moves and deals falling through, but few compare to Osaze
Odemwingie’s attempted Deadline Day switch in 2013.
In what has become arguably the most famous transfer deal
never to be completed, the-then West Brom forward famously
drove the 120 miles from Birmingham to London in an attempt
to speed up a late move to Queens Park Rangers.
The striker was seen signing autographs outside of Loftus Road
and was also interviewed by Sky Sports News, telling reporters
from his car that he was ready for “a new chapter”.
But the move couldn’t be completed before the 11pm transfer
deadline, with then QPR manager Harry Redknapp claiming
“wires got crossed”, leaving Odemwingie having to make the
trip back to re-join the West Brom team-mates he’d already said
goodbye to.
Reflecting on that evening three years on, Odemwingie told Sky
Sports, “I didn’t even know what to think; I was laughing and
almost crying at the same time! I believed it was done, I had
nothing to hide.
“When the cameras came, I didn’t feel awkward to say ‘yes, this
is where we are’. Unless you see it on paper nothing is done, so
that’s why I said it’s a 90 per cent done deal.
“They (West Brom players) were confused a bit and they knew I
believed the deal was done. But then it was tough of course
with the fans.
“(After the move collapsed) I said I’m going to play a song from
Akon, Lonely, and drive home. I wish it all didn’t happen, but
that’s life.”
Odemwingie didn’t start another game for West Brom and was
disciplined by the club for acting “wholly unprofessionally”,
making just seven further substitute appearances before making
a Deadline Day switch to Cardiff City in September.
Odemwingie was on the move again four months later, heading
to the Britannia Stadium as part of a swap deal for Kenwyne
Jones, where the Stoke players continue to remind him about
the Deadline Day he’d love to forget.
“Sometimes we still laugh about it,” the 34-year-old added.
“Anytime something reminds us of that or a player puts in a
transfer request, the boys will say the players’ first name and
then call them Odemwingie!”
“Let’s say if Glenn Whelan was moving, they’d call him Glenn
Odemwingie! They’ll just have fun with it.
“I recently went to London for the Boxing and there were 10
Leicester fans who we shouting ‘hi Peter’ and we had a good
chat, but at the end said ‘what were you thinking when you
drove to QPR’?!
“I was sitting there wondering do people really think I drove
there and just said ‘please sign me’?! Anyway, it makes people
laugh!”
