Neil Warnock says he was warned against building his Queens Park Rangers side around Adel Taarabt - only for it to turn out to be one of the best decisions of his long managerial career.
The veteran manager took charge of then-Championship QPR in March 2010 to help steer them well clear of any threat of relegation, and over the summer decided to make mercurial 21-year-old playmaker Taarabt the focal point of his side.
The move worked spectacularly, with Taarabt claiming 19 goals, 21 assists and the Championship Player of the Year award as he helped the club top the division and earn promotion to the Premier League.
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Neil Warnock: "I had to tell the other lads, 'I know at times you’ll want to punch him, but leave things to me, will you?'"
Speaking to FourFourTwo about his 44-year management career, Warnock said: "QPR was one of my best experiences - and I changed when I was there because I never, ever would have tolerated a player like Adel Taarabt before.
"I was warned he’d cost me my job! But in the first training session, I just loved him.
"He was a likeable rogue. I saw his ability and thought, ‘I’ve got to try; let’s build a team around him’. I had to tell the other lads, 'I know at times you’ll want to punch him, but leave things to me, will you?'.
"He was a revelation. He has texted me a few times down the years with pictures of how fit he is, saying, 'I’m ready to go again, gaffer'.
"I text him back, saying, Once in a lifetime is more than enough for me, thank you very much!'."
Morocco international Taarabt went on to play for Fulham, AC Milan, Benfica and Genoa, and currently plies his trade in the UAE Pro League with Al-Nasr.
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