Reportage - 5/Feb/10
I'll be lamb Chopra.. not karate Chopra - Simon Bird
Michael Chopra has vowed to keep his head if Newcastle fans turn on him tonight - as he chases his first-ever goal at St James’s Park.
As a teenager, the former Newcastle star was hyped as Alan Shearer's goal-scoring replacement - they were both old boys of Gosforth High and Geordies - but the similarities ended there.
Chopra scored three goals for Newcastle, including a memorable derby effort at Sunderland, but never managed one in a home game in a black and white shirt. He insists he won’t celebrate if he does net one against the team he still supports.
But Chopra has carved out an impressive career for himself at Cardiff, grabbing 16 so far this season.
He was involved in an altercation with a Geordie fan last week when he was spat at and defended himself by kicking and punching his abuser who was taunting him about his transfer to Sunderland in July 2007.
Chopra said: “Everyone knows I’m a big Newcastle fan and it’s always been a dream of mine to score at the ground. But even if I do score this time, I won’t think of celebrating. I have too much respect for everyone there to do that.
“I had a season ticket when I was younger and still go to a lot of games and support the team. All my mates are big supporters and it’s where I was brought up and I love the place.
“But I’m a Cardiff player now and I’m no longer with Newcastle. I’ve got to do my best for my employers and if there’s a chance I’ll have no hesitation in sticking it in the back of the net.
“I will keep my head in what is a big game for me and the club. The reception I got last season playing for Sunderland was bad. I couldn’t turn down the chance to play in the Premier League - but I wasn’t surprised and expected the abuse. Now I’ve got to put all that to the back of my mind.
“This is a game I’ve been looking forward to all season.
“These are the big games we all want to play in. They don’t seem to be as good a team as they used to be and we’re playing well. We have nothing to fear.”
Newcastle boss Hughton has admitted he has deliberately kept the club’s iconic No.9 shirt vacant this season to take the pressure off his strikers.
It is one of the most famous shirts in the game, having been filled by Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer, and was vacated when Obafemi Martins left in the summer.
New signing Leon Best was the latest new striker not to take the shirt and Hughton explained: “It’s something I’ve done deliberately. What we have is a lot of strikers here and I’m quite sure that every single one of them would have wanted to wear the No.9.
“It’s been a decision - and my decision - and it’s a bit of everything. When I came to this club I knew what the No.9 meant to this club. For some, I think it can be a heavy number to carry, a burden if you like, and wearing it is an achievement which I want somebody to grow into. I want somebody to earn the right to be Newcastle’s
No.9.
“I certainly don’t anticipate years going past without a No.9 at this club. I don’t want it to be an issue. The only issue I want is the team issue.”
Striker Leon Best said: “They showed me the numbers that were available when I signed and the No.9 was there, but I took the 20. The No.9 shirt has to be earned here.
“I’d heard a whisper at the start of the window that Newcastle were interested. I was just waiting thinking, “Is this going to happen? Please let it happen.”
“I was spending most of my time reading about Newcastle being interested in this player and that player and I did begin to think it wouldn’t happen. The other moves fell through for one reason or another and now I’ve got this wonderful chance.
“It has happened at the right time for me. It was the easiest decision I’ve had to make in my career.”
As a teenager, the former Newcastle star was hyped as Alan Shearer's goal-scoring replacement - they were both old boys of Gosforth High and Geordies - but the similarities ended there.
Chopra scored three goals for Newcastle, including a memorable derby effort at Sunderland, but never managed one in a home game in a black and white shirt. He insists he won’t celebrate if he does net one against the team he still supports.
But Chopra has carved out an impressive career for himself at Cardiff, grabbing 16 so far this season.
He was involved in an altercation with a Geordie fan last week when he was spat at and defended himself by kicking and punching his abuser who was taunting him about his transfer to Sunderland in July 2007.
Chopra said: “Everyone knows I’m a big Newcastle fan and it’s always been a dream of mine to score at the ground. But even if I do score this time, I won’t think of celebrating. I have too much respect for everyone there to do that.
“I had a season ticket when I was younger and still go to a lot of games and support the team. All my mates are big supporters and it’s where I was brought up and I love the place.
“But I’m a Cardiff player now and I’m no longer with Newcastle. I’ve got to do my best for my employers and if there’s a chance I’ll have no hesitation in sticking it in the back of the net.
“I will keep my head in what is a big game for me and the club. The reception I got last season playing for Sunderland was bad. I couldn’t turn down the chance to play in the Premier League - but I wasn’t surprised and expected the abuse. Now I’ve got to put all that to the back of my mind.
“This is a game I’ve been looking forward to all season.
“These are the big games we all want to play in. They don’t seem to be as good a team as they used to be and we’re playing well. We have nothing to fear.”
Newcastle boss Hughton has admitted he has deliberately kept the club’s iconic No.9 shirt vacant this season to take the pressure off his strikers.
It is one of the most famous shirts in the game, having been filled by Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer, and was vacated when Obafemi Martins left in the summer.
New signing Leon Best was the latest new striker not to take the shirt and Hughton explained: “It’s something I’ve done deliberately. What we have is a lot of strikers here and I’m quite sure that every single one of them would have wanted to wear the No.9.
“It’s been a decision - and my decision - and it’s a bit of everything. When I came to this club I knew what the No.9 meant to this club. For some, I think it can be a heavy number to carry, a burden if you like, and wearing it is an achievement which I want somebody to grow into. I want somebody to earn the right to be Newcastle’s
No.9.
“I certainly don’t anticipate years going past without a No.9 at this club. I don’t want it to be an issue. The only issue I want is the team issue.”
Striker Leon Best said: “They showed me the numbers that were available when I signed and the No.9 was there, but I took the 20. The No.9 shirt has to be earned here.
“I’d heard a whisper at the start of the window that Newcastle were interested. I was just waiting thinking, “Is this going to happen? Please let it happen.”
“I was spending most of my time reading about Newcastle being interested in this player and that player and I did begin to think it wouldn’t happen. The other moves fell through for one reason or another and now I’ve got this wonderful chance.
“It has happened at the right time for me. It was the easiest decision I’ve had to make in my career.”