Ex-QPR and USA's Roy Wegerle Remembered and Recalls

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Yet another very warm memory conjured up on the Official Site with their profile and interview with Roy Wegerle.

QPR Official Site - BLAST FROM THE PAST: Roy Wegerle
In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, former R's striker Roy Wegerle comes under the spotlight.
Roy Wegerle (1989-1992)
Roy Wegerle is fondly remembered by Rangers fans for winning the ITV Goal of the Season Award in the 1990/91 campaign.
His crowning moment came in our tough away fixture at Elland Road. Wegerle picked up possession midway inside the Leeds United half before waltzing past four lunging opponents - including a nutmeg on England international David Batty. Then with three more defenders closing him down, the R's marksman lashed home an unstoppable drive from 20-yards.

Wegerle said: "You know, it all happened so quickly. But I've seen the goal on the internet a handful of times so I can remember it now and I am very proud of it.
"I received the ball right out on the touchline. Tackles kept coming in but I ended up beating four players. I took my shot on the edge of the box and it went low past the goalkeeper.
"It was probably the best goal I ever scored and more importantly it helped Rangers to a great 3-2 win over Leeds, after we were 2-0 down early on. And yes, I still have the trophy that I received from 'Saint & Greavsie' on ITV."
South African born Wegerle was part of the QPR squad between 1989 and 1992. He was a tremendously skilful player who wore our famous number 10 shirt with distinction.
"Don Howe signed me from Luton Town and I was QPR's first £1 million man," said Wegerle.
"I had two and a half lovely years at Loftus Road. It was probably the most enjoyable time for me during my career in England. Certainly, I played my best football when I was with Rangers.
"I was always aware of the R's tradition for flair players. After all, it was Rodney Marsh who originally helped me to get to England after my college days in America. Then I heard all the stories about Stan Bowles.
"That was the reason why Rangers signed me. They needed a number 10 who was going to entertain the fans. They felt that I was the one to do it at the time."
Wegerle made 93 appearances for the Hoops and scored 31 goals - but he believes that QPR underachieved during that era.
"We had a great little team in the top flight, although we never finished higher than mid-table. When I look back now, I can't believe that Rangers didn't do better than we actually did. There were some wonderful players on show - David Seaman, Paul Parker, Ray Wilkins, Andy Sinton and Les Ferdinand. So we just fell a little bit short of what we could have accomplished with that squad.
"One of the highlights was an exciting FA Cup run in 1990. I remember setting up Kenny Sansom for a goal when we beat Arsenal in a Fourth Round Replay at Loftus Road.
"After that, we knocked out Blackpool in the next round before taking Liverpool to a Replay in the Quarter-Finals. Peter Beardsley scored the winner for them up at Anfield. But we had a team at the time that maybe should have got to the Cup Final at Wembley.
"I eventually moved on to Blackburn for £1 million in March 1992. Things just didn't work out for me there and I had a spell at Coventry City, before flying back to the USA to play in Major League Soccer."
Due to his American citizenship, Wegerle went on to represent the States in both the 1994 and 1998 World Cups before retiring from football. Now aged 43, he is still involved in the sporting environment.
"I'm living in a little town called Palm Beach Gardens, which is just about an hour north of Miami in Florida - and all I do is play golf! I am a professional golfer and that is what I enjoy doing.
"I can't run around and play soccer anymore because my knees are so bad. I've had 10 knee operations and they have taken their toll. But I still want that competitive spirit of taking part in sport. Golf was something else that I liked and so that is what I do now.
"I qualified for the European PGA Tour a few years back, which is a good standard. I haven't reached that level since then but I am fighting hard to get there. Maybe one day!
"In the meantime, I continue to keep an eye on events at QPR. I always look out for my old Clubs' results and Rangers are probably the ones I check on most. We need to get back to the higher level where we were before.
"I'm just hoping everything works out for our new owners at Loftus Road. It takes major investment to compete with the bigger Clubs these days. So now I feel that the R's have a really good chance of recapturing former glories." QPR