Redknapp blasts 'overweight', overpaid Taarabt

LONDON - Queen's Park Rangers boss Harry Redknapp has blasted the weight and attitude of star midfielder Adel Taarabt who he said is carrying too many pounds to finish a game.

Redknapp demanded the 25-year-old Moroccan prove he was worth his weekly wage of about $100,000 (80,000 euros, £60,000).

The Rangers boss hit out after his struggling side's narrow 3-2 defeat by Liverpool on Sunday.

Asked about Taarabt's injury status, Redknapp snapped.

"No, he's not fit: he's not fit to play football, unfortunately," said Redknapp.

"I can't keep protecting people who don't want to run about and train, who are about three stone (42 pounds/19 kilos) overweight."

Redknapp said the Moroccan had a problem attitude.

"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.

"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."

"What am I supposed to keep saying, keep getting your 60, 70 grand (97,000-112,000 dollars) a week but don't train?

"What's the game coming to?

"The others are as good as gold," he said praising the side that were beaten by a last minute own goal by Steven Caulker.

Redknapp shrugged off speculation linking former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood and others with the Rangers' job. He said the side are improving after a chaotic pre-season.

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

"Now I'm not making excuses, I had 12 players at this football club, outfield players.

"I went on tour to Ireland and I took 12 players with me.

"There wasn't another one injured, or hiding behind the training ground, that was what I had, 12, left over from last year's Championship.

"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," said the 67-year-old Redknapp, who is coming up to his second anniversary at Rangers.