Twelve months ago Mauro Zarate was being described as seriously unfit by Queens Park Rangers to whom he’d been loaned by the former manager Sam Allardyce.
The Argentinian had arrived at Upton Park having bought himself out of his contract at Velez Sarsfield and as most observers believed was never truly fancied by the previous boss.
Firstly he had been a David Sullivan signing and secondly was not the type of player one would associate with Big Sam’s style and player – it tended to look like a lose/lose situation for all concerned.
It came as no surprise when he was farmed out to QPR but the unfitness claims came as something of a shock as the player attempted to sort out some kind of future for himself.
It looked a lost cause but a return to Upton Park with an injury followed by a change of management gave us a better opportunity to judge the player who had after all cost us next to nothing.
Twenty nine appearances and seven goals later he’s gone after a change of management for a reported £3 million and whether you like him or not, that’s good business.
Throughout his difficulties Zarate conducted himself with good grace and departed with dignity. Allardyce – like every manager – has the right to make decisions about players.
I have no interest in describing his attitude beyond that – it’s history !
The player was a very useful guy to have around during that devastating injury crisis earlier in the season and for the club to come out with a £3 million profit after all that has gone before is a result!
Despit some drawbacks in his game I liked him and wish him all the best. He proved a £3 million point!
Good luck to the guy.
i love reading Martinez now saying “Byram wasn’t right for us” is that why your offer for him was acepted by Leeds, he passed his medical & agreed personal terms with you. Bht then changed his mind & signed for west ham?.??
But he was first to spot the lads potential.Oh, along with nine or ten other clubs. sour grapes comes to mind. Good luck in Italy Mauro and thanks for the memories.
All the best Mauro , kerching !!!!!!!
Martinez is a low life, he’s just proved that with the comments on Byram !!!
I’m sure the assassins will be out in full when we meet next !!
Meeeeoooooowwwwwww bit(h .
Zarate has written a nice goodbye note, fair play. Grace and dignity there, which was sadly missing when he ran to the papers with his agent and also didn’t like not being part of a QPR matchday squad at Anfield. Didn’t realise we got £3m for him, even better!! Every other outlet has been reporting £1.6/1.7m. Wish him all the best but I’ve already moved on, better will be coming in over time.
he was an example of a foreign player who has rested on his laurels, grown rich fat and lazy and believed a little bit too much in his own hype. To be fair to him he learnt his lesson last year at work, sorted out his attitude and knuckled down. He came back a much fitter player in the summer. Unfortunately he never struck me as a true team player and was far too greedy in his play at times. This did lead to him scoring some important goals at times out of nothing that we might not have got. The downside was his willingness to take pot shots from distance when unlikely to score or keep hold of the ball too long and lose it instead of passing to a team mate in a better position. Good luck to Mauro though. I liked him at a time when we didn’t have much in the way of creativity in our team. Now if he’s a creative midfielder he’s not on a par with Lanzini and payet and if he’s a striker he’s not as good as Carroll or sakho. Unfortunately he’s just not good enough.
Thought we only got £1.6m for him?
He can leave with his head held high he did nothing to hurt our club and did his best when pulling on our shirt,
Good luck in Italy
He could have been great with the right attitude and a little bit more energy
But cost us nothing and did well when Payet and Lanzini were missing
You got it wrong Sam Again