With Q.P.R five points clear at the top of the Championship table and the prospect of Premiership football next term almost inevitable, what can we make of Neil Warnock’s blossoming side and who has been the catalyst for much of their success this season?
Look no further than their captain, the hugely talented Moroccan International Adel Taraabt. After a successful loan spell at the club in the 2009-2010 season from Tottenham Hotspur, Q.P.R made the decision to capture the playmaker on a permanent basis in August last year, and boy have they never looked back.
Taraabt has been a key cog in the wheel for Warnock’s ambitious side with his outstanding performances in the Championship this term, netting 14 goals in 29 appearances and providing countless assists for his team-mates. His superb technique and vast array of skills have drawn many plaudits each time the Moroccan graces the field this season, with many fans and pundits alike admiring his prodigious talent.
However, despite his huge success for his employers thus far, the past week in particular has seen a potential drawback in his career development. During Q.P.R’s league clash vs. Hull City, Taraabt showed his petulant side when he was seen to be aruging with his team-mates on the field of play, and even asked to be substituted during the first half of the game. Manager Neil Warnock claims that Manchester United scouts were present during the game, which led him to believe that they would not be impressed by his tantrum, stating ”"He let himself down on Saturday. He can forget about joining United after that. I’m delighted because it means we’ve no chance of losing him now.”
Hyped as the new ‘Zinedine Zidane’ upon his arrival in England in Jan 2007, he was an outcast during his 3 years at Premiership side Tottenham. Manager Harry Redknapp registered that Taraabt had ‘bags of technical ability’ but ultimately decided that the Moroccan wasn’t going to be part of his long term plans. That decision may prove to haunt the Spurs boss upon Q.P.R’s expected arrival in the Premiership, although the sheer amount of midfielders at Redknapp’s disposal will of course prove that Taraabt’s departure from White Hart Lane was somewhat inevitable.
Nevertheless, many would say that based on his performances this season, Adel Taraabt belongs in the Premiership. Come the end of the season, will a top 5 club yearn for his signature? Time will tell, but sky’s the limit for the youngster providing he can consistently match his form for the remainder of the campaign.
Whilst it is probably more of a question of when and not if Taraabt will return to the Premiership, whether that be with Q.P.R, Man Utd or other, it remains to be seen whether potential employers would have been put off by his his petulant sulking, as opposed to his scintillating performances in the Championship this term.
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