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Routledge returns  - exactly the right man at exactly the right time
Routledge returns - exactly the right man at exactly the right time
Friday, 21st Jan 2011 20:53 by Clive Whittingham

Winger Wayne Routledge has returned to Loftus Road on loan for the rest of the season, just a year after he left QPR for Newcastle United.

 

Facts

Routledge left Loftus Road last January after just a year at the club to sign for Newcastle United, then top of the table, for a fee of around a million pounds. He originally signed for QPR for less than half that in the January before from Aston Villa where he had made just two starts and five sub appearances in 12 months since an earlier January transfer window move from Spurs. QPR were in for him then but he rejected the R’s to stay in the Premiership instead but ended up spending time on loan with Cardiff who were furious when he spurned their permanent offer to move to West London instead.

Routledge began his career coming through the ranks at Crystal Palace. His four year spell as a senior pro there is the longest time he has spent at any of his nine clubs so far and featured 123 appearances and 11 goals as the Eagles were promoted to the Premiership under the guidance of Iain Dowie. They failed to stay there, conceding a late goal at Charlton on the last day to miss safety by a whisker, but Routledge had done enough to convince Spurs to shell out cash for him and he arrived there at the same time as Aaron Lennon - generally perceived to be the better player of the two at the time.

He’s never had a prolonged run of first team football in the Premiership since with Portsmouth and Fulham taking him on long loan spells but using him merely as a squad player, and Villa buying him permanently but having no use for him. It was at Cardiff, QPR in fits and starts, and then Newcastle in this league where he refound his form between 2008 and 2010 only to then struggle to make an impact in the top flight after the Magpies were promoted once more.

The manager that signed him, Chris Hughton, was harshly sacked last month and his replacement Alan Pardew has been eyeing Shaun Wright Phillips which means Routledge’s days were always likely to be numbered.

He has signed a six month long term loan deal at Loftus Road and is available for the visit of Coventry this Sunday.

Reaction

"I think Wayne just needs an arm around him. He is a super lad and a super player. He has always had a soft spot for QPR and I am delighted to bring him back to the club. He hasn't done much training this week so we will have a look at him on Saturday and make a decision with regards to Sunday's game against Coventry." Neil Warnock

“I'm really pleased to be back here. QPR have made a great start to the season and I'm really looking forward to playing some games and helping the Club push on during the remainder of the season." Wayne Routledge

“Routledge is also the perfect counter-balance on one side of a front three to what Tommy Smith offers on the other. Smith is a very clever player, while Routledge offers not only trickery but some much-needed pace, which is something Rangers have been lacking.” David McIntyre

“I hope nobody blames him for leaving when we were at the height of our managerial and management shambles. I was disappointed when he left as he had been our best player in many games at that point. I just hope he is fit and has still got it. Unlike many I think he has the potential to play in the prem. with the right support players and manager. Great news as far as I'm concerned I hope he perfoms well and we make it permanent.” Somerset Hoops

“Excellent signing at this level. Couldn't blame him for leaving he is a very good replacement for the very unfortunate Mackie who is a massive loss to the team.” Desert Boot

Opinion

Routledge is one of those players who I class as a bit of a yo-yo talent. When he’s fit and firing there are not many defenders in the Championship that can live with him, but whenever he has been asked to produce that form in the Premiership he has failed to deliver. He’s lightening quick, and in the Championship that’s enough to cause problems, but the days of succeeding in the Premiership purely because you’re really quick are fast fading as Shaun Wright Phillips is finding.

Routledge’s technique often lets him down, particularly when finishing chances in front of goal, and is found out whenever he has to play at the highest level. But we’re not in the Premiership, and by signing him on a six month loan deal we are hoping that he can be to us what he was to Newcastle last January. This time last year Chris Hughton added Routledge, Leon Best, Danny Simpson and Mike Williamson to his already table topping side. They weren’t players that immediately struck me as Premiership stars in waiting, although Simpson and Williamson have subsequently stepped up well, but they were quality players for this level that gave them a little extra push over the closing months. One year on it’s exactly what we need and Routledge is absolutely ideal.

At Burnley I spoke about a slight lack of ambition and ideas from QPR when they were clearly the better team. The plan was either to give the ball to Taarabt, or get it into the penalty area and see what bounced our way. Routledge, for all his flaws, provides another outlet for teams to worry about. The sheer speed of the guy frightens defenders in this league and makes things happen and for all the perceived lack of ability to produce the final ball he was QPR’s top assister when he left us a year ago. Defenders will have to be detailed to him to cope and that will in turn leave more space for Smith and Taarabt along the front line. We now have three very different kinds of players able to play behind our main striker and that can only be a good thing.

Ostensibly Routledge is here to replace Mackie – although their strengths, weaknesses and attitude is worlds apart. Mackie is the honest, loyal, hard working, committed player happy to play right full back as opposed to striker when asked to do so. Routledge is the man with eight clubs to his name already at the age of just 26, who can’t even spell tracking back and who paraded up and down his last Player of the Year dinner at QPR addressing people as “innit” and behaving like the baddest gansta Sidcup did ever produce.

But with Mackie out for the rest of the season we need another attacking option for that side of the field if we’re to avoid relying on Leon Clarke for any prolonged periods of time, and Routledge is certainly able to come and do us a short term job to a high standard in this league. He is, in my opinion, the best signing any side in our league has made so far this January and is a tremendous asset for us.

Photo: Action Images



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SomersetHoops added 21:31 - Jan 21
Clive,

To be quoted by you is an honour indeed!
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YorkRanger added 21:52 - Jan 21
Agree with all you say Clive - great signing
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Richie added 23:41 - Jan 21
Toon fan here.

Hope he helps your promotion bid as much as he did ours last season. Also, hope he finds some form, confidence and returns with a point to prove as most of us can see he has the ability, but for some reason also a mental block when it comes to the Premiership. He seems nervous when crossing and hesitant to take on a defender. It's almost as though he has had it drummed into his head over and over that he will never be good enough at top level, which of course is total garbage as there are far worse players than him plying their trade at top level.

Good luck and hopefully see you next year.
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Pablo_Hoopsta added 16:18 - Jan 22
Im chuffed Routledge is back. I was gutted when he left but I couldnt blame him for going, he went to a team chasing promotion and won promotion. That experience should bode well for us.

I think he is a quality player and like Richie says, with good guidance he could keep the confidence he will hopefully show he has in this division. I think Warnock will be a good manager for him.
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