Getting there - 11/03/2004

The gaffer has a strong midfield

Links:  Players:    Patrick Vieira    Clarence Acuna  Managers:    Sir Bobby Robson  Clubs:    Burnley    Newcastle United    Nottingham Forest    Arsenal

I’ve had a few fitness concerns recently and after spending a few days back in  full training, I’ve picked up another niggle. It’s something that I’ve not really had  to face in the past, I’m usually pretty fit and I’ve yet to have a serious injury. But  this is football and I hope to be back in training soon.

Just before the latest setback I was put on the club list for the UEFA Cup. It’s  good to know that after all this time it seems that I haven’t been forgotten about.  You look around you and see players such as Brian Kerr and Stevie Brennan,  who not so long ago were tipped as ‘up and coming’, and recently Brad (Orr),  Stevie Taylor and Martin Brittain were sitting on the bench against Valerenga.

It’s a  frustrating time for those two and also for me. I’m under no illusions though, I  know that the squad without injury and suspension is very strong and the gaffer has to make tough decisions.

I’ve not had the opportunity to play and it does get me  frustrated. I look back on the Arsenal game two seasons ago when both me and  Clarence faced the likes of Viera and we came out on top. I got a lot of complements that night - from people within the game - and I also know that my  best football is still in front of me.

The thing is that it’ll be played away from  St.James Park and that doesn’t please me. My contract doesn’t finish until June  of 2005 and with club’s policy on loan deals, it looks unlikely that I’ll play first team football until the August of 2005.

Some players such as Brad who’s been at  Burnley and Michael Chopra at Forest seem free to go out on loan, and some  don’t. I can’t tell you why the club wont let me leave; it’d save them money and it’d get me match fit. It’s not a case of losing cover, they’d easily put in a  clause where I could return to the club if there were injuries. The club gave me a  good contract  in the summer of 2002 and I’ll honour it, but I want just want to play football and I’m  looking forward to the day that my name is on that team list –  wherever that will be.

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