Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Warburton has hailed summer-signing Lee Wallace, saying his experience is ‘vital’ to the club.
The summer saw 14 new faces arrive at QPR and one of those was Lee Wallace. The Scot made over 250 appearances for Rangers, and Warburton was keen to bring him to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium on a free in the summer.
Speaking to the QPR official club website, Warburton spoke highly about the former Rangers man:
“I know all about Lee Wallace,” explained Warburton, who’d worked with Wallace at Rangers in the past. “He was my captain and I saw what an outstanding job he did up in Scotland and the esteem in which he was held by Glasgow Rangers supporters and his teammates as well.
“Lee came to me [a few weeks ago] and said that he was very embarrassed that he hadn’t been fit to play, which is ridiculous, but that is how he felt. I hope that we can all see the best of him now.”
Wallace, 32, made his debut for QPR in their 2-0 defeat to Leeds United earlier this month.
He started in the absence of Yoann Barbet and despite the loss, helped QPR to what was one of their better defensive performances and put in a goal-saving tackle on Patrick Bamford in the first-half.
“He’s been patient and his chance came at a very tough venue, in Elland Road, against a very good team but I thought he stepped up to the plate and showed his quality on and off the ball and with his communication skills,” said Warburton. “It was a great performance for someone who has been out for so long.”
Since Wallace’s arrival in the summer he’s been helping with Ryan Manning - the midfielder adopted a new left-back position in pre-season and hasn’t looked back since.
Warburton said that Wallace has been a great help to Manning, who’s kept the former Scotland international out of the team for much of the season so far:
“Him helping Ryan Manning is no surprise to me,” Warburton insisted. “I’m sure he’ll be keen to help all of our young players. He has played in some massive games; Old Firm matches and against England at Wembley for Scotland where he gave a tremendous display.
“He is a seasoned international, a very experienced player and the type of character to pass on his knowledge and experience. That is vital for us.”
Wallace is one of the older players in what’s proving to be a very youthful set-up at QPR with Warburton at the helm.
He played the full ninety against Middlesbrough last time out and after making consecutive starts for QPR, Wallace looks set to be a first-team regular for the remainder of the season.
The verdict
The 32-year-old showed his quality against Leeds a couple of weeks ago and straight away, fans saw his defensive capabilities and knew he’d become a starter for Warburton at QPR.
His experiences in the games give QPR an advantage on and off the pitch and with so many youngsters at the club, players like Wallace are vital in aiding their development and passing on useful knowledge.
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