Moroccan veteran Taarabt recently announced his retirement. After a professional career marked by distinctive flair, the Moroccan player, who once captivated Premier League fans with his exceptional technique and creative prowess, recently appeared on talkSPORT's "Drive" show to reflect on the memorable moments from his playing days.

Fans won't forget his name

Taarabt's name is still mentioned with enthusiasm by English football fans, particularly among Queens Park Rangers supporters.

During his career, he played for clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, and Benfica, but he is best remembered for his time at Loftus Road.

Taarabt was a highly talented and flamboyant player. In 2009, he joined Queens Park Rangers on loan from Tottenham and was later signed permanently. During his time at the club, he made 164 appearances, scoring 34 goals and providing 41 assists.

With his brilliant dribbling and technical ability, Taarabt gradually became an idol for Queens Park Rangers, delivering an outstanding performance in the 2010/11 season.

That season he scored 19 goals and provided 16 assists, helping Queens Park Rangers secure promotion back to the Premier League, where he continued to showcase his technical skills.

Taarabt reveals why Ferguson decided against signing him

Taarabt's outstanding performances at Queens Park Rangers made him one of the most talked-about rising stars in football at the time, and he was frequently linked with moves to top clubs.

Sir Alex Ferguson, then manager of Manchester United, was one of his admirers. In January 2011, Ferguson even traveled to Hull personally to watch Taarabt play in a Championship match.

However, Taarabt recently revealed that the transfer ultimately fell through because of a conflict with teammate Sean Derry.

Taarabt said on talkSPORT: "We were top of the Championship at the time. I remember this match—Ferguson came specifically to watch me."

"We were playing away at Hull City, and he came because he wanted to sign me."

However, in the 42nd minute, Taarabt had an altercation with teammate Sean Derry.

"Then I had a row with Sean Derry during the match, and I went to the touchline and told the manager, Neil Warnock: 'You need to take me off now, I'm done.'"

"Then Ferguson said: 'What? This boy is mad.'"

Although Ferguson had clearly seen something he didn't like, Taarabt was vital to Queens Park Rangers at the time, and Warnock did not substitute him as he demanded. Instead, Warnock directed his anger at Derry.

Taarabt recalled: "Neil Warnock said: 'No, I'm not taking you off, stay there.'"

"I stood on the touchline for about 4 minutes saying over and over: 'Take me off, I want to leave the field.'"

"Then at halftime, Neil Warnock gave Sean Derry a harsh telling-off."

"He said: 'This is the first and last time you speak to him like that. If he wants the ball, give him the ball. Don't speak to him, or I'll take you off and you'll never play for me again.'"

Taarabt explained that after this incident, he believed Ferguson had changed his mind.

"I think Ferguson said at the time: 'I can't sign a boy with that mentality.'"

He turned down Arsenal

After missing the opportunity to join Manchester United, Taarabt subsequently rejected an offer from Arsenal.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger wanted to give him the chance to play in the Champions League. However, the outspoken player revealed that he declined due to Arsenal's lower salary offer compared to what he was earning at Queens Park Rangers, and his reluctance to experience the same situation he had at Tottenham.

Taarabt said: "I spoke with Wenger, and he asked me to come to Arsenal. He told me: 'I will give you the chance to play in the Champions League.'"

"But at the time, the salary he offered me was much lower than what I was earning after signing a new contract at Queens Park Rangers."

"In the end, I said: 'If Queens Park Rangers are offering me a new contract, I'm not going to Arsenal. Because I would have to fight for my place there, and you never know if you'll play every week.'"

"So even though it was a very good opportunity, I still said: 'No, I won't go.'"

Still, he went out the night before matches

For a key player in a team, the outside world would normally expect a more professional lifestyle, but Taarabt clearly didn't fully adhere to that standard.

The Queens Park Rangers legend admitted that he often went out until the early hours of the morning before match days.

He loved London's nightlife so much that talkSPORT presenter and former Tottenham player Darren Bent previously suggested Taarabt's rejection of a Liverpool offer was related to his lifestyle.

Taarabt admitted: "Sometimes, even on match day, I'd still go out."

"If the match was on a Saturday, for example, I'd go out on Friday night. The match would be at 3 p.m. on Saturday, and the team wouldn't meet at Loftus Road until 1 p.m."

For many managers, particularly when dealing with the team captain, such behavior would be difficult to accept. But Warnock was not angry at the time.

Taarabt recalled how he balanced his social life with his team responsibilities:

"At that age, it was easy for me."

"I was the team captain, so before the match we'd go with manager Neil to meet the referee."

"He told me: 'Listen, boy, I know you were out last night, but now you just need to go out there and help me win the game.'"

Special relationship with Warnock

The special relationship between Taarabt and Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock at the time was no secret.

The popular English manager had previously revealed that to make use of Taarabt's talent, he had to make exceptions for the player on some rules.

When asked about Warnock's role in his career, Taarabt even joked:

"I think I was more important to him than he was to me!"

Taarabt then revealed some of the special treatment he enjoyed at Queens Park Rangers.

"Sometimes I didn't even have to train five days a week. I might only come in on Friday and go straight to the match on Saturday!"

Taarabt also explained:

"Neil Warnock wasn't obsessed with tactics, and sometimes I didn't like his training methods."

"So he simply told me: 'Come whenever you want, as long as you're happy.'"

Taarabt: Ramos was the worst manager I ever had

If Warnock was one of Taarabt's favorite managers during his career, his experience with one of his Tottenham managers was far less positive.

In 2007, Taarabt joined Tottenham under Martin Jol but never established himself as a regular starter, making just 15 appearances in total.

His situation worsened further when Juande Ramos took over as manager.

Reflecting on his first preseason after joining Tottenham, Taarabt told talkSPORT: "At the time, I thought I would start the new season in great shape."

"But suddenly I was left out of the squad and didn't get any playing time."

"The team was unstable back then; they changed managers every six months, which isn't good for young players."

"The worst was Ramos. I couldn't understand what this man was thinking at all."

"Then I thought: 'It's better to leave here.'"

Übersetzt von KI.

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