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Taarabt accepts captaincy call

Image: Taarabt: Has responded positively to the arrival of Barton

QPR assistant manager Mick Jones claims Adel Taarabt has accepted the decision to hand the captain's armband to Joey Barton.

Former skipper prepared to get behind Barton

Queens Park Rangers assistant manager Mick Jones claims Adel Taarabt has accepted the decision to hand the captain's armband to Joey Barton. The mercurial Morocco international led Rangers to the Championship title last season, but has been forced to step down this term following the arrival of Barton. Fears had been raised as to how Taarabt would respond to such a call, with his temperamental character a concern to followers of the Loftus Road outfit. Jones, though, insists that there has been no sulking from the 22-year-old, with Barton having made it clear what he expects from those around him.

Fantastic

"The manager Neil Warnock met with Adel privately to explain it to him first," said Jones. "Neil told me Adel accepted Joey had to be the captain. And what's happened to Adel is that he has looked around the training ground and seen how people like Joey train. "And I have heard Joey at training sessions say to Adel, 'If you want to sulk do it while you're running back. Don't do it walking. And if I ask you to do something, do it'. "Adel's reaction has been fantastic. Not many people could get that sort of reaction."

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