|
PLAYMAKER Adel Taarabt has been earning rave
reviews this season as he has been at the
forefront of QPR's march to the head of the
NPower Championship table, just one step away
from the promised land of the English
Premiership.
In the season opener Taarabt was proclaimed as
the difference between the teams by his manager,
Neil Warnock, as QPR sent a strong message to the
competition with a 4-0 demolition of
Barnsley.
Arriving at QPR's Harlington training ground,
shared with Imperial College, I received a warm
welcome at this family-orientated club.
The car park is like a well-stocked car showroom
with Audi, Mercedes and Range Rover marques well
represented, although the privacy-affording
blacked-out windows is betrayed by the
personalised number plates identifying the
owners.
The opportunity to supervise training is
destroyed by the vagaries of the English weather,
although the gap was quickly filled by the
willingness of the QPR media managers who
provided access to some of the injured stars,
namely Fitz Hall and Patrick Agyemang.
As the West Ham reserves arrived for a
behind-closed-doors match against the QPR
reserves, 'One size' Fitz Hall spoke freely of
the origins of the unofficial best nickname in
English football (If his name is said with this
as a prefix then the following can be heard ...
'One Size Fits All').
Once Adel had finished training we were ushered
into a long hall next to the players' dining area
where the names of Imperial College's past
sporting captains reminded us of half a century
of amateur glories.
A devout Muslim, Taarabt emerged earlier than his
colleagues from training and benefits during
Ramadan from having an understanding manager in
Neil Warnock who has invited Adel to manage his
own training during the Holy Month and advise him
of any required rest.
Taarabt only breaks his fast on match days but
ensures he catches up on these after the official
end of Ramadan.
I had been warned prior to the interview that
Adel claimed to speak little English but I found
little evidence of this.
He had a warm greeting and welcoming smile
although I could hardly fail to notice the full
moon of diamonds gleaming from his pink-strapped
watch-face. He speaks softly yet confidently with
a strong French accent.
I asked Adel whether the rigours of fasting had a
negative impact on his performance. On the
contrary, he claimed to feel a much heightened
sense of awareness due to "his closer proximity
to God." Indeed Taarabt stated a stronger
commitment to work harder on the pitch to prove
his beliefs.
While he was born in Morocco, Taarabt moved to
France at the age of nine months. He learned his
football at a variety of small clubs yet his
special talent was still recognised at an early
age and he first represented France at U-15
level.
His progression continued and his performances
during the European Championships, in which he
was likened to his boyhood idol, Zinedine Zidane,
led to him being offered a variety of
professional contracts.
He rejected offers from larger clubs like
Marseille and Lyon in favour of Lens, believing
that he would have more of an opportunity to
develop and prove himself. This he did with his
flair and trickery bringing him to the attention
of a number of English premier clubs.
On crossing the Channel he was lined up to sign
for Arsenal yet, against the advice of several
'Gooner' friends, decided to follow Director of
Football, Damien Comolli, across North London to
bitter rivals, Spurs.
Taarabt openly admits that he had a number of
difficulties while at Tottenham Hotspur and
struggled particularly under former coach Juande
Ramos who, at one stage, failed to even provide
him with a squad number.
This changed once Harry Rednapp took charge.
While he reveled in training regularly with world
'greats' such as Berbatov and Robbie Keane, due
to his inexperience of English conditions and the
precarious position that faced Spurs at the time,
Adel was twice sent out on loan to Queens Park
Rangers.
Rather than reflect on the difficulties faced as
a player on loan, Taarabt prefers to focus on the
positives of having signed permanently for QPR,
knowing he is wanted and feeling the pressure to
ensure his own side wins.
Neil Warnock, an experienced set of hands who has
revolutionised the club and installed a sense of
stability since taking over the reigns, has had a
positive impact on Taarabt.
Several times during the interview Adel spoke
warmly of the difference he has made, not only on
him but on the club as a whole. He spoke of
Warnock's 'love' for him and his desire to ensure
he is able to use his silky skills for the
benefit of the team. However, this is not just a
one-way relationship - Taarabt chose Warnock and
QPR despite offers from Malaga and
Villareal.
It has been reported that Warnock has claimed
that if Taarabt spends a "few seasons learning
under me he will be one of the best players in
the world and will get his big money move to
Barcelona or Real Madrid."
I took the opportunity to press this future star
on what he is learning.
Warnock has impressed upon him the need to be
patient during matches. In the past he admits to
having been frustrated as the 'game passed him
by'although he now sees that he can still win the
game for his team with just the one
opportunity.
More specifically, Warnock is working hard with
Adel on his positional play and tactics. The
coach has apparently admitted that he can bring
nothing to Taarabt's technical flair and is
therefore focusing on the mental aspects.
Taarabt also spoke of his need to weather the
ugly side of the game and ensure that, even if he
is 'kicked hard several times' he does not
over-react, simply channel his aggression for the
benefit of the team.
I feel as though, in talking to Adel, I was given
an insight to the famed man-management skills of
one of the English game's longest serving and
successful managers.
Warnock seems to have recognised the need to make
Taarabt feel wanted and is building a side around
him that harnesses his match-winning
skills.
In the season to date he has succeeded with
devastating effect with Adel currently leading
the side with goals, assists and shots on
goal.
On the back of his exceptional performances
Warnock has backed Taarabt further by awarding
him the captain's armband, despite his relative
youth.
Aged only 21, Taarabt spoke of his honour at this
award and 'gratitude at being included in the
manager's project'. While English is neither his
first or second language, the words chosen and
the intent reveal a strong desire and hints that
the R's have a special bond and focus this
season.
There is also a sense that individually Adel
Taarabt is destined for greater achievements. I
asked about his reasons for his change in
national focus, switching from the junior teams
of France for that of his birthplace,
Morocco.
At this stage Adel leans forward slightly and a
warm smile spreads across his face. "My parents'
are from Morocco, my whole family is from Morocco
and I am from Morocco and feel more Moroccan," he
states.
"I knew that this would make them happy and proud
of me."
This is obviously a question that has been posed
several times before, as he continued to explain:
"I know that I had a better opportunity to play
at a higher level with France and achieve more,
however, you can still be a great player and have
a wonderful career with a smaller nation - just
look at Ryan Giggs with Wales and Didier Drogba
with the Cote D'Ivoire".
On the day of my interview there were two other
TV crews there to interview Taarabt, such is the
profile his performances have generated in
driving QPR to the top of the table. I learned
from them that recently there was a poll
conducted in Morocco looking at overall levels of
popularity.
Despite having only played a handful of games for
the national team, Taarabt apparently polled
second behind the King, and in the words of one
interviewer, "at this rate even he is likely to
lose top spot soon."
The reason for this, it transpires, is that
Moroccans love a player with flair and
fleet-footed magic - the ability to win the game
with one touch, or one pass. They - and the
Loftus Road crowd brought up during the glory
years with the talents of former stars Rodney
Marsh and Stanley Bowles (amongst the most
creative players to grace the English stage) -
'love street tricks'.
At one point we were discussing the role of the
Middle East in world football and Adel felt that
this is a trait the Moroccan's share with locals
and expats living in Bahrain and the neighbouring
Gulf states, some of whom are his friends.
He admits to receiving regular messages and texts
of support from the region with some begging him
to join a 'big club' like Barcelona or Real
Madrid, names which crop up several times during
the interview.
We discussed the growing influence the Middle
East has on global football. Despite being
positive for the region Taarabt cannot see
himself playing in the Middle East until the end
of his career, despite there being many Moroccans
currently plying their trade at teams in the UAE
and Qatar leagues.
Morocco is clearly where his heart is and his
close ties are evident from the efforts he makes
to visit his family when he returns for
international duty.
"It's always great to go home and relax with my
family and friends while enjoying the fresh air,"
he said.
In many respects Taarabt is well suited to QPR -
the club also places great emphasis on families,
while both are hugely ambitious and yet still
have 'loftier' ambitions. There is a strong
feeling amoung pundits that they're both on the
way up.
Fact file
Favourite Goal: For Morocco vs Togo.
Proudest moment: Signing his first professional
contract and calling his father to tell him that
he did not need to work any more.
Favourite players: Zinedine Zidane (who was from
the same city he grew up in - Marseille) and Eric
Cantona.
Charitable work: Establishing a football school
with his brother in Morocco to help develop
talent and ensure it gets noticed in
Europe.
Advice to Children: Work hard to develop the
talent that God gave you (and for children in the
Middle East - make sure you get noticed by a club
in Europe).
What do you listen to? Readings from the
Koran
Best friends in football: Benoit Assou-Ekotto
(Spurs) and Armand Traore (Arsenal).
Current car: Audi Q7
UK likes: Football
UK dislikes: Weather
|
