QPR captain unimpressed with star
Queens Park Rangers’ skipper Joey Barton has admitted that he has been unimpressed with Adel Taarabt and believes that the attacking midfielder still needs to live up to his “genius’ tag”.
Taarabt was a stand-out performer week in week out last season for QPR as he helped them win promotion to the Premier League, however he has been unable to produce the same standard of performances that made him a recognisable figure.
It was reported that he left the ground and went home after being substituted in QPR’s recent 6-0 thrashing at Fulham. This then resulted in the Moroccan starting Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on the bench, whilst Barton revealed that he was pleased that Tarrabt showed his disappointment in this, as it showed his passion. However Barton feels the 22-year-old needs to channel his frustration into fulfilling his potential.
“It is not a case of anybody giving him advice, it is whether it is taken on board,” the QPR captain told Absolute Radio’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Football.
“At the end of the day, this is the top level of world football and if you’re not prepared to work hard you will come up massively short.
“If I was Adel and had Adel’s ability, I would not want to be coming up short having not worked hard enough.
Barton continued to say, “I came here and was told he was a genius, but I’m yet to see it. I don’t know whether that is because he doesn’t work hard enough or that he tends to sulk.
“I am happy that he is upset really because it shows he does care. [That said], there is a way of doing it.
“He is not the only one guilty of it and that is what we have to understand here.
“There were a few lads not selected whose heads went down and maybe they could apply themselves better.” He added.
“It is one of those things. There is going to be a 14 or 15-man squad that keeps you in the league this year and everyone has to buy into it.
“There will be times when players come in and out but their attitude, their reaction, is going to be the most important thing – not getting the bus home with fans and storming off.
“Adel knows that and it would have been nice of him to come in and apologise for doing that.
“He didn’t think he needed to and some of the senior players maybe feel like he should have.”
