Although he was a huge Loftus Road failure, QPR had anticipated that the Blackburn Rovers transfer would offer expertise.
After his contract at Ewood Park expired, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Blackburn Rovers defender signed a six-month contract at Loftus Road. His purchase was viewed at the time as a wise choice because he was an accomplished professional with depth, adaptability, and a winning mindset.
But the transfer did not go as expected. Chimbonda never started a competitive game for QPR and only made three appearances, all as a substitute.
The Frenchman’s stint in west London came to an abrupt and unceremoniously end when manager Neil Warnock announced in April 2011 that he would not be playing again.
Chimbonda joined QPR after making 30 appearances and scoring once for Blackburn in the 2009–10 Premier League season, most memorably in a 3-2 East Lancs Derby victory over Burnley.
He wasn’t always the starting option, but he was regarded as a dependable and seasoned full-back.
However, his tenure with QPR under Warnock was unsuccessful. Chimbonda made his debut as a substitute against Nottingham Forest despite arriving on a drastically reduced salary—reportedly a 75% pay cut—but was unable to establish himself in the starting lineup.
After losing 4-1 on the road to Scunthorpe in his third and last game, he completely lost favor.
In April 2011, Warnock stated, “I didn’t think there was any point in not telling him early, so he could get fixed up.” “He’s not been training with us, although he’d be quite welcome to.”
Following his release at the end of the season, Chimbonda was left clubless for the summer of 2011.
Chimbonda expressed his dissatisfaction with his stay in West London in an interview with France Football later that year.
The seasoned full-back cited a breakdown in his connection with the boss as a major contributing reason and called the stint the lowest moment of his professional career.
“The previous season at QPR? He remarked, “It was the worst of my entire career.” “My relationship with the coach wasn’t good. Even if you are performing well, there is little you can do if the coach doesn’t like you. Ultimately, he [Warnock] was unable to even meet my gaze.”
Despite interest from other clubs, Chimbonda was left without a contract after leaving. He had discussions with MLS team Montreal and declined a left-back position at Panathinaikos, but was eventually disappointed by the lack of firm offers.
| Pascal Chimbonda’s professional career in England | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Club | Appearances | Goals |
| 2005-06 | Wigan Athletic | 38 | 2 |
| 2006-08 | Tottenham Hotspur | 65 | 3 |
| 2008-09 | Sunderland | 13 | 0 |
| 2009 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 0 |
| 2009-11 | Blackburn Rovers | 30 | 1 |
| 2011 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | 0 |
| 2011-12 | Doncaster Rovers | 16 | 0 |
| 2013-14 | Carlisle United | 26 | 0 |
In September 2011, he ultimately agreed to a short-term contract with Doncaster Rovers. Due to injury, he only made a few appearances before extending his stay in South Yorkshire until the end of the 2011–12 campaign. Chimbonda claimed that he was at last starting to appreciate football there.
“I want to repay the club for giving me another chance to perform my duties. Here, I am content.
Even if his time at QPR is still a stain on an otherwise honorable career, Chimbonda’s transfer to Doncaster gave him stability again and the opportunity to start over after what he categorically called his most trying time as a professional.
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