' He could of done a lot better for himself '

Paul Abbandonato: I believe Steven Caulker could have done better than Queens Park Rangers after leaving Cardiff City
Jul 24, 2014

BY PAULABBANDONATO
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=144411
Steven Caulker has joined his Queens Park Rangers on their tour of Germany but head of sport Paul Abbandonato insists he should have been linking up with a bigger club



So after months of speculation linking him with Premier League heavyweights like Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton, Steven Caulker has left Cardiff City... to join Queens Park Rangers.

Good luck to him and Harry Redknapp, who has pulled off something of a coup in persuading Caulker to move to Loftus Road.

Caulker is certainly far too good for the Championship and his return to the Premier League was more inevitable, for me, than any reputed move involving David Marshall, Jordon Mutch or other members of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.

But given the stature of clubs running the rule over Caulker, I have to say I’m somewhat surprised he has ended up putting pen to paper on a four-year deal with QPR.

Caulker, in my eyes, is better than that and could have held out for a bigger club where with more quality players around him he would really have shone. With Cardiff prepared to let him go for around £8m, surely that interest from elsewhere would have materialised.


I put Caulker’s decision to instead plump for QPR down to two things. One is the persuasive tongue of Redknapp, who will doubtless have done a great job in telling Caulker how he will make him a better player and that he can help QPR achieve big things.

The other is the prospect of playing in a young and old centre-back partnership next to Rio Ferdinand, someone Caulker has modelled his own game upon.

Caulker is not as good as Ferdinand used to be, but there are uncanny parallels in their style of play. Like Ferdinand in his pomp, Caulker is quick, composed on the ball and just looks a much classier act than the majority of robust, no-nonsense centre-halves in this country.

At 22, he perhaps isn’t as combative, rugged or street-wise as others holding down positions with the top four clubs at this moment in time. Nor yet does he read the game as well as say a Michael Dawson of Tottenham.

But as he gets older, Caulker’s positional play will invariably improve. So too his competitive streak and consistency.

Match that with his natural talent and speed, which can’t be coached into anyone, and you have a top defender on your hands. One who definitely could have stepped up to the plate at a Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs or Everton.

There are inevitable question marks over Caulker right at this moment in time. He was captain, of course, of a Cardiff team who finished rock bottom of the Premier League last season.


Player of the season by a country mile was goalkeeper David Marshall, who you could argue was forced to shine so brightly because the Caulker-led defence creaked so frequently.

But there were some games last season when Caulker appeared to be a one-man back four himself. He blocked, he tackled, he intercepted, he headed clear.

Over the course of the season Caulker was Cardiff’s best outfield performer, but the pressure of non-stop defending was bound to take its toll. It did in the end when he dipped below his levels of excellence.

Despite the relegation, though, after just one season Caulker already ranks as amongst the finest defenders Cardiff City have had.

Certainly the best since Danny Gabbidon in his own hey-day, although the fact that Caulker was performing at a higher level with the Bluebirds probably also gives him the edge over Dan the Man. Just.

What about the 3rd and most obvious reason? He just wanted £10k-£20k extra a week and only QPR were mug enough to pay it.

I'm sure he couldn't give a flying about playing with Rio rubber face or for the Twitcher. Another greedy git just chasing the biggest pay day at the expense of possible success at a bigger club.

What about the 3rd and most obvious reason? He just wanted £10k-£20k extra a week and only QPR were mug enough to pay it.

I'm sure he couldn't give a flying about playing with Rio rubber face or for the Twitcher. Another greedy git just chasing the biggest pay day at the expense of possible success at a bigger club.

Spot on, that's all Caulker was interested in.

I cant stand QPR but caulker gets an undeserved pay rise and is pretty much guaranteed to start week in week out in the premiership-its a smart move for him

I cant stand QPR but caulker gets an undeserved pay rise and is pretty much guaranteed to start week in week out in the premiership-its a smart move for him

Agree, I don't think it's all about money, he lives near QPRs training ground, so it makes sense for family reasons. He will be guaranteed first team football, the bigger clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs were offering less money, because he would sit on their bench. The best move all round for him, he plays alongside one of the best centre backs in recent history and plays for a manager who will get the best out of him. If QPR stay up he will get his chance for a big club in the next 2 years and QPR will treble their money on him.

Exactly the same reason why he came to Cardiff city in the first place

He was made captain way to early for us. I think money was the big deciding factor but I think he'll benefit from being closer to family again and learning from Rio. Once again though, he didn't want to stay here and rectify the relegation he contributed too so screw him. I don't care why he went, just glad he's gone.

Probably will exercise a relegation clause again next year.

£££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Great analysis of Caulker as a player!

Reasons for going to QPR: Cash, money and wages.


What if QPR come straight back down? Another relegation clause waiting to be triggered?

What about the 3rd and most obvious reason? He just wanted £10k-£20k extra a week and only QPR were mug enough to pay it.

I'm sure he couldn't give a flying about playing with Rio rubber face or for the Twitcher. Another greedy git just chasing the biggest pay day at the expense of possible success at a bigger club.

What's the problem with that? He has gone for more wages and stays in the premiership. Only a short career need to strike while the iron is hot.