Quincy content in Russia

Quincy Owusu Abeyie says has no regrets over swapping Arsenal for Spartak Moscow at the turn of the year.

The Dutch forward raised more than a few eyebrows when turning his back on the relative comforts of London for a bitter winter in the Russian capital.

Owusu Abeyie has admitted that adjusting to life in Moscow was a shock to the system, but he claims he does not look back on the decision with any regrets.

"I respect everyone's opinion," he told the Sunday Mirror. "But I had to make a decision last January.

"It was very close to the deadline of the transfer window when Arsene Wenger told me there was a big club wanting to sign me. When I asked him which club, he said, 'They play in Russia'.

"My answer was, 'No way!' I thought, I am not going to move to Russia. But when my agent sat down with me and discussed the whole thing, I started to look at it differently. And I had to take some kind of decision."

"I was playing in the reserves at Barnet, then the manager bought Adebayor. I just couldn't cope with it any more. I was fed up.

"Spartak Moscow were the only club who really made it clear they were desperate to sign me. They told me I was going to be their star player.

"I could have waited, yes. But if people shake their heads about my decision to move to Russia, I can understand them.

"Even my best friends thought it was a very strange move. They fired loads of questions at me. I couldn't blame them. If it had been the other way round, I would have thought it was a daft move too.

"It was a massive gamble. But I wanted to take a chance. It was my decision."