Jose Enrique – Happy at Newcastle, happy at another club.

Posted on May 3rd, 2011 | 21 Comments |

Enrique: "We see in the summer."
Enrique: "We see in the summer."
Speaking in his latest interview, this time for the North East and Cumbrian version of the BBC’s ‘Late Kick Off’, Newcastle United left back, Jose Enrique revealed much about his time with the Magpies.

Amongst other things, he spoke of his difficult first year on Tyneside, the Geordie fans, relegation to the Championship and promotion at the first attempt. In what will probably be of most interest to we fans, he concluded by giving a tantilising glimpse on his thinking about whether he will stay at the club, or move on in the summer. Below is the full transcript of the interview.

“Was it a big decision to leave your own country?”

Jose Enrique: “For the first year it’s really hard because you don’t know the language. I no have the Spanish players here before, and of couse it’s very hard. But after that I’m very happy here and I don’t care if I had to play all my career in England”

“Am I right in thinking that you missed your dog originally when you came here, am I right? Tell us about that.”

Jose Enrique: “Yes, of course. I have my dog I have to do alot papers you know to bring him here because here they are very strict, you say? Very strict with my cat and my dog and I have to miss them.

“The first year I think is the worst year for me because of course I don’t know the language and I miss my pets, but now they are here with me and it’s so nice for me.”

“Describe your relationship with the famous fans of St James’s Park, the famous Geordie fans. What do you think of them?”

Jose Enrique: “Pfff I can’t explain. You have to see one match, I don’t have to tell you which match because every match is the same for them, it’s amazing. Last year we play in Championsheep and it’s 45,000, 50,000 all the games and I can’t explain.

“In Spain it’s so, so different that here they love football, it’s so different. It’s alot more nice to play here than to play in the stadiums in Spain.

Here the fans they love football more than wife sometimes!”

“Do they inspire you?”

Jose Enrique: “Yes of course when they say ‘Jose! Jose! Jose!’ of course I hear that. But if I’m honest, when I start the match I forgot against how many people I play and try concentrate on my match. I know some players they like, they need more but me, in my opinion, no.”

“You gave them a goal against Nottingham Forest. Tell us about the celebration, what did you feel like? Were you celebrating for you? For the fans? Explain the moment”.

Jose Enrique: “I think the best moment here for me is when we come back to the Premier League of course. Of course when I scored this goal I’m so, so happy because of course for me because I score me a first goal for me in Newcastle, but I score for the team because we are in Premier League again and I think we miss Premier League last year”

“Just try and give us a taste of what the spirit’s like”.

Jose Enrique: “I think this team is more fight team. I think it’s hard for the players like me, like Colo, like Jonas, like Joey, like Nobby. We have good players of course now but we play with big names before and of course alot change now.

“It’s not the same as before, everyone think when they come to St James’s Park it’s different, we have Viduka, we have good team. I think to play for Europe before, and now is different team, is players like some players playing in the Championship before and they fight, they want to play in the Premier League and they’re doing very well, like Willo, like Perchy when they play I think they try, its different team.

“Of course I think we’re doing well, with Oba Martins,  Michael Owen, with these players were relegated, and with this team I think this year we keep the division.”

Finally getting on to the speculation regarding his future at Newcastle United, Enrique continued in an uncommital way, saying:

“Now this next season is my last season here and I’m just concentrating on playing my games with Newcastle. We have to wait until the summer, we see in the summer and maybe next summer we don’t know.

“Of course we don’t speak about the contract yet. I don’t want to speak about more about that, I’m happy with that and I’m very happy here. I know there are a few difficult things at Newcastle, but we the players don’t have to think about that.

“If I have to continue here , I’m happy. If I have to go to another club, I’m happy in England. If I have to go to another league, I’m happy. I just want to play football – it’s my life, football is the best for me in my life, it’s helped me alot in everything I have.

“For football I have all my family in a good position now, and of course I want to play football and I don’t care where I have to go”.

No doubt the speculation will continue throughout the close season on whether Enrique will be a Newcastle United player next year.

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1091 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:

  • No Related Posts


21 Responses

  1. “Now this next season is my last season here and I’m just concentrating on playing my games with Newcastle”

    That does not sound very promising…

  2. He’s a gonner, jeez it’s like someone has turned a light off in his head and he’s stopped playing well to preserve himself for his big salary increase.

    Tiote too.

  3. Lets keep players who want to stay, he could easily commit now but it’s obvious his head/wallet has been turned. As many have said before if the money is wisely re-invested it wont be so bad.

    Anyway I think we are sometimes blind to some of his defensive frailties but no-one can blame his effort and enthusuasm.

  4. I honestly think his words are being taken out of context. Reading between the lines doesn’t work here – this is his second language, he will make grammatical errors.

    All the lad wants to do is play football. Players and manager alike has said that contract negotiations will start at the end of the season and/or when we’re mathematically safe.

  5. @Phisix: Because his contract runs out next season and that’s what he’s referring to. Please remember the Spanish newspaper ordeal not so long ago where his words were taken out of context.

  6. Thump says:
    May 3, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    “I honestly think his words are being taken out of context.

    …Please remember the Spanish newspaper ordeal not so long ago ”

    That’s why I go to the trouble of typing up full transcripts of interviews from videos, Thump, and use my ever diminshing language skills to look at original interviews conducted in Spanish and French.

    People will still read what they want into things though!

  7. It’s no good trying to figure out what’s going on in Jose’s mind, it’s Mike Ashley’s mind and wallet that matter. If he’s given what he feels he is worth, and what other clubs are wiling to pay when Mike Ashley is not, then he’s gone.

  8. One thing has been clear to me since the January window.Positive comments from all the senior players have been in short supply compared to previously.i dont think any of them have faith in the current regime and the future direction of the club.They coped with the bombshell of CH’s sacking and then were rocked again by the AC sale.The famous spirit is just about going to see us scrape home this season but it looks to me like the well is empty – why would any of them want to committ?

  9. I wouldn’t want to play for a Partridge either.
    I reckon MA will get megabucks for Tiote as well once someone buys out his new contract,think most of our bigger names will be off I think they are just going through the motions week in week out before flying the Partridge’s nest.

    :lol:

  10. take your black and white head away for a moment and the fact we all would love to play for the toon!

    would you stay at newcastle if you were in his shoes? i belive he wants to progress and is very happy at the club and the area but would you want to hang around when ashley is going to sell anyone he can get a decent price for? it has to have a knock on effect for the players still here?

    i think he would love to sign a new contract and see the club build on this season but i wont blame him if he wants to leave as there is far to much uncertainty at the club

    also barton come out and said he wanted to end his career at sjp and the club didnt move on that which also tells its own story!

    im worried we are going to loose more than enrique with all the core players probably scratching there heads waiting to see if the club will invest and show ambition or have a big summer firesale!

    they only player for sure who wont move regardless of what happens is fu*king ameobi!

  11. Let’s just hope Partridge can fill the gaps I am sure he will have loads of contacts at his old clubs and pick up loads of Bargains in the summer and we can rename his new team Partridges’s Plumbs.
    Can you see MA getting rid of him?

  12. He’s basically saying if we sign good players he would sign a new deal now. If not he will probably leave if the club accept it or run out his contract until the following summer. He just wants to play football and understandably with good players.

  13. yeah i don’t think people should read too much into Jose’s interview, i think he’s a genuine guy and will stay if the terms are right, i.e we buy some better players and MA shows some ambition with NUFC

  14. SADLY I THINK JOSE SAYS IT ALL BY SAYING
    “Now this next season is my last season
    THEN IF THAT WASN’T BAD ENOUGH
    “If I have to continue here , I’m happy.
    AND THEN HE SHOWS THAT MAYBE HIS PASSION FOR PLAYING IS MORE THAN NUFC
    If I have to go to another club, I’m happy in England. If I have to go to another league, I’m happy. I just want to play football – it’s my life, football is the best for me in my life, it’s helped me alot in everything I have.

    HE DOESNT TALK ABOUT HOW HE’D LOVE TO PLAY FOR NUFC FOR YEARS, ITS AS IF SADLY HE WANTS TO MOVE ON, BUT WE SHOULD APPRECIATE WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US.

    BUT

  15. What a miserable lot with all these negative and doom laden comments.

    Players want to play football, win trophies and get paid well. They don’t care who the owner is and they also accept the fact that clubs change their managers (ManU being the exception).

    Real Madrid are in constant change from the top to the bottom but hasn’t stopped players wanting to join.

    Jose is no different to many of us who have changed jobs, moved to different parts of the country or left the country to better ourselves and family.

    If he leaves it’s because he is ambitious. He took a big gamble to leave his home country and play for an unfashionable club with a record of failure. He has done well at Newcastle and has put himself in the shop window with his consitently good performances. So we shouldn’t be surprised if a club comes knocking.

    Why some on this and other forums think he should be so very different to many of us, who are in different occuptaions wanting only the best in life, is beyond me.

    I would like him to stay but if he goes I understand. I wish him well and thank him for his contribution to our club.

  16. The facts;

    He spouted his undoubted love for the club and city last season. ( no one questioned the interpretation).

    He later criticised the club for not keeping promises.

    He then criticised the club over the sale of Carroll.

    Phil Thompson says it’s a done deal with Liverpool.
    He then states he’s flattered by Liverpool attention in him. He’s never denied the link with Liverpool.

    He Has repeatedly stated he is not engaging in any contract negotiations until the team have secured premier safety. That’s been secured over a week and he comes out and says he still hasn’t discussed a new contract.

    He now states he is happy at Newcastle but would be happy anywhere as long as he’s playing football.

    And some of yous believe he will stay here?

  17. @kamar

    It’s not just about losing an excellent left back it’s about the knock on effect of potential player exodus and the lack of ambition of the club.

  18. Bobby @ 19

    Since the clear out after relegation we have had two seasons where only one player (of any significance) was sold. There isn’t always a direct correlation between a sale of an individual and a player exodus. Some would argue, with reasonable justification, that a player exodus is required at Newcastle.

    Because he is an excellent left back and has consistently performed well to the great benefit of Newcastle he is now sought after. One of the consequences of players who play exceptional well throughout the season is that they are recognized not only by their fans but by other managers and scouts. That’s the fact of life I’m afraid.

    Jose took a gamble to come to us and it has paid off. I would like him to stay but if he leaves I wish him well, he has deserved it.

  19. All waffle…if you look back it was stated “Jose will sign once we are safe”.
    We are safe and he aint signing Jack.
    I reckon the new kits will probably scare him off anyway.