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Quashie’s thank you to Wolves faithful
Thursday 29th January 2009, 1:15PM GMT.
Nigel Quashie has revealed the reception Wolves fans gave him a lump in his throat as he comes to terms with personal and professional heartache.
As a former Albion player, the 30-year-old may have thought crossing the Black Country divide was going to be difficult. But he received a big welcome for his debut at Reading on Tuesday night.
Quashie, an only child, recently lost his mother – who brought him up alone – to cancer.
The midfielder’s loss had been swollen by professional heartache, as he battled to save his career after it looked as though he may have to hang up his boots because of an ankle injury.
His pain was made slightly easier by the 2,700-strong Wolves following, who gave him a hearty backing at the Madejski Stadium on what was a solid debut.
He said: “I can’t thank everyone enough for the way they’ve responded to me and given me that new lease of life to want to come here and do well. I’m more than delighted to be here.
“I just want to say thanks very much to the supporters for the way they responded to me in the warm-up and through the game as well. It meant a lot to me – especially after everything I’ve been through as well.
“It gave me a lump in my throat. I’ve had a lot to deal with and I didn’t know how they were going to respond to me. Even coming off with my ankle, they cheered me and that was important.”
Despite being only 30, Quashie arrives as Wolves’ oldest and most experienced player – after Jody Craddock – and is aware of a certain level of expectancy from the Molineux masses.
He is determined to show the steel he displayed alongside Karl Henry on Tuesday.
Quashie said: “I understand they [the fans] are expecting big things from me – they expect me to perform and do well. But I’m more than delighted to show them I’m going to put a foot in and help the front four express themselves.”
Having got match-fit with 10 games for rivals Birmingham, Quashie has signed for Wolves until the end of the season, when he is due to return to West Ham and face a potentially uncertain future.
But the way he has been made to feel wanted again – from club top brass to the players and supporters – has made Quashie put Wolves’ ambitions before any personal gain.
He said: “All I want to do is help Wolves get promoted and I’m not concerned about myself.”
Quashie, a key part of Harry Redknapp’s Championship title winners at Portsmouth when Wolves went up through the play-offs in 2002-03, reckons his new team-mates deserve to go up, despite going five league games without a win.
He said: “There’s no doubt about it – these players deserve it [promotion]. From training with them and being around the place, it’s a big football club.”
The former Scotland international’s record is tarnished by relegations with QPR, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Albion. But he believes he has maintained a consistent level of form.
He said: “I wasn’t wanted by West Brom in the end. I played really well for them, I’ve been really fortunate that I’ve been to teams that have struggled but have played really well myself.
“Other managers have seen that and wanted to buy me.”
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Nice one boss, keep it up and the Wolves fans will support you, regardless of any past allegiances. An experienced head in the middle of the park is exactly what we need, and I for one think MM has done a god job in getting NQ on loan until the end of the season – now for the centre-half we so clearly need!
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O shut up Nigel
You have said that when you were at albion west ham birmingham and now wolves.
At least change what your saying a bit instead of the same thing word for word.
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center half asap!!!
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shut up celtic baggie nigel has been through a lot as u can see and u say that to him ignore all bad comments nigel when i was at reading on tuesday we played amazing apart from the mistake at the start we played well i could see the fight but just not the goal nigel execellent debut mate keep it up just what we need was u a experinced midfielder just need to get a centre half before monday now so no one knock wolves yh we have been threw a bad spell last 5 games but if we were that bad would we be 2 points clear at the top no!! exactly so just think for a min mick and all the board and players have done exellent mick is best maneger we have had hope he keeps doing what he is doing so wolves fans stopped being 2 faced when we lose we lose when we win we win but when we loose why boo the players do you think that makes them feel better ya suppost to cheer them casue no matter what the result is i no the lads put a 100% in to play!! well done wolves keep it up!
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2. Jog on
Good luck N.Q get up so we pass the Baggies on the way down.
Good luck against Watford
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I gave the lad a standing ovation, thought he was getting stuck right in. Seems like he has had alot to deal with and fair play to the lad for coming through tough times. We are behind you, henry needs a rest, quashie in against watford, mancienne and berra are coming in before monday, come on you wolves!
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Good luck to him, sounds like he hasn’t had the best time. Thought he played ok, was debut after all. Wasn’t much between him and Henry. Both at the same time though is too much, we need one of them with Jones who can play some killer balls through to the wings/forwards. Also need Jones for the set pieces at the mo.
Also Moxey, pls pay Chelsea whatever it takes to get Mancienne in for the rest of the season – there is a 50 million pot waiting at the end of the rainbow, and we will never have a better chance now!!!
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fairplay to the lad.
i’d play him over Henry the crab anyday.
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Is it just me or is Mick starting to look more like Michael Barrymore every day?
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Nice one Nigel m8. Keep up the good work. Ignore the peasant knockers.
Has anyone ever seen Berra play? He is a totally unknown quantity to me. However, MM is not. It would be great to get him back.
Lets really get behind the team against Watford..
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I hope to see Quashie together with Jones in midfield on Saturday. His real contribution to the team must be in the holding role.
Hopefully with Berra and Stearman at the back Wolves can continue the push towards the Premiership as a stronger team.
UP THE WOLVES!!!
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People who slated him the other day were not at Reading. He got stuck in and is experienced and will put the pressure on Henry.
11) I agree. Give Henry a spot on the bench and busting to get back in the first team.
WE ARE STILL GOING UP AT THE EXPENSE OF THE NOSES.
Sheff Wed 2 Blues 1, QPR 1 Reading 1, Wolves 2 Watford 0
Would be nice!
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the issue here regards who else plays in the middle. henry and quashie offer no creative nous. we will continue to play teams, especially at home, who set up to stop us rather than go at us. thats why we need jones along side one of the two.
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You people keep saying get berra in,If the muppet thinks he is good then i have my doubts as he thinks collins is good.
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12- Potter and Grey to score the goals against the blue noses-now that would be good.
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Went to Madejski on Wednesday. Quashie gave everything and was a real presence. Not the result we wanted but a freak goal otherwise we’d have all been more than happy with a point. For the run in, we are going to need some experience and fight and Quashie has been there and done it. Forget the previous clubs baggage (he has never been at any of our rivals long enough to worry about it) and realise that he is committed and can help us get over the finishing line. Up the Wolves.
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He was poor for us. Never really rated him at any club. Sad news about his mom though.
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so now we know why muppet mick has signed n.quashie !
he is the clubs new pr guy to associate with the fans because mcarthy knows we dont like him,he’s already failed getting keogh to win us over now he’s trying a new tactic.”MICK IT WONT WORK YOU ARE NOT LIKED DOWN HERE”
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Hey Celtic Baggie, you can hide over here for a while if you like, I know they don’t like you on your side. By the way is it Celtic or Seltic?
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what you on about seltic its the other glasgow club that has the finacial problems lol.
Also berra is a top class defender if you get him then that is showing real ambition because when i have seen him play for hearts he seems like one of the best central defenders in the spl. And with the rest of hearts rubbish team he has to cope with a lot and holds there team together. His real weakness is probably having the ball at his feet but that doesnt matter really for a center back.
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So Berra is so good? How many of us have actually seen him play (with the exception of Celtic Baggie)… We wont get him cause if he moves he will go to either Sunderland or Fulham…
I hope Mick plays Stearman and Craddock tomorrow… With Jones and Quashie in the center of Midfield… And I would play Keogh and Vokes up top… oh and Ikeme in Goal…
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mm please please we need a centre half now or it’s playoffs at best if we’re lucky,still up the wolves.
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Celtic Baggie said: “His (Berra) real weakness is probably having the ball at his feet but that doesnt matter really for a centre back”.
DOESN’T IT????
Sounds like exactly the same problems Collins has, and that costs us goals! If you’re right, the likes of Mancienne is the way forward. He can play it on the deck comfortably AND set up attacking moves. If Berra’s as limited as that, I wouldn’t want him, thanks!
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Radio WM said that he was too slow against Reading and should have been substituded at half-time.The strikers are not scoring because of poor service and the fact that midfielders are having to defend.Back into the pack and championship next season.
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