warnock on adel

No one else would score the goals to take us [up]. If the players wanted to have a verbal with Adel we'd all lose’

The manager's tale: Neil Warnock

Neil Warnock
12 June 2013

As a former manager of Queens Park Rangers, Neil Warnock has first-hand experience of just how inspiring and infuriating Adel Taarabt can be.

Warnock knew the midfielder was the key to QPR reaching the Premier League but also that the Moroccan could implode at any minute. In his new book, Warnock tells a story highlighting just why Taarabt divides opinion.

It’s January 2011 and QPR, leading the Championship but feeling the pressure after one win in four matches, are playing at Hull City . . .

Ten minutes before the break Adel completely lost it. He was unhappy the ref hadn’t given him a foul and then he thought a couple of players didn’t pass to him quickly enough. He argued with Dezza [Shaun Derry], then he signalled he wanted to be subbed. I ignored him. Curly [coach Keith Curle] was watching. “He wants to come off, gaffer.”

“Just ignore him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ignore him. If he wants to come off, let him come over here and ask.”

At half-time I told Curly to get onto the pitch and escort Adel off to avoid him arguing with the ref, his team-mates or the Hull fans who were on his back. I didn’t want him sent off.

In the dressing room, I tried to calm him down. I told him: “You’re captain, you can’t come off just because their fans are giving you stick.” Then I told the lads to give him the ball earlier. I knew some were unhappy with him but I’d already explained to a number of them we needed to keep him on board to get us where we wanted to be. No one else would score the goals to take us to the Promised Land. If they wanted to have a verbal with Adel we’d all lose.

In the second half Adel did okay but we had to settle for a draw. Next day I was doing a radio show when my phone flashed. It was a text from Adel.

“Gaffer. I’m very sorry for what I did yesterday. It was just because I feel we can win the game in the first half. I know I have to control myself. I am working on it.” That summed him up. It wasn’t like an English player having a strop, this is how he reacts. People forgot he was only 21 and every team was going to try and kick lumps out of him. We had to take the rough with the smooth.

On Monday, before training, I showed Dezza and Clint [Hill] the text. Dezza had been fretting about how Adel had let the team down. I had to reiterate to them that while it would be easy to fall out with Adel, they couldn’t afford to if they wanted to play in the Premier League.

Then I told Adel how disrespectful to me the incident was. I said I classed myself as part of his family. “Would you treat your father like you did me?”

“No, gaffer. I’m sorry.”

“The answer I want, and the way to apologise to the team, is to get us all three points tomorrow against Portsmouth.”

Needless to say, he scored the first in our 2–0 victory and made the second. Clint scored that goal and as he ran back after celebrating he gave me a wink and a nod. We both knew neither of us would ever come across another player like Adel in our careers.