Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Money was key for McQuoid
JOSH McQuoid has defended his decision to leave Cherries, insisting the lure of the Championship and money were his main motivating factors.[LNB] McQuoid yesterday put the finishing touches to a loan move to Millwall, with the deal to be made permanent when the transfer window reopens in January.[LNB] The 20-year-old is understood to have netted a near 600 per cent increase in wages, with Cherries set to receive a fee of around £550,000 in four instalments.[LNB] He was snapped up by Lions boss Kenny Jackett following an explosive 14-week period that saw him propelled from the Cherries subs' bench to the Championship.[LNB] The emerging striker, who also won his first full cap for Northern Ireland earlier this month, plundered 12 goals in just 16 starts after winning his place following the sale of Brett Pitman in August.[LNB] McQuoid, who will today be hoping to make his debut for Millwall at Preston, confirmed Cherries had tried to persuade him to stay but admitted he may have regretted it had he done so.[LNB] The Pennington-raised prospect, who had seven months left on his Cherries contract, told the Daily Echo: Bournemouth came back with a couple of better offers and Eddie (Howe) told me that he wanted me to stay and that I was part of his plans.[LNB] I said to him that you don't get many chances to further your career in football and that was why I felt like the move was right. It is a short career and I want to play at the highest possible level. Eddie always told us to want to achieve more and to go higher. That's one of the main reasons I decided to go.[LNB] Money was also a part of it, I'm not going to lie about that. Millwall offered me a good deal, which I felt was right for me, and I felt the time was right to go. When the opportunity comes, you can't turn it down.[LNB] McQuoid added: It is a big step to the Championship. But I'm confident in my own ability that I can make a difference. I've got nothing to fear. I've just got to show what I'm about.[LNB] McQuoid was keen to thank publicly Howe, Jason Tindall and Cherries youth team boss Joe Roach for their respective roles in his development, together with his father, Brian.[LNB] They have all been big influences and I wouldn't be in the position I'm in now without them, he said. Eddie and Jason have worked hard with me and kept giving me chances, which I appreciate. I took the latest one and thank them a lot for that.[LNB] There were times when I could easily have dropped out, but Joe always stuck with me.[LNB]
