West Brom: Peter Odemwingie speaks out about controversial Hawthorns exit
Peter Odemwingie has spoken out about his failed move to Queens Park Rangers and his eventual transfer to Cardiff City from West Brom.
Speaking to BirminghamLive on Monday (19 February), the former Baggies forward said there was more to the story around his attempts to join QPR as it was a “tragedy” that he had to defend himself publicly after Steve Clarke, his coach at the time, claimed he was avoiding playing games.
The Nigerian added that it was an insult to his and his parents’ name after the efforts they made to help him become a footballer as he felt as though he was forced to give his time with Albion “the red card” by completing a move to Cardiff in 2013 despite his “beautiful” story at The Hawthorns.
“The hierarchy of the club at the time didn’t want to address the drama,” said Odemwingie. “Without going into too much detail, I had public criticism from my coach which I didn’t accept. I had drama from other people which was unjustified.
“I don’t like feeling uncomfortable, personally, amongst anyone. I’m an all or nothing guy. I’m an honest person, I don’t avoid matches – I’ll take injections to play. It turned into a drama which I wish had never happened.
“Some people know that there were more to the story about QPR, they knew there were more things going on, when I had to defend myself publicly that I wasn’t avoiding games.
“It was a tragedy. I don’t take those things lightly, it was an insult to my name, to my parents who took me to games in the rain and the snow when I was a kid. As beautiful as this story was with West Brom was, I had to give it the red card.
“I went through my tribulations. At the end of the day, sport is about bouncing back and West Brom is known to have the character to bounce back. Maybe, it’s just my life as a Baggie.”
Peter Odemwingie divides opinion at West Brom
It was a completely bizarre situation when Odemwingie turned up at QPR to try and secure a move away from West Brom in January 2013 before the move failed to materialise.
The forward had put in a number of excellent performances for the Baggies before that issue arose, having scored 31 goals and laid on 17 assists in 90 appearances for the club.
But many saw his attempts to leave The Hawthorns as a betrayal following the way the situation was handled and how it eventually panned out.
Although he didn’t secure a move to Loftus Road, it was still pretty clear that his time would eventually come to an end with the Baggies as he completed his switch to Cardiff just six months later.
But it sounds as though he still has a place in his heart for Albion, it’s just disappointing that his time at the club couldn’t have ended on better terms.
In other West Brom news, Tony Brown has been left baffled by what happened to an Albion ace against Southampton.
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