HE CAME, he saw, he couldn't get into the first team...

 

Harry Redknapp said Adel Taarabt was an enigma, and had him scratching his head as to how he could fit him into his plans. He was unwilling, and rightly so, to blood him, and instead the midfield trickster was farmed out on loan to QPR.

 

But the Morroccan international play maker has found his feet at the Championship outfit, and for the past two games -  both under Neil Warnock's pop-eyed tutelage – he has been man of the match, inspiring two solid victories to help the Super Hoops climb away from the relegation zone. On Tuesday, against Plymouth Argyle,  he calmly tucked away a penalty then set up a second before being taken off just before the end to thunderous applause.

 

As every Spurs regular will testify, there is something special about Adel: every time he used to get a few minutes under Martin Jol we were treated to a version of the flash kid in a playground – he'd take every one on, run wildly down apparent cul-de-sacs just to emerge grinning with the ball out the other side. While he was not the most effective, he was great to watch, which is what it should all be about, no?

 

So can Harry find a space in the squad for Adel next term? Sadly it seems this immense talent may have to go elsewhere to find a manager willing to build a team round him.

 

It will take all of Harry's guile and charm to persuade the youngster that it's worth hanging around  and force himself into the first team squad on a regular basis...lets hope Harry puts the time in to wine and dine him: Adel Taarabt is the sort of player Spurs should hang on to.

 

1.37 PM March 11, 2010

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