Blasts from the bench: He's a cheat, he's too fat

Harry Redknapp has launched an extraordinary rant against his Queens Park Rangers star Adel Taarabt, claiming he cannot "protect people who are about three stone (19kg) overweight".

A furious Redknapp snapped when quizzed on Morocco forward Taarabt's injury status after QPR's gut-wrenching 3-2 home defeat by Liverpool on Sunday.

The Rangers boss paused in his post-match press conference to thump an advertising board that had been squeaking against his chair, exclaiming "that f***ing thing", before laying into Taarabt.

Redknapp challenged Taarabt to prove he has the work ethic to deserve his "60 to 70 grand a week" wages.

"No, he's not fit: he's not fit to play football, unfortunately," said Redknapp of the 25-year-old, who has featured only three times this season due to persistent ankle problems.

"He played in a reserve team game the other day, and I could have run about more than he did.

"So no, I can't pick him.

GOOD ATTITUDE

"I pick people that want to try, and deserve to be at a good football club like QPR, and want to work, and come in every day and want to work, and train, and show a good attitude.

"And that's what I got today from the players.

"When he starts doing that, whether he ever can do it, maybe he'll get a game.

"The other lads, I've got a fantastic group of lads here, absolutely superb, all of them.

"I can't keep protecting people who don't want to run about and train, who are about three stone overweight.

"What am I supposed to keep saying, keep getting your 60, 70 grand a week but don't train?

"What's the game coming to?

"The others are as good as gold."

Richard Dunne and Steven Caulker's own goals floored QPR despite a hugely impressive showing against Brendan Rodgers' patchy Liverpool side.

Philippe Coutinho was the only Liverpool player on target in spite of the fortunate victory.

Leroy Fer hit the bar twice in the first half, with Bobby Zamora bewitching the Liverpool defence at every turn.

Dunne's own goal opened the floodgates though, with Eduardo Vargas twice equalising, only for QPR to end up empty-handed and rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.

Redknapp shrugged off speculation linking the likes of Tim Sherwood with taking the Loftus Road helm, claiming he has turned the club's fortunes around after a disorganised summer.

"I think you have to understand that two weeks before the season started, I had 12 players," he said.

"And it was a last-minute job when we had to bring players in.

"I couldn't give a monkey's about speculation. There's no one could do any better here at the moment than me, I don't think.

"I hear other names mentioned, but they couldn't do any better than what I can do, that's for sure." - PA Sport.

OBJECT OF IRE

No, he's not fit: he's not fit to play football. He played in a reserve team game the other day, and I could have run about more than he did. - QPR manager Harry Redknapp on his player Adel Taarabt.

This article was first published on Oct 21, 2014.
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