01/02/2013
Osaze Odemwingie was sent home from training this morning, after yesterday’s dramatic turn of events, when he appeared to try and force a move to Queens Park Rangers.
“I had a long chat with Dan and I have been given a few days off. I will be back for training next week,” Odemwingie said.The Nigerian striker also went ahead to blame West Brom for the failed transfer, claiming that it was all agreed but the Baggies could not get in a replacement for him.
“It takes more than two or three people to create something extraordinary,” Odemwingie told Sky Sports News. “Clearly, there were no children involved and somewhere there was a big misunderstanding.
“I have learned that the role of the technical director is not superior to the chairman. As far as I am concerned, it takes two hours to drive to London and I had to be there as we were 90% there and the deal did not happen because of a player West Brom was expecting.
“Our technical director is way too good to make that mistake and not get a replacement for me. His last words to me were: ‘Sorry, Peter, we did not get the replacement’. But I do not think that was what did not make this transfer happen.”
Odemwingie also confirmed that he was not given permission to speak with QPR, but he drove all the way to West London, because in England, gentlemen understand themselves.
QPR manager Harry Redknapp, who tried to make the deal possible, empathised with the 31-year-old’s situation and revealed the deal stalled, because one of his players refused to go in the opposite direction.
“I was just disappointed with the Odemwingie situation,” he said. “I was disappointed for the boy. It was a bit of a mess. I felt genuinely sorry for him. He travelled down and I think he thought the deal was done and that’s why he turned up.
“He thought that he’d have a medical and get the forms signed. It was just a mistake. He’s now got to go back to West Brom and get on with his life. He’s not a bad lad. That was what disturbed me last night.
“He felt the done was done. I think the deal wouldn’t have been a problem – it was just a player was going to go the other way on loan and decided he didn’t want to go.
“Peter Odemwingie was a player we’d been trying to sign for several weeks and I think the player thought the deal was done. He wanted to be on the premises to get the deal done. Unfortunately he turned up on the premises and the cameras were there… he wasn’t the only player who turned up yesterday and didn’t get the deal done. I just hope the boy’s going to be okay because he is a good person.”
TalkOfNaija