QPR playmaker Adel Taarabt admits the only way he'll miss the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations is if he is not called up by Morocco.
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The 23-year-old former Lens and Tottenham midfielder had previously been undecided over whether or not to leave his struggling Premier League side in January to compete in the competition.
But with just weeks until South Africa kick off against Cape Verde in the opening match, and Taarabt has revealed he wouldn't miss it for the world, even after Hoops manager Harry Redknapp asked him to stay and help the side in their relegation battle.
It is by no means certain that Taarabt will be selected by national team coach Rachid Taoussi, who took over from Eric Gerets in the summer.
But Taarabt told Lequipe: "I will do everything I can to prove to him that I deserve to be there.
"He (Redknapp) came to see me to ask me not to go but I told him, 'If they call me, I can't refuse, boss. I love my country, I love the Moroccan people and football means a lot to them'.
"I warned him that the only solution was that the coach doesn't call me up."
Taarabt added: "The coach isn't obliged to take me. I hope to be at the African Nations Cup but even if I'm not there, and that would be painful, I will be the biggest Morocco supporter."
The Lions of the Atlas have been paired with hosts South Africa as well as Angola and Cape Verde in Group A.
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