I thought he may been given a chance under the new system because I remember him having good pressing numbers.
All the best for your future in Italy. An exciting signing at the time but despite a few high spots, a transfer that never really bore the fruit we all hoped. On a side issue, spotting young domestic talent does seem a weak spot for our recruitment team, compared to how well we’ve done in the South American market. Quina sadly joins the likes of Sinclair, Ngakia, TDB (although injuries have played a big part there), Baah, Malude, Wilmot etc who all arrived with promise but never really made it/ have so far made it with us.
I remember after our relegation, some saying he would be the foundation of a successful team full of young talented players. Thank goodness we never had to rely in him as a regular. Having talent and something but not consistently delivering makes you a poor professional. He may flourish at some point, but I doubt it will be at a UK club.
How talented is he though? Has a good shot on him, which allowed him to make a bit of a name for himself when he had his hand held by two of the best midfielders we've had in a long long time, but any time we've had to rely on him for anything more than cameo roles, he's looked too lightweight to be a real force
While he couldn't get into a Championship team he was sent to Granada, who were doing very well at the time, which did seem like an odd one (didn't do much but did score two bangers, not unlike his time here!), and then was sent to a team which was by far the worst team in the league, a loan to a lower mid table team in a different country might be more suitable to him
Talented enough to get a professional contract at a Premier League club. But I agree he has had zero impact in any season with us.
Happened to watch highlights of our 3-2 home win vs Cardiff in the prem this evening while culling some old stuff on my sky box. Sublime goals from Deulofeu, Pereyra and Quina. Commentator stating that Quina was “a steal at £1m from WHU” and had “a huge career ahead of him”. Played really well in the highlights of that game …
Tbf, he showed promise as a kid in his first season here, then in his second season we weren't in a position to be giving him minutes, but even so he had off-field issues (where proper leadership could have helped him). It was his third season which was perhaps his chance in a lower division, but any time he played, he looked lightweight. A loan to a Granada team who were flying when Xisco came in was strange, he did exactly what he did here (two screamers, but little else), but even then, 3 years after we initially signed him, he was playing in the Championship, barely featuring for Fulham and not exactly pulling up trees at a Barnsley team who went down with a whimper. His attitude, both here and at other clubs, has been called into question, but regardless, I'm not sure he has the physicality to succeed in England (mind you, he's not exactly succeeded in Spain or Italy either)