Warnock regrets failing to sign Graham

QPR manager Neil Warnock has revealed his regret at failing to sign Danny Graham from Watford before the striker made the switch to Swansea.

The west London outfit had a bid accept for the 26-year-old in the summer, with Graham even meeting Warnock at his family home, but the ex-Middlesbrough man chose to complete a 3.5-million-pound move to the Liberty Stadium instead.

The striker has netted five times in 13 games so far this season, with Warnock admitting he is impressed by the player’s form ahead of the two side’s meeting on Tuesday.

“It would have been nice for him to be with us. I had him in my house and thought that a deal was all done and dusted,” Warnock said.

“He is a nice lad but that happened on four or five occasions in the summer. Doing a lot of work, spending a lot of weeks chasing players to finally get them to agree and then not to be able to sign them, which was a massive blow to me.”

“It meant it was a waste of time for eight or nine weeks when we really should have done some of the business. Because of that we had to change targets, looking for different types of players and it was never going to be the same.”

“It really has been a bit of a mixed bag and I think both Swansea and Norwich benefited from getting on with their business and planning it all, while our only objective now is staying up.”

“We have to be positive. Yes, we need certain help in the squad to push us on but I think we’re quite capable of doing that and finishing strongly.”

Graham, though, is quite happy with the decision he made to join Brendan Rodgers’ team.

“I went to speak to QPR and I was tempted by them. They are obviously a club on the up and have a lot of money to back that up,” he said.

“But in terms of football, I thought Swansea was better suited for me.”

“I’m a centre-forward and can be a target man but I like to play football as well.”

“Swansea pass and move and have fast wingers so I thought it was better for my development as a player.”

“The style of football was the main factor for me coming here.”