From intense media scrutiny to an FA investigation, it has been a long, eventful season for Queens Park Rangers – but, despite plenty of bitten nails, a hugely successful one. The Londoners are back in the top flight.
With equal doses of style and grit, Neil Warnock and his players have ticked off step one of their two-step plan. For all concerned at Loftus Road, the theme of the season has been: first, return to the Premier League; then show they belong.
For the club, promotion – which was finally confirmed after an FA disciplinary panel opted not to dock points in the recent Alejandro Faurlin ownership case – is validation of their spending and planning. The past 15 years have featured fewer highs than lows as QPR slipped off the radar, but the 2011/12 campaign will present a chance to set the record straight back among the big boys.
As for Warnock, the theme is equally applicable. Warnock has not won over all neutrals with his outspoken personality, however there are few better man-managers in the game. After moulding a strong side at Sheffield United and finally cracking the promotion code, the Blades lasted just a single season in the Premier League and Warnock is chomping at the bit for another chance to pit his wits against the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
And then there is Adel Taarabt, the 21-year-old Moroccan winger, who has provided more inspiration than any other player in QPR’s quest for automatic promotion and, as perhaps the unlikeliest of club captains, has rescued his team-mates on countless occasions. But, while Taarabt has been the brightest light in QPR’s glittering cast, scoring 18 league goals to go with a double-figure assist tally, he knows only too well that catching the eye in the Premier League is a whole new challenge.
The Moroccan playmaker joined Tottenham back in 2007, bringing with him a reputation as one of the game’s most exciting young players. In fact, he was compared to French genius Zinedine Zidane no less. However, Taarabt featured in just a handful of games, never settled at White Hart Lane and had to take a step down to the Championship to taste first team action.
Of course, this is a familiar story. He is not the first player to struggle in the top flight then revive his career by dominating the Championship. But there are bound to be question marks over his ability to bounce back and make a bigger impression in his second Premier League experience. He holds no grudges over Tottenham’s decision to overlook him, but admits that he is eager to show Harry Redknapp what he missed out on.
"I have nothing against Harry Redknapp", said Taarabt. "The last time I saw him he joked with me, ‘I sold you for £1M and now you must be worth £8M to £9M. The chairman will kill me!’ But I hope I can prove to Spurs that they made a mistake to sell me."
As his performances failed to win over the management at White Hart Lane, his temperament and decision-making were called into question – some felt he was too greedy; others saw too much sulking. Every indication suggested that his obvious talent would go to waste and his career, which began in France with Lens back in 2005, would not take the path that so many had predicted.
He has though been revitalised at QPR and is thriving under Warnock’s unique brand of management, with the former Blades boss giving his star player the freedom to express himself rather than restricting his impact in rigid formations. At Championship level, few bosses would have taken that gamble. In turn, Taarabt has showered praise on his manager for helping him take the leap from Premier League outcast to hottest property outside the top flight. Not content with simply improving his own game, the Moroccan has embraced the captaincy, showing maturity and leadership.
The danger for the club’s fans is that Taarabt’s array of flicks and nutmegs has been too eye-catching. As he prepares to return to the Premier League, the hope is that he will do so in the blue and white of QPR – but it would be no surprise to see offers from more established top flight teams who are looking to add a creative spark. It is a situation worth monitoring as so much of the game plan for next season depends on the Moroccan staying at Loftus Road.
Unquestionably, the QPR talisman has a bright future, both at club level and on the international scene, where he has pledged his allegiance to Morocco despite representing France in youth competitions. He will certainly be a player to watch next season as he seeks to prove he belongs in the Premier League.
