Post by QPR Report on Jan 15, 2010 7:08:58 GMT
This is Local London
Doherty walks out on Wanderers
Friday 15th January 2010
By Dave Peters »
FORMER Northern Ireland international Tommy Doherty has walked out on the Blues halfway through their relegation fight.
The 30-year-old says he can’t play for the club any longer because he can’t forgive and forget a row he had with manager Gary Waddock when they were both together at QPR.
He said goodbye to the club’s office staff yesterday and Blues confirmed he has played his last game for the club and that he is now a free agent after agreeing a severance package.
He asked to be released from his contract, which still had 18 months left to run, and Blues reluctantly terminated it, waiving their right to any transfer fee.
His shock exit is the third hammer blow in a week for Wanderers as they battle to avoid an instant return to League Two.
They thought they had signed striker Alex Revell from Southend United only to be told by the Football League that they can’t because he has already represented two clubs this season.
And they are resigned to losing on-loan midfielder Scott Davies after tomorrow’s match against third-placed Charlton as well when his loan expires.
It is a horrible triple whammy on a week when it had looked as though the club’s fortunes were on the up after Saturday’s hugely encouraging 1-1 draw at leaders Leeds United when Doherty and Davies both starred.
But now the heart of the club’s midfield has been ripped out despite the efforts of owner Steve Hayes and Waddock to persuade the Doc to stay.
Hayes said: “We are really disappointed that Tom has made this decision. He’s told us that he doesn’t want to play for Gary because of a dispute they had when they were together at Queens Park Rangers a few years ago.
“Tom wasn’t happy when we appointed Gary in October and told us so at the time. Gary was prepared to forget any history between them and he and I sat down with Tom on a number of occasions to try and heal the rift between them. However, Tom now says that he’s made up his mind he wants to leave.”
Waddock said: “I’m really sorry to be losing Tom. He’s a quality footballer and I have the greatest respect for him.
“I picked him in the team whenever he was fit and available and I regarded him as a very valuable member of the squad.
“However, he still blames me for the way things worked out at QPR when I was manager there even though I’ve explained to him that it was the club’s decision to let him go, not mine.
“He’s made up his mind that he doesn’t want to play for me any more so it’s best for all concerned that we part company.”
Doherty said: “I have no problem with the club, my team mates or the Wycombe fans, but my heart just isn’t in it any more. No other club is involved at this stage, but I obviously want to carry on playing for as long as I can.”
Hayes says Wanderers informed other clubs some weeks ago that he could be available after admitting they were fighting a losing battle trying to persuade him to stay.
But Hayes says they didn’t receive a single offer for him and that when Doherty repeated his plea to go they agreed to get him off the wage bill.
Hayes said: “He didn’t want to play for us and he’s too good a player and a person to let him rot in the reserves.
“We tried to persuade him to stay until the summer and told him to work his socks off to earn a move but he didn’t want that and we’ve done a deal that we’re pleased with.”
www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/sport/4852510.Doherty_walks_out_on_Wanderers/
Doherty walks out on Wanderers
Friday 15th January 2010
By Dave Peters »
FORMER Northern Ireland international Tommy Doherty has walked out on the Blues halfway through their relegation fight.
The 30-year-old says he can’t play for the club any longer because he can’t forgive and forget a row he had with manager Gary Waddock when they were both together at QPR.
He said goodbye to the club’s office staff yesterday and Blues confirmed he has played his last game for the club and that he is now a free agent after agreeing a severance package.
He asked to be released from his contract, which still had 18 months left to run, and Blues reluctantly terminated it, waiving their right to any transfer fee.
His shock exit is the third hammer blow in a week for Wanderers as they battle to avoid an instant return to League Two.
They thought they had signed striker Alex Revell from Southend United only to be told by the Football League that they can’t because he has already represented two clubs this season.
And they are resigned to losing on-loan midfielder Scott Davies after tomorrow’s match against third-placed Charlton as well when his loan expires.
It is a horrible triple whammy on a week when it had looked as though the club’s fortunes were on the up after Saturday’s hugely encouraging 1-1 draw at leaders Leeds United when Doherty and Davies both starred.
But now the heart of the club’s midfield has been ripped out despite the efforts of owner Steve Hayes and Waddock to persuade the Doc to stay.
Hayes said: “We are really disappointed that Tom has made this decision. He’s told us that he doesn’t want to play for Gary because of a dispute they had when they were together at Queens Park Rangers a few years ago.
“Tom wasn’t happy when we appointed Gary in October and told us so at the time. Gary was prepared to forget any history between them and he and I sat down with Tom on a number of occasions to try and heal the rift between them. However, Tom now says that he’s made up his mind he wants to leave.”
Waddock said: “I’m really sorry to be losing Tom. He’s a quality footballer and I have the greatest respect for him.
“I picked him in the team whenever he was fit and available and I regarded him as a very valuable member of the squad.
“However, he still blames me for the way things worked out at QPR when I was manager there even though I’ve explained to him that it was the club’s decision to let him go, not mine.
“He’s made up his mind that he doesn’t want to play for me any more so it’s best for all concerned that we part company.”
Doherty said: “I have no problem with the club, my team mates or the Wycombe fans, but my heart just isn’t in it any more. No other club is involved at this stage, but I obviously want to carry on playing for as long as I can.”
Hayes says Wanderers informed other clubs some weeks ago that he could be available after admitting they were fighting a losing battle trying to persuade him to stay.
But Hayes says they didn’t receive a single offer for him and that when Doherty repeated his plea to go they agreed to get him off the wage bill.
Hayes said: “He didn’t want to play for us and he’s too good a player and a person to let him rot in the reserves.
“We tried to persuade him to stay until the summer and told him to work his socks off to earn a move but he didn’t want that and we’ve done a deal that we’re pleased with.”
www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/sport/4852510.Doherty_walks_out_on_Wanderers/
