Mackie - It's moments Like That Define You

MOMENTS LIKE THAT DEFINE YOU SAYS JAMIE MACKIE



Jamie Mackie hails his winner against Liverpool
Friday March 23,2012
By Simon Yeend
SULK, or wait for your chance and grab it? It was no contest for Jamie Mackie, who felt he should have been in QPR’s starting XI against Liverpool but had to sit and watch for an hour as his team were outplayed.


Mackie was called on by manager Mark Hughes for misfiring captain Joey Barton and changed the game, and possibly QPR’s season, when he scored the injury-time winner that completed a comeback from 2-0 down and lifted his side out of the relegation zone.

He is hoping that will earn him a starting spot at Sunderland tomorrow but is taking nothing for granted. “If I was the manager, I’d start me,” he said.

“I would like to think I will start and if I do I will give 100 per cent to affect the game positively. If not, I will hope to come on and give the same response again.

“I feel my performances have been good enough to play in the side. But I’ve never been one to sulk and I will prove people wrong, whether that is within our club or within this league. I just want to show people I belong at this level. I told the gaffer I was going to score the winner.


Worst I’ve ever played in my career. But we WON... and that’s the most important thing
Jamie Mackie


“At 2-0 a lot of people thought we were dead and buried. As soon as we got one goal, I really believed. They looked tired. At 2-2, the instructions were to be solid as a point would have been brilliant. But that chance fell for me and I had to go for it. You’ve just got to keep your head. Luckily, I did.”

This was only Hughes’s second league victory as Rangers boss, but Mackie insists it gives the whole squad the confidence that they can save their season.

QPR still have to play six of the top eight, but Mackie said: “We’ve also got games we believe are winnable on paper. Against a team like Liverpool, packed with quality, to come back from 2-0 down, it’s got to give everyone belief.


“It doesn’t matter how good you are as a player, confidence can take you a long way. With the talent we’ve got and with that confidence we have a great chance of picking up results now.

“We did the same last season against Derby with 10 minutes to go. I got the equaliser and it felt like a pivotal day. Moments like that can define you, and this could be one of those.”

Shaun Derry, another of last season’s promotion team, was also a hero against Liverpool on Wednesday, scoring his first goal for QPR to start the comeback. He said: “I’d resigned myself to never scoring another competitive goal again, so to score against such a big side like Liverpool is something to behold.

“It’s one of the most extraordinary wins of my career. To see the smiles on the supporters’ faces at full-time was a joy.”

Barton, meanwhile, was booed off and admitted he has never played so poorly – but was still angry at the reception he got.

Yesterday, in his customary style, Barton took to Twitter and quoted lines from Kipling’s famous poem ‘If’ as he promised to bounce back.

He said: “Worst I’ve ever played in my career. But we WON... and that’s the most important thing.

“Disappointed with fans booing, we are meant to be in it together. They won’t break me, guaranteed. I’ve been through much worse. Form is temporary, class is permanent. #goodnight”

Mackie insisted Barton will bounce back, and added: “You don’t like to see supporters booing but Joey is an immensely strong character. He is our captain, our leader. He never hides, whether he is having a good or bad game. He has probably got a bigger part to play than anybody. Joey can handle any amount of pressure that is chucked his way.”




Good article that epitomises Mackie to a T. Every team needs a Mackie.