Midfielder fires friendly warning to new recruit.
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New Fulham midfielder Adel Taarabt has been welcomed to the club by Steve Sidwell, who has warned him that lazy performances will not be tolerated, the Daily Mail reports.
The Moroccan international has joined the west Londoners on a season long loan from neighbours QPR after telling his parent club he wanted to stay in the Premier League.
However, Sidwell wasted no time in telling the 24-year-old that his work rate needed to match his skill set as last season Taarabt was accused of solely focussing on attacking rather than helping his colleagues out defensively, and Sidwell has warned that that can’t happen again this season.
“That’s the general joke going around the training ground at the minute,” conceded Sidwell. “Listen, it’s just part and parcel of players’ make-up. You’ve got some who’ve got tremendous talent on the ball and their work rate off it isn’t great.
“Then you’ve got some who’ve got the great work rate but not as good on the ball. You try to accommodate each others’ strengths. Everyone’s got to work for the team. It doesn’t matter who you are, you can’t be lazy, everyone’s got to put the work rate in.
“I’m sure (Martin Jol) is going to emphasise that to players this season. If they don’t I’m sure he’ll pull them up. But you don’t want to take that away from their strengths.”