Florian Lejeune

[Tdansmith 2068]

I hope he's fit for the Swansea match.

If he is I'll give us a chance

[ohhh_yeah 2759]

 

Nice response this.

 

Lejeune:

 

"It is a friendly game but one which is brimming in emotion, full of pleasure and a host of other feelings for me as it will be great to catch up with some former team-mates with whom we spent some great times together. We shared a lot of laughs and lots of memories together.

 

Also, catching up with the physio and other members of staff at the club. For me, it is really important to have this chance to see them again and to spend a little time with them.

 

Unfortunately, I never really had a proper chance to say goodbye to them there so I sincerely hope I’ll get a chance to do it this week. I also really want to thank everyone for all of the great support I received for so many years, whether this was after each game or even when I was suffering from injury. I received a lot of messages and I really do want to be able to thank everyone.

 

When I decided to leave on a loan to Spain, initially, it was a choice I made because it was something I really needed to do. I had just gone through a second major injury and I hadn’t particularly appreciated the treatment I received during the Christmas period, playing some games when I shouldn’t have. There were a host of things which I didn’t like but, in the end, that is how it is.

 

In a sense, it was tough to leave the club permanently a year later because I felt really great at this club and I loved the city, as did my family. We had our circle of friends there and this made it tough, for sure.

 

It was all the more difficult for me personally because I knew that I was more than capable of being a big part of the team but, unfortunately, with the manager in place at the time, it was clear that I was not in his plans and we didn’t share the same vision of the game. That is how things are - each manager has his own idea of how to play and some players may see things differently - so I respected the situation entirely.

 

But I am someone who needs to play. I can’t simply go for months on end without playing. It is something I need to feel happy. I need to be out there on the pitch and to feel important.

 

It was tough. Very, very tough. But I didn’t give up, I worked hard and had the support of all my team-mates and particularly my wife, Laury, who was there every day to help me.

 

Coming back from my second injury, having to play so many games in such a short period of time, for me, it was something that was incredibly hard. After Boxing Day, the games come thick and fast.

 

Coming back just seven months after a cruciate ligament and having to play four games in just 11 days, I honestly think there are very few players who could really manage that. But I did my best and unfortunately in the final match [against Leicester], I didn’t play well at all and we lost the game because of me.

 

The most important thing was that I didn’t get injured, but I feel that I wasn’t given the very best chance and everyone knew that, the manager knew that and it is a shame, really, but that is how it is. That’s football.

 

It was an absolutely unforgettable experience both regarding my career as a footballer and as a person. I learnt a lot and met some wonderful people during my time there. I always strove to give the very best of myself for the good of the squad and to be as effective as I could.

 

It’s no secret that Newcastle are one of the greatest clubs in England and the fans were always second to none. I could never begin to thank them enough for the wonderful support they always gave to us and which they gave me personally. I have nothing but positives to say and only have wonderful memories about both the club and the city."
 

[Howmanheyman 26605]

Fuck's sake Florian, we only asked, 'how's it gannin, mate?' chill oot!

 

(Is this a 'special bond'? Asking for deranged fanbase).