Interview: Sylvain Marveaux speaks to nufcTV

Posted on June 22nd, 2011 | 70 Comments |

Will he fit in with the squad?
Gives his first interview to nufcTV
Sylvain Marveux gave his first interview as a Newcastle United player today and seemed relatively enthusiastic despite admitting that we weren’t his first choice.

A strong bonus to having Marveaux around the club during our switch from “Newcastle United” to “Chateau Nouveau Unifie” is that he speaks English particularly well, at one point even joking about helping his fellow Frenchmen learn the language. One thing he isn’t is as talkative as his fellow Frenchman Yohan Cabaye but that may be due to English being his second language, or maybe Rob Scanlon is just bad at interviews – who knows?

The full video can be seen here for those of you with an nufcTV subscription but once again, for those of you who don’t – here’s a transcription.

Rob Scanlon: Sylvain, a very warm welcome to Newcastle! It’s raining today but are you happy to be here?

Sylvain Marveaux: Yes, I am very happy to be here!

RS: Has it happened quite suddenly? Obviously you were in Liverpool and then you were here in the early hours of the morning – what was that like?

SM: That’s not the problem, I mean Newcastle have been speaking with me for 6 months now so I knew they wanted me very much! It happened quickly but that’s not a bad thing.

RS: Yeah the club have been looking at you as a player for a long time now and obviously they’re very happy to get you and you’re very happy to be here.

SM: Of course!

RS: You initially met in Clairefontaine when Hatem was having some treatment out there?

SM: Yes I saw him and I spoke with him about Newcastle and he told me he was very happy to be here and he told me about the fans, everybody in the club, the stadium – it was a good thing!

RS: How important is it to have people like Hatem [Ben Arfa], fellow Frenchman Yohan Cabaye – a bit of a French revolution! How important is it to have them here to help you settle in?

SM: First of all, it was not my first choice but now I’m very happy to be here with Hatem and Yohan because I know [Yohan] very well so we can speak French so the adaptation is good!

RS: Your English is good, though – are you going to be a teacher to Hatem and Yohan and help them learn English?

SM: *laughing* If they want! If they want my help then yes!

RS: You were quite close to joining Liverpool and that move broke down; [Liverpool’s] medical team have said it wasn’t for medical reasons and it was another reason so are you keen to put that message out there?

SM: No, I have nothing to say about it. That’s the past now and I just want to focus on Newcastle and that’s the best!

RS: But you’re 100% fit and raring to go for the next season?

SM: Oh yeah, sure! I already said that it wasn’t about the medical so I’m glad it’s clear now but I’m fit and I can’t wait to start pre-season!

RS: You’re a French U-21 international. Would you like in the future to get into the full side?

SM: One day if they call me, of course! But first of all I have to do great work here to be called. That’s the most important now – my new club, my new life. I mean I will do the best to make it.

RS: It’s the first time you’ve played away from France having spent 10 years at Rennes so it’s a big step. Obviously the English Premier League is a lot different from Ligue 1.

SM: Yeah I’ve been told that! I wanted that, I wanted this change so I’m not scared of it. I want to enjoy, I want to play, I want to work – I know there’s a lot of good players in the team already so I have everything to prove. I’m sure not a lot of people know me very well in England.

RS: What’s your favourite position?

SM: I don’t know how to say that in English! I like to play on the left? I can play in the middle too but more offensive.

RS: That’s going to be an asset here. People will love to see people playing wide, it’s exciting for those 50,000 people watching you. Are you looking forward to your first game?

SM: Yeah! I’m looking forward to it! I mean I hope the fans will be happy for my work and I will do everything to please them.

RS: In terms of settling in, have you got family moving over with you or are you coming over on your own?

SM: No my mother and girlfriend are already here so I’m going to find a house and then we’ll see!

RS: What do you hope to achieve with Newcastle this season?

SM: I don’t know, maybe to do better than past season? Maybe to be one of the best teams in England but it’s hard, this season is very long. A lot of matches, a lot of big things so we’ll see! I can’t tell you that now!

RS: Will you score some goals?

SM: I hope so!

Throughout the entire interview he seemed quietly confident with some silent enthusiasm, especially when he spoke about simply playing the beautiful game. It’s quite obvious this lad eats, breathes and sleeps football and he seems quite adamant to prove himself to the fans.

Good luck, Sylvain and we hope to see you plying your trade in the black and white very soon!

And for those of you who don’t know his style of play, maybe this video will satisify some of your curiosity:

NUFCBlog Author: Thump Some say his bones are black and white but that is yet to be medically proven. Currently writes for a few different publications and likes to assert his imaginary authority on nobody in particular. Beware: eats children. Thump has written 36 articles on this blog.

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Posted on by Thump in category: Interviews and Player videos and Sylvain Marveaux and Thump and Transfers and Videos
Comment on this post

70 Responses

  1. “I can play in the middle too but more offensive”

    What more offensive than Joey B ?.

  5. Apparently the hitch at Liverpool was a disagreement over who who would pay for 24hr refuse surveillance.

  7. Its no surprise we weren’t his first choice. If we were then he never wouldve been in Liverpool, regardless of the reason he never joined them. At least he’s honest. Doesn’t mean he won’t play well or try just as hard

  8. @Ben: That got my back up a bit but then I began to appreciate his honesty. We can’t expect every player to be desperate to come to Newcastle, can we?

  11. NUTS says:

    “Apparently the hitch at Liverpool was a disagreement over who who would pay for 24hr refuse surveillance.”

    I’ll say it NUTS. Very amusing :)

  12. GeordieDan says:
    June 22, 2011 at 8:35 pm

    “Yep, just what I thought. Stupid thing 2 say, especially straight away.”

    Perhaps Dan, though I actually prefer it to them saying stuff like they’ve always dreamt of playing for the team, loved them since they were a bairn, had a poster of Alan Shearer on their wall etc when it’s obviously shite. I’m not a huge fan of all this gratuitous badge kissing either. It’s all about how much they put in for the team on the pitch IMO.

  13. Glad he went to l/pool first.Hope he told them he wanted to go to a bigger club when he turned them down. This guy is already my hero.

  14. I think it’s almost inevitable that the word ‘marvellous’ is going to be used alot if he’s any good, which he is from everything I’ve seen of him.

  15. Hang on the other day he was saying that Newcastle wasn’t a second choice and now he is saying it was. Im confused with that. You dont say things like that when your just joining a team. An arrogant prick for sure, so he had better back it up!.

  16. BTW Thump that black box isnt playing your vid of Marveaux well at least not for me :)

  17. If he had said he’d always wanted to play for Newcastle and that it was a dream move etc etc then we would all be up in arms calling him a liar. Everyone knows he was at Liverpool but it fell through for whatever reason. Now people are slagging him for admitting what we all knew already. Can’t have it all ways!

  18. Worky>

    Aye, true m8. Nowt worse than seeing a player go through the motions of badge kissing and the other bollox.

    Any real fan can see just how much our team means to them just by the graft they put in week in week out. Badge kissing and the other BS shows nowt.

    Just thought it was a bit ill advised to just come out and say ur not my 1st choice in one of the 1st lines of his 1st interview after singing, even if we know that was the case anyway.

    Anywayz I’ve just had a proper sh*tty day so am probably just looking for an excuse to have a whinge.lol

    Ur spot on about the skills this lad has though. From what little I’ve seen of him he looks like a very tidy player. That last goal on the video is pretty special.

  21. workyticket said:
    I think it’s almost inevitable that the word ‘marvellous’ is going to be used alot if he’s any good, which he is from everything I’ve seen of him.

    Funny you should say that. I was going to title this “Magnifique Marveaux” (ala “Howay Cabaye!”) but decided against it due to cheese factor.

  22. He probaly had a look round liverpooh & thought…Where’s the station, ‘can you get a TGV direct to the Toon’?

    Something about the place didn’t appeal to him.

    Plus, stuff does get ‘lost in translation’ sometimes, so i wouldn’t hang on every word as gospel like either.

  24. Hugh,
    i was being kind mate.
    :)

    Although i’ve gotta say, i’ve never had a problem in scouseville personally…It’s not pretty though.
    ;)

  26. If he has a good season he will be sold on anyway.
    What an arrogant prick – These players dont give a LeFeuk about NUFC-come back Nolan and Carroll I miss ya : )

  27. NUFC tv???
    Shocking to let comments like that be broadcast.
    All for free speach but I hate this french prick already.

  29. Clint that goes to show how long ive bin out the UK, just noticed it was capital of culture in 2008, thought it still was.

    :-)

  31. scottie,
    i did read something where Jonas said he had no intention of leaving mate.
    ;)

  32. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    June 22, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    “scottie,
    i did read something where Jonas said he had no intention of leaving mate.”

    What was Nolan saying not so long ago?

  35. jimbob said:
    Liverpool is the European capital of culture…

    iirc Birmingham ranked quite highly too. Tells you a lot, eh?

    sirjasontoon said:
    Shocking to let comments like that be broadcast.
    All for free speach but I hate this french prick already.

    In all honesty, I think it reads a lot worse than it actually sounds. During the interview he was pausing to think of words a lot and you obviously lose inflections and tone when transcribing spoken word to text.

    For example: I don’t know why he said “First of all…” at the beginning of that sentence because the only statement that followed was “NUFC wasn’t my first choice”. He also mentioned something about ‘place’ but I wasn’t sure what he was getting at so I didn’t include it.

    Either way, I think it was worky who said earlier about us all knowing he was at Liverpool so it’s quite obvious that we weren’t his first choice and that is probably what he was getting at. I doubt he was looking to stir up the water at all.

  36. Hey! it’s refreshing to here the fact’s from a player.
    Most of the fans are aware that if truth be told and players were to be totally honest it would come out as something like…..
    I,m just here for the dosh, this is a very provincial place but what the hell, I got some of me marras from hyem here and maybe the making of a decent side, if the tight Cnut of an owner will spring for a few more players, who knas ?
    Well anyhow i like the side we are building and can’t wait to see the finished product in action, then i like to watch entertaining football.
    Vive la France !

  38. chuck,
    Newcastle’s not that provincial mate, it’s a decent sized city/port.

  40. Ah! Mais non Monsieur FliCK! C’est ‘bienvenue Sylvain!’

    All I can imagine is Joey Barton saying “F*ck off, you French prick” to this.

  41. Alan Pardew:

    Salut Sylvain,

    c’est bon pour arrive dans le Newcastle. Tres magnifique.

    Kenny dalglish:

    potain de merde

  42. worky,
    that was in fact what i meant to say mate.

    Bienvenue Sylvain!

    Pardonais moi!

    :)

  43. Hey ! we all know what’s going on right ?
    Hell i explained it to you a month ago, there’s going to be the biggest clearout in the history of the EPL and the club will begin the season with a completely revamped side.

    Dont be surprised who goes, everyone of the side that gained promotion has a price tag and the older or higher compensated, the more likely to be out the door.

    Sorry , there’s no room for sentiment, strictly business.
    These are the realities and business plan of NUFC, in which case fans will have to adjust to these realities and live in the real world.

    Which may result in learning French and stop calling French people froggies, comprendre !

  45. chuck,
    the ‘powers that be’ have always insisted that everyone has a price mate & so they have, especially while they’re actually still worth something.

  46. chuck,
    you’re bang on about the ‘franglais’ insults too mate.

    Bad craic that like!

  47. Can any1 tell me how good he is ? And I mean someone who hasnt just watched his youtube videos ??

    How does he compare to the likes of N’Zogbia and Menez? ?

  48. Howay! Howay!
    Captain Marvellous –

    Bring us Silky Football that keeps us awake at night, And press the Ball for a future Bright,
    Cast off your marker with Blinding pace,
    Sow your passes in fine French lace,
    Delve into the box you fine French Stallion,
    Wear your heart, as if Medallion.
    For when the day cometh brother,
    And you score That goal,
    Those that hold dear, will stand to cheer:
    Marveaux! Marveaux! Marveaux!

  49. Nice post Milner, but

    “Delve into the box you fine French Stallion”

    Sounds like a line from a dodgy porno!

  51. Clint

    Newcastle’s not that provincial, it’s a decent sized city/port.

    Got news for ya Clint, not only is it no longer a Port, it’s a “ghost town” existing for years as a place that serviced the Coal, Steel, Shipbuilding, Arms producing heavy industry that built it, a city of shopping and offices.
    Few people actually lived there, in the city, or “doon the toon” as it was known, most living in the burbs.

    Like Liverpool which was once a major Port City and Glasgow which in many respects resembled Newcastle, all three are still attempting to re invent themselves in a post industrial world.

    You would have been a candidate for Cox Lodge had you stated you thought Korea would be building the lions share of world shipping, back in the 1950’s.

    But people here love their football and fortunately there’s only one side in town, which means good support, but unlike a lot of other sides (apart from putting bums in seats), there’s not a great world wide fan base, such as Man U. or Liverpool for that matter, due to years of success i might add.

    And face it it’s almost three hundred miles from the Capital, with not an overwhelming reputation as a cultural or epicurian center.

    Sorry! yes it is provincial, but not as provincial as either Sunderland or Middlesboro, which is i’m sure of little solace, ah well!

  53. Milner

    Dodgy porno n’ all, A budding Tennyson on the blog, “cor blimey” what next ?
    Liked it !

  54. chuck – cheers geeza, getting into the french vibe – gonna wear a striped top to games, berret, and garlic.

  55. If we sign any more frenchmen, they’ll be petitioning to have stripes on the shirt put horizontally and the team bus will be replaced by bikes! Not that I’m stereotyping our trans-channel cousins you understand…

  56. Does anyone on this blog get the distinct impression the fat cockney has been playing champ man and got carried away?

  57. I really don’t like that strip, if it were red and white (god forbid) it would look like a something worn by the crusaders of the midle ages.

  58. Who cares, he’s here to do a job, much like when that spurs defender said he didn’t even like football and didn’t really care about spurs but would always give 100% on the pitch rather than just lie and say it’s always been a dream and kiss the badge to get fans behind them

    Let’s face it players join a for dosh first, champions league football second, if they can’t get those they’ll join us

  59. OMG.

    Does it better we were first choice. He’ll want to play well to get a move to a bigger club. He’ll put in amazing performances – we benefit.

    He gets good, we sell him for £5-8 million – we make a tidy profit.

    OR…

    We could get behind him, make him feel the most wanted player by the fan, adore him. And get him thinking

    ‘you know what, I’m glad I didnt join Liverpool. This club is amzing, everythings really nice, think i’ll still and play because I now love this club…’

    You get the idea, right?

    WE AS FANS, NEED TO GET BEHIND THE TEAM – 110 % !!! EVERYTIME.

  60. Dreamer-He gets good, we sell him for £5-8 million – we make a tidy profit.

    No we don’t Mike Ashley does.

  61. Soz chuck,
    but you’re way off the map on Newcastle mate.
    It’s only 2.5hrs by train from the capitol & less by plane. People from all ower the world gan there for a mental night oot. It has an excellent rep for culture etc.
    We build wind farms now bud & plenty other shit.
    It has top art houses a beautifully rebuilt quayside, great shopping & the friendliest people around (country wide noted).

    So NA, not provincial, soz but not soz!
    ;)

  62. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    June 23, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    “People from all ower the world gan there for a mental night oot. It has an excellent rep for culture etc.”

    It has an excellent reputation for lasses who perhaps drink rather more than they should and hence will ‘display the goods’ at the drop of a hat.

  63. That’s a form of ‘culture’ mate, more akin with a Petrie dish, granted, but ‘culture’ nevertheless.
    :)

  64. workyticket says:
    June 23, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    “It has an excellent reputation for lasses who perhaps drink rather more than they should and hence will ‘display the goods’ at the drop of a hat.”

    Excellent

  65. Clint, have you taken a job as ‘Geordie Cultural Attaché’? A bit like Sir Les Patterson but with a Geordie accent instead of an Australian one?

  66. People from all ower the world gan there for a mental night oot. It has an excellent rep for culture….
    I believe that’s a bit of an oxymoron Clint !
    To be fair, the old flour mill on the Gateshead side and the concert hall next door are a welcome addition to the Newcastle scene, oh! oh! wait i forgot they are in Gateshead a completely different toon, oops !
    And i hear that Gateshead is considered a much hipper place for the avant guard these days, as the Quayside is old hat.
    Granted Newcastle is in an architectural sense one of Englands premier cities, the captains of industry puored a fortune into it’s buildings.
    However the Philistine urban renewal assholes have done a job on it, destroying the handsome Eldon Square and building that ugly plastic center was a case of vandalising, a classic historical erea,awful !
    Ah well !
    But it is the most remote major city from the capital and to say that it’s not provincial in most respects, well there would be those who disagree.
    What was the expression about the geordies, “England does’nt want them , Scotland wont have them”, but they are my favorite people in the whole UK, whatever thats worth.

  68. chuck@51…you talk some serious bollocks mate….

    Enjoy you’re “epicurean” passtimes wherever you may be….

  69. chuck says:
    June 23, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    “However the Philistine urban renewal assholes have done a job on it, destroying the handsome Eldon Square and building that ugly plastic center was a case of vandalising, a classic historical erea,awful !”

    Chuck, That was one of my father’s old foes, T. Dan Smith aka ‘Mr Newcastle’ and ‘The mouth of the Tyne’. He was responsible for that act of architectural vandalism amongst others. He was a total crook who took all kinds of backhanders.

  70. chuck says:
    June 23, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    “But it is the most remote major city from the capital and to say that it’s not provincial in most respects, well there would be those who disagree.”

    Newcastle upon Tyne is by definition a provincial city. It’s a city and it’s in the provinces.

    Incidentally, regarding your ‘Philistines’ comment, the Philistines were actually very civilised for their time, but were the victims of negative Jewish propaganda in a series of books which subsequently became rather popular in the Western world.