Right place, wrong time for Salgado
As part of a recent interview with Michel Salgado, broadcast on Revista de la Liga, I took the opportunity to ask the veteran Real Madrid full-back how close he came to joining QPR in the summer.
The 33 year old former Spanish international revealed that, while he was impressed with QPR’s ambitions, it was simply not the right time for him to leave Real Madrid.
Salgado said: “Yes, I had a meeting with the owners of QPR, but also because they are friends of mine. We met on holiday in Vigo. They told me amongst other things about their goal of getting QPR into the Premier League.”
“But for me it would be very difficult to leave Madrid. I have spent the last ten years here and things are going well. But if there is one league that I would like to play in before I retire it would be the English league, otherwise I would like to finish my career in the Middle East.”
“But look, it would be very difficult to see myself wearing any other shirt than that of Real Madrid, I have been here for many years and would very much like to retire here. At the time of the meeting my decision was to stay here,” he added.
David Beckham once described Michel Salgado as ‘the toughest player he has ever played alongside’ and throughout his career the Spanish defender’s no-nonsense approach has ensured he has always been considered an ideal player to adapt to the English game.
After years of being linked with a move, will we ever see Michel Salgado plying his trade in Britain?
“I am not sure if that moment has passed me by,” said Salgado, “That is the question. For me the English league is a great league to be part of as a player.”
“In terms of the level of football and atmosphere it is fantastic. There is a great football culture there and I like the way the players are treated in England. I think that there is a whole list of things that make it an attractive league to any player.”
