Harry Redknapp: Let Peter Odemwingie move on

By SIMON PEACH
Published on 02/02/2013 02:11

QUEENS Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp hopes Peter Odemwingie is allowed to get on with his West Brom career after the transfer debacle that rocked deadline day.

While Redknapp did manage to bring in Christopher Samba, Jermaine Jenas and Andros Townsend on Thursday, it was the one that got away that was still on his mind yesterday.

“This deal had been dragging on for about three weeks,” Redknapp said. “Peter Odemwingie was a player we had been trying to sign for several weeks. He felt a deal was done but it wasn’t done between the two clubs.

“He travelled down and just wanted to be on the premises to get the deal done. Unfortunately, he pulled up outside the ground and the cameras were there.

“He wasn’t the only player that turned up and didn’t get a deal done. There were other players at football grounds yesterday and the deals didn’t go through at the last minute, for whatever reasons.

“I just hope the boy is going to be okay because he is a good person and it was a mistake that has been made. Hopefully he can move on from that.”

That looks unlikely at the Hawthorns after Albion chairman Jeremy Peace accused Odemwingie of acting “wholly unprofessionally”.

The player is not being considered for tomorrow’s home match against Tottenham but Redknapp said: “Let’s hope people give him an opportunity now just to move on and get on with his life. Show me someone that hasn’t made a mistake in their life and I will show you a liar.

“Everybody makes mistakes – much bigger mistakes than he’s made. There are people playing football that have made massive mistakes in their lives and they’re back playing football.

“The kid has made a mistake. Let’s forget that now and move on and give the boy a chance. He is a good player and a good person.”

Other Premier League managers also had some sympathy for the striker, with Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger telling a news conference: “I wouldn’t put the blame on Odemwingie. Sometimes players are told the wrong information by their environment.”

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson added: “I don’t know why he drove there, whether he had permission. He may have thought the deal was done. What a wasted journey anyway.”