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Cape Town - QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt has rejected manager Harry Redknapp's claims that he is overweight, unfit and unable to play.
Speaking after Sunday's defeat to Liverpool, a match which Taarabt was not selected for, Redknapp did not mince his words in his assessment of the Moroccan.
"I can't protect people who don't want to run and train, and are about three stone overweight," said Redknapp.
"Taarabt is not injured. He's not fit. He's not fit to play football unfortunately.
"He played in a reserve game the other day and I could have run about more than he did. I can't pick him," the Hoops manager added.
"What am I supposed to keep saying? Keep getting your £60,000, £70,000 a week and don't train? What's the game coming to?
"I pick people who want to try, who deserve to be at a good football club like QPR, who come in every day and want to work, train and show a good attitude. When he starts doing that, if he ever can do it, maybe he'll get a game."
However, Taarabt insists that this is not the case and that he is fit to play.
"It's not true to say I'm not fit. He tried to give an excuse," he told the Daily Mail. "I was desperate to play before the game. I was fuming when I didn't play.
"The journalist was doing his job and asking if I was injured," he added.
"He should have said 'when he is fit he will play'. He is an experienced manager and he should have controlled that situation.
"I didn't do pre-season with the team because I had an ankle injury, so I wasn't 100%."
The 25-year-old also rubbished Redknapp's assertion that he was overweight.
"I don't like the food at the training ground, but eat healthily like every other player. Simple," he asserted.
"My heaviest weight at Milan was 86kg (13st 8lb), my lightest 84kg (13st 2lb) - now I'm 85kg (13st 5lb)."
Speaking after Sunday's defeat to Liverpool, a match which Taarabt was not selected for, Redknapp did not mince his words in his assessment of the Moroccan.
"I can't protect people who don't want to run and train, and are about three stone overweight," said Redknapp.
"Taarabt is not injured. He's not fit. He's not fit to play football unfortunately.
"He played in a reserve game the other day and I could have run about more than he did. I can't pick him," the Hoops manager added.
"What am I supposed to keep saying? Keep getting your £60,000, £70,000 a week and don't train? What's the game coming to?
"I pick people who want to try, who deserve to be at a good football club like QPR, who come in every day and want to work, train and show a good attitude. When he starts doing that, if he ever can do it, maybe he'll get a game."
However, Taarabt insists that this is not the case and that he is fit to play.
"It's not true to say I'm not fit. He tried to give an excuse," he told the Daily Mail. "I was desperate to play before the game. I was fuming when I didn't play.
"The journalist was doing his job and asking if I was injured," he added.
"He should have said 'when he is fit he will play'. He is an experienced manager and he should have controlled that situation.
"I didn't do pre-season with the team because I had an ankle injury, so I wasn't 100%."
The 25-year-old also rubbished Redknapp's assertion that he was overweight.
"I don't like the food at the training ground, but eat healthily like every other player. Simple," he asserted.
"My heaviest weight at Milan was 86kg (13st 8lb), my lightest 84kg (13st 2lb) - now I'm 85kg (13st 5lb)."
