‘Forget Rooney, Torres or Lampard – I was top dog that year. No one could live with me back in 2011, I had the Premier League on a string mate. I was on fire. They all wanted me…Real Madrid, Barcelona. But there was something about QPR that just felt right to me. Alas, it wasn’t to be.”
Peter Odemwingie is always the first name that springs to mind on transfer deadline day and PP News caught up with the ultimate Barclaysman to see where his career ended up after retirement.
The former striker will forever remembered for throwing a strop and driving to Loftus Road to try and force through a last minute move from West Brom to QPR in January 2013 only to be literally blocked at the stadium gates.
Despite becoming a figure of fun, Odemwingie turned a negative into a positive in his post-playing career as the former Nigeria international spotted a gap in the market and opened up a thriving business.
“As I sat in the QPR car park that night, a thought struck me as my KFC order turned cold – I really didn’t want to drive home. It had been a long day, my dream of being a QPR legend was over and the car park attendant had told me to leave repeatedly.
“No one thinks about the amount of driving players do on deadline day, it’s exhausting!
“Then it hit me – if only I could get a taxi home instead.
“It was too late that night, but I swore that no Premier League player would have to drive themselves around on deadline day ever again.”
Odemwingie stayed true to his word, and after hanging up his boots he started up Odemwingie’s Automobiles for his VIP customers.
“We’ve got clubs on the books as well as players. Spurs always leave their business to the last minute, so I often mill around their training ground until the 11th hour as the board thrash a deal to knock £10 off the price of a defender they’ve needed all month.
“The full package includes me at the wheel, tipping off a Sky Sports News reporter who is shivering in the cold at the training ground, and as many trips to as many clubs as needed until someone eventually signs you – plus a 20% discount if you hand out some business cards at your new club.
“I even offer some advice over how to negotiate a new contract, they always appreciate that.
“I’ve had all the big names in the back of the car – I once drove Kevin De Bruyne to talks at Stockport County, you won’t see that in the papers though.”
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