Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Warnock refused to talk up his side's promotion chances despite their 4-0 demolition of Barnsley in their Championship opener.An Adel Taarabt-inspired Rangers dominated the Tykes to indicate they could finish among the top six.
But Warnock said: "You can't ask for a better start than that but I won't get carried away."
Warnock, though, lavished praise on Taarabt, who netted the home side's third, branding him "a real talent".
Taarabt, who completed a permanent move from Tottenham this week after playing on loan at the club last term, put in a sublime display.
And Warnock claimed he was determined to get the best from the Moroccan, whose languid style was not always favoured by the 61-year-old's predecessors at Loftus Road, Paul Hart and Mick Harford.
"Twenty years ago I wouldn't have taken Adel Taarabt," the former Sheffield United manager admitted.
"But I've said to my players to look at the good things he does and not the bad. We have to find a way of using that.
"When I came here last season he'd already been bombed out by the two previous managers. But I spent a lot of time with him and have to say I enjoyed working with him.
"I said to him that sometimes I'd drop him, or play him on the wing, and I didn't want him stamping around or throwing his shirt when he was substituted."
Taarabt thinks he should be playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, and I've told him he can get there.
Neil Warnock
Warnock even suggested the 21-year-old could one day ply his trade in La Liga.
"He thinks he should be playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, and I've told him that if he sticks with me he can get there.
"At the moment, they wouldn't touch him with a barge pole."
One of Taarabt's numerous forays into the Barnsley box had sent Rangers on their way to victory.
And when he was taken down in the box by Stephen Foster, Heidar Helguson made no mistake with his 41st minute penalty.
Jason Shackell and Adam Hammill both hit the woodwork for the visitors who also had a handball penalty appeal turned down to the chagrin of Tykes boss Mark Robins.
"At times we did look like we'd get back into it," said Robins. "We hit the post and should have had a penalty when there was a blatant handball by Fitz Hall."
We are playing one-touch football, it's the golden 70s again
qprisr
Taarabt made it three from the spot and defender Hall completed the rout with a late tap-in.
Robins believed the scoreline was not a fair reflection on the 90 minutes, though admitted his side had no answers to Taarabt's guile.
"I think 4-0 is a harsh scoreline, because it wasn't that kind of game," said the former Manchester United player.
"Neil Warnock said to me after the game: 'Don't be too hard on your lads, because Adel Taarabt was the difference. If I hadn't signed him, that wouldn't have happened'.
"We tried to contain Taarabt but he's very clever. It's hard to stop him unless you go man-to-man, and then that would give QPR more space, so it's difficult."
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport