"So hopefully we can achieve that and I’ll be back at the Emirates sooner than I thought — playing for QPR next year. I learnt so much there and have nothing but praise for the club. I could have stayed and been patient but I’m at the age where I want to push on."
- Matthew Connolly, in a piece in The Sun
I don't follow Matty's progress as closely as I probably should. My nom de guerre IS Connolly's agent, after all, and you'd expect a certain affection on my part for the lad. But I only chose the name as a spur-of-the-moment thing, in order to defend Matty's move to QPR from a pack of vociferous gooners. However, the name kind of stuck, and now whenever I see his name in the papers, I can't help but feel a paternal pride in his accomplishments.
It was sad to see him leave the Arsenal, but I understood. He had lot of people in front of him, with Djourou and Senderos earmarked for the centre-half positions in the long term. And he was at the age when he really needed playing time to build up his experience and confidence. So a move to QPR was both courageous and necessary.
Still, it would've been nice if he'd stayed and tested his strength. He was the under-age Arsenal captain, an England U21, and a promising prospect to boot. He was English, which meant a lot more in the days before the emergence of Theo and Jacks. It would've been nice to see him prove himself in the first team, but it wasn't to be.
From the article, he's made the right choice and done well for himself. He's got a starting position at QPR, and with a good run, they might even make the Premiership. He's got a few nice things to say about the Arse, which is always a sign of a nice boy. Good on him. I sincerely hope QPR get up, and next year, Matty will have his day in the sun at Emirates.
Play well, Matty.
