporters also enjoyed their evening.”
Rumours:
The Coventry Telegraph reports that City may be rivalled in their bid to sign disgraced striker Marlon King by QPR. King’s former Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd is apparently keen to add King to his Sky Blues squad following his release from prison last week.
King served nine months of an 18 month sentence for punching a woman in the face when she spurned his advances in a nightclub. The striker, who has 13 previous convictions for car theft, violence against women and other offences, was there to celebrate his wife giving birth of his third child. LoftforWords’ thoughts on this issue have been laid out in detail before. For those, like me, who hope that King is ignored by the professional game after his persistent and vile offending can take heart from a statement issued to Radio Five Live on Friday morning by Neil Warnock that stated Rangers are not interested in signing King.
Former R’s
After being frozen out of the Plymouth Argyle squad by new manager Peter Reid left back Chris Barker is set to join League Two side Southend United. Barker, who endured an unhappy 18 months at QPR after signing from Colchester, played 90 minutes of Southend’s friendly at Eastbourne at the weekend and will play again on Tuesday as the Shrimpers face West Ham.
Championship shorts
- Swansea have admitted defeat in their battle to keep Spanish full back Angel Rangel at the club with Premiership new comers Blackpool leading the chase. Swansea coach Alan Curtis said: “I think the club are trying to persuade Angel and trying to open talks over a new contract. But obviously the lure of playing in the Premier League is something he is probably going to find very difficult to turn down."
- Bristol City’s impressive week of transfer activity may not be over yet. Rumours today say the club is close to agreeing a season long loan deal for Man Utd striker Danny Wellbeck who would partner Nicky Maynard in an exciting looking forward line.
- Portsmouth may be about to offload another big earner from their wage bill with John Utaka, and his £28,000 a week wage, said to interesting Blackburn Rovers. A hearing at the High Court over yet more unpaid tax on Tuesday was set to confirm whether Portsmouth will start the season on minus ten points.
- Former PSV right full back Michael Lamey could earn a contract at Leicester after the 30 year old impressed in pre-season. Paulo Sousa said: “I think he had good communication and good understanding with our lads. He made good decisions, I am happy with what I see and it is a position we are looking to reinforce our squad."