Isegrim 8941 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 (edited) Oct 11 2006 By Lee Ryder, The Evening Chronicle Olivier bernard says he would be ready for a return to Premiership action should Glenn Roeder feel the time is right to throw him back in at deep end for Newcastle United against Bolton on Sunday. The French defender returned to St James' Park on September 1, but left Toon fans shocked by his lightweight new look. The slimline figure of the Paris-born player was a shadow of the stocky full-back fans grew to love under Sir Bobby Robson, yet slowly but surely Bernard is looking the part once more. Under Rangers boss Paul Le Guen, Bernard was ordered to lose 6kg (13lb) as part of the French manager's strict fitness regime, but Roeder has already stated he prefers him the way he was. And, after already regaining about 6lb, Bernard - who had a falling-out with Le Guen while at Lyon - admits he is hungry to return to the Premiership. He told the Chronicle: "I feel good now and feel ready to play, but that is up to the manager to decide if I am fit enough for the first team. "If the manager gave me the nod to play in the Premiership tomorrow I'd feel confident - it isn't like it would be my first ever game. "I have played there before but it probably would take me a couple of games to re-adjust. I wouldn't be able to just walk in and start taking man-of-the-match awards." Bernard added: "I did have a full pre-season with Rangers, but then Paul Le Guen - the manager I had at Lyon - came in, so it was very difficult to stay there. "I decided to leave even though I had time left up there, as I was training with the reserves. "On his first day he said `You know what has happened between us in the past so you have to train with the reserves'. "The Scottish League isn't the best in Europe, but it is even lower standard at reserve level. "I don't want to look too much into the history with Paul Le Guen and I respect his decision. He's been fair because from day one he said you aren't in my plans. "I knew that before he came, but that's the way it is. Sometimes it is hard and you can be unlucky, but the tough thing for me was that I didn't prove anything to the Glasgow Rangers fans." On top of the Bernard's battle to get back up to his fighting weight at Premiership level, the Toon ace indicated the difference in quality had also left him playing catch-up. He continued: "The quality of the players in England is different. There is lots of quality here at Newcastle, so training is different to Scotland. "The passing and the movement is twice as quick. When you play higher levels you always want to be part of the team and that's why I signed for Newcastle." Hmm, Bernard came to Newcastle in 2000, Le Guen became manager of Lyon in 2002. Beefed-up or mad-cow-diseased? Edited October 11, 2006 by Isegrim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adios 717 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 That is weird, someone should drop the Easy Ryder () a quick email and ask him to get that clarified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I thought he had to leave Rangers because he was shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 35481 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 That looks to me like Ryder has just slipped that in to pad out what Bernard had to say. Unfortunately he's got his facts wrong. What a dick! Anyone can do it. Watch. "I did have a full pre-season with Rangers, but then Paul Le Guen - a man that once penetrated me with a baguette - came in, so it was very difficult to stay there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPTOON 0 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Bernard was a very good player for us when he was here and it was very strange the way he left. Very consistant and good at getting forward, crossing and even scoring the odd cracking goal.Tough little bugger too i remember him being on the end of a few horror tackles that i wasn't sure he'd get up from but he always did. I hope he comes back the same or better then LB isn't as big a priority! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol 0 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Bernard was a very good player for us when he was here and it was very strange the way he left. Very consistant and good at getting forward, crossing and even scoring the odd cracking goal.Tough little bugger too i remember him being on the end of a few horror tackles that i wasn't sure he'd get up from but he always did. I hope he comes back the same or better then LB isn't as big a priority! I personally thought Bernard was a bit shit towards the end of his time with us. He then went on to be shit for every other club he played for. Can't believe he's back, especially considering the fuck-up over the Wayne Bridge transfer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 The problem with Bernard is that he never appeared to learn how to defend. His positional sense is all over the place. He was always a good attacker though and I think he only went completlely off the boil when he knew he was leaving. I'm certainly hoping we are looking for better come January though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 6082 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 He left because he wanted a few more grand than we offered him. simple as that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut 9 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 And now I'd imagine he's on about half of what he was originally on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zathras 234 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Not as good as Beresford tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus 0 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Cant believe theres been no jokes about greggs in this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zathras 234 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Basically redundant tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sima 0 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 What a spectacular waste of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 He should have just went to see Kluivert's nutritionalist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke 1 Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 And now I'd imagine he's on about half of what he was originally on. Knowing us, he's probably on what he demanded before he left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 And now I'd imagine he's on about half of what he was originally on. Knowing us, he's probably on what he demanded before he left. Nowhere near that tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 And now I'd imagine he's on about half of what he was originally on. Knowing us, he's probably on what he demanded before he left. Nowhere near that tbh. He's on minimum wage, in fact he's having to claim tax credits to buy all the food required to 'beef-up'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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