"It was a silly move" - Player's transfer from QPR to Cardiff City questioned | OneFootball

FLW's QPR fan pundit has their say on the backfired move of Chris Willock.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Many perceived Chris Willock's move away from Queens Park Rangers in the summer to fellow Championship side, Cardiff City, as a slight sideways move.

Cardiff may have finished six points ahead of QPR in the 2023/24 campaign, but QPR ended the season strongly under Marti Cifuentes and were poised to build on that in 2024/25.

Willock has failed to make a huge impact at the Welsh club, however, who find themselves hovering above the relegation zone. QPR meanwhile, despite a torrid opening to the season, sit comfortably in mid-table and are one of many sides who have outside chances in the play-off race.

Many QPR fans felt Willock could have played a prominent part in their side at the start of the season, but now believe he wouldn't be able to get in ahead of the likes of Ilias Chair and Koki Saito - a belief reflected by FLW's QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir.

Chris Willock may regret turning down new QPR deal

We asked Louis whether he feels Chris Willock regrets turning down a new deal at QPR in favour of a fresh start at Cardiff City.

He said: "I think if I was Chris Willock, I'd be sort of regretting moving to Cardiff. I think everyone knew at the time.

"He was coming back to form with us, he wasn't back to his total best, but he was scoring a couple of goals, he was putting in better performances, and we thought maybe he's recovered from these injuries and he was going to be a real player for us and he could get back to his best, especially with how we had been playing under Marti, maybe he'd sign a new deal and we'd give him another chance.

"But he doesn't sign on with us, he goes to Cardiff for apparently more money, and you look at Cardiff now and they're fighting relegation, and albeit we may have had a shocking start to the season...we're still dreaming of the play-offs, realistically it won't happen, but I bet he's sat there now thinking 'look at what QPR are doing compared this season compared to where I am'.

"He's at an age where he should be playing his best football - he's got a couple of goals but it's not good at all for what he's showed a few years ago at this level."

When asked whether he would take Willock back at QPR, Louis said: "I wouldn't, because you look at the players we've got in attacking positions - he wouldn't be getting in that starting eleven.

"He doesn't get in ahead of Chair, Saito, Yang or Dembele and even Paul Smyth has been good this season, so there's nowhere he'd fit in.

"I think he regrets it, I think it was a silly move, and ultimately he could end up in League One, which is a shame but he's the one that decided not to sign on with us, went for more money and it's not worked out well for him at all."

Cardiff City will be hoping they can get more out of Willock towards the end of the season

A few seasons ago, Chris Willock was regarded as one of the brightest players in the division.

He registered seven goals and 11 assists in the 2021/22 season and began 2022/23 with six goals in his opening nine games.

However, niggling injuries and managerial changes at Loftus Road derailed the 27-year-old slightly, and we've yet to see Willock back to his best since.

Despite playing a key part in QPR's solid end to the 2023/24 season under Marti Cifuentes, Willock decided to move on to pastures new to try and reignite his career, which hasn't gone to plan just yet.

With Cardiff flirting with the idea of relegation, many inside the Cardiff City Stadium will be hoping Willock can add to his two goals and one assist so far this season as they try and avoid the drop down to League One.