Jimbo 172 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Tottenham's new £7million midfield acquisition Jermaine Jenas insists he has no regrets about walking away from Newcastle on the day England striker Michael Owen arrived from Real Madrid. Jenas quit St James' Park for White Hart Lane just as Owen was being hailed as the club's latest striking hero by 20,000 excited fans on Tyneside. But the England midfielder, who is hoping for a debut against Liverpool at White Hart Lane on Saturday, is adamant he would have left no matter who manager Graeme Souness brought in. Yet the former Nottingham Forest youngster rejects suggestions the tough-talking Souness forced him out of United. Jenas insisted: "I left for purely football reasons really. I felt I had gone as far as I could with them. It was nothing to do with the fact I didn't get on with Graeme Souness at all. "It was just purely and simply about football reasons. I felt I needed to move to develop. Sometimes, it is best to get a fresh start. "I was up there for four years and had a good time but I felt as though I had hit a bit of a ceiling. "It is tough at Newcastle. The fans are very passionate about their club but in Newcastle it is very enclosed. "If you speak to a lot of the lads up in Newcastle, they find it much the same. It is not something you struggle to deal because being a professional footballer, you are in the public eye whether you like it or not, whoever you are. "When the fans are behind you and willing you on it is brilliant. So you can't just have it one way." Jenas was keen to quit the North East as soon as he heard of Tottenham's interest and the fact Owen was then paraded like an all-conquering hero made no difference to his thoughts. Indeed, when asked if he would have changed his mind had he been aware that Owen was ready to join United, Jenas was unmoved. 'This is a new beginning for me' "Not at all," he said. "Like I say, the reason I wanted to come to Spurs were my reasons. It was about me and I did it for me. Michael is a great lad and will get a lot of goals up there." Tottenham coach Martin Jol believes Jenas is one of the best midfield talents in the country but he admits there are areas of his game, particularly when it comes to goalscoring, that he needs to improve on. Jol's assessment of his capabilities does not concern Jenas either because he sees himself as his biggest critic. He added: "I had some good times at Newcastle and I developed really well up there. Tottenham was the team I wanted to come to. The ambition of the club appealed to me and it is something I want to be part of. "This is a new beginning for me. I want to score more goals, win more tackles and get more assists. I prefer to play in the centre of midfield but I will play wherever Martin wants to play me. I will fit in." Fitting in is something he may well have to do but the prospect of joining a club with more midfielders than any other in the Premiership did not worry him either. Pedro Mendes, Teemu Tainio, Johnnie Jackson, Andy Reid, Aaron Lennon, Edgar Davids, Sean Davis, Michael Brown, Michael Carrick and Wayne Routledge (currently injured) are all competing for places. Jenas added: "I am used to competition and given the game today I think you need a big squad. "You have to be on tip-top form to get selected and I am up for it. We have got to be going for Europe, I wouldn't have come to the club if they were aiming any lower than that." Jenas also joins a club who now have some of England's top youngsters from Jermain Defoe in attack to Ledley King and Michael Dawson at the back. With Carrick and Routledge, when he recovers from the stress fracture in his foot, also in midfield, Jenas is pleased to see so many English faces. He added: "It is very rare and it is nice but at the same time it is good that we have the likes of Dutchman Edgar Davids at the club because he can bring his European experience to the club. "I think if you look at Chelsea over the last two seasons with the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard, it is nice to have that British core when you are playing in the Premiership in England." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Lazaru 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 To be fair if i was a young player i suspect i'd imagine i could improve and progress better at a club with coaches who aren't shite!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 43842 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 He isn't saying that he "didn't get on with Souness at all". He's saying that his reasons for leaving had nothing at all to do with not getting on with Souness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyboy 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Terribly ambiguous statement tbh. I read it as Gemmill interpreted it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheInspiration 1 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Yeah same, I think Souness seemed to enjoy his time working together. You see, Jenas being a good lad Souness would like obviously. Not like those other scum... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 he's saying - he didn't get on with Souness, but thats not the reason he left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wavey Davey 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Tottenham's new £7million midfield acquisition Jermaine Jenas insists he has no regrets about walking away from Newcastle on the day England striker Michael Owen arrived from Real Madrid. Jenas quit St James' Park for White Hart Lane just as Owen was being hailed as the club's latest striking hero by 20,000 excited fans on Tyneside. But the England midfielder, who is hoping for a debut against Liverpool at White Hart Lane on Saturday, is adamant he would have left no matter who manager Graeme Souness brought in. Yet the former Nottingham Forest youngster rejects suggestions the tough-talking Souness forced him out of United. Jenas insisted: "I left for purely football reasons really. I felt I had gone as far as I could with them. It was nothing to do with the fact I didn't get on with Graeme Souness at all. "It was just purely and simply about football reasons. I felt I needed to move to develop. Sometimes, it is best to get a fresh start. "I was up there for four years and had a good time but I felt as though I had hit a bit of a ceiling. "It is tough at Newcastle. The fans are very passionate about their club but in Newcastle it is very enclosed. "If you speak to a lot of the lads up in Newcastle, they find it much the same. It is not something you struggle to deal because being a professional footballer, you are in the public eye whether you like it or not, whoever you are. "When the fans are behind you and willing you on it is brilliant. So you can't just have it one way." Jenas was keen to quit the North East as soon as he heard of Tottenham's interest and the fact Owen was then paraded like an all-conquering hero made no difference to his thoughts. Indeed, when asked if he would have changed his mind had he been aware that Owen was ready to join United, Jenas was unmoved. 'This is a new beginning for me' "Not at all," he said. "Like I say, the reason I wanted to come to Spurs were my reasons. It was about me and I did it for me. Michael is a great lad and will get a lot of goals up there." Tottenham coach Martin Jol believes Jenas is one of the best midfield talents in the country but he admits there are areas of his game, particularly when it comes to goalscoring, that he needs to improve on. Jol's assessment of his capabilities does not concern Jenas either because he sees himself as his biggest critic. He added: "I had some good times at Newcastle and I developed really well up there. Tottenham was the team I wanted to come to. The ambition of the club appealed to me and it is something I want to be part of. "This is a new beginning for me. I want to score more goals, win more tackles and get more assists. I prefer to play in the centre of midfield but I will play wherever Martin wants to play me. I will fit in." Fitting in is something he may well have to do but the prospect of joining a club with more midfielders than any other in the Premiership did not worry him either. Pedro Mendes, Teemu Tainio, Johnnie Jackson, Andy Reid, Aaron Lennon, Edgar Davids, Sean Davis, Michael Brown, Michael Carrick and Wayne Routledge (currently injured) are all competing for places. Jenas added: "I am used to competition and given the game today I think you need a big squad. "You have to be on tip-top form to get selected and I am up for it. We have got to be going for Europe, I wouldn't have come to the club if they were aiming any lower than that." Jenas also joins a club who now have some of England's top youngsters from Jermain Defoe in attack to Ledley King and Michael Dawson at the back. With Carrick and Routledge, when he recovers from the stress fracture in his foot, also in midfield, Jenas is pleased to see so many English faces. He added: "It is very rare and it is nice but at the same time it is good that we have the likes of Dutchman Edgar Davids at the club because he can bring his European experience to the club. "I think if you look at Chelsea over the last two seasons with the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard, it is nice to have that British core when you are playing in the Premiership in England." 30855[/snapback] .... I love your avatar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Lazaru 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 he's saying - he didn't get on with Souness, but thats not the reason he left. 30910[/snapback] If its a direct quote then that is exactly what he's saying. Because he says it was "nothing to do with the fact i didn't get on with Souness" it means that even if that's not the reason he left, he didn't get on with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil K 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 To be fair if i was a young player i suspect i'd imagine i could improve and progress better at a club with coaches who aren't shite!!! 30862[/snapback] I think you hit the nail on the head there, mate. We have not had a decent coach since...when ? Burkinshaw ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_J 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 jenas never played for the shirt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 43842 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 he's saying - he didn't get on with Souness, but thats not the reason he left. 30910[/snapback] If its a direct quote then that is exactly what he's saying. Because he says it was "nothing to do with the fact i didn't get on with Souness" it means that even if that's not the reason he left, he didn't get on with him. 30916[/snapback] You're both making it mean what you want it to mean. Read it for what it is - an unfortunately phrased sentence. It's clearly been put to him that he didn't get on with Souness and all he's doing is saying "No, that's not why I left. It had nothing to do with me not getting on with Souness at all". But you two believe what you want to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 He isn't saying that he "didn't get on with Souness at all". He's saying that his reasons for leaving had nothing at all to do with not getting on with Souness. 30866[/snapback] That's how I read it too, it is ambiguous though. Double negative = poor use of English language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Lazaru 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 he's saying - he didn't get on with Souness, but thats not the reason he left. 30910[/snapback] If its a direct quote then that is exactly what he's saying. Because he says it was "nothing to do with the fact i didn't get on with Souness" it means that even if that's not the reason he left, he didn't get on with him. 30916[/snapback] You're both making it mean what you want it to mean. Read it for what it is - an unfortunately phrased sentence. It's clearly been put to him that he didn't get on with Souness and all he's doing is saying "No, that's not why I left. It had nothing to do with me not getting on with Souness at all". But you two believe what you want to believe. 30927[/snapback] As i said if its a direct quote then he is saying he didn't get on with Souness, if its because he's unable to use the english language properly its hard for me (somebody who can) to decipher that from here! Personally i couldn't give a shit what he is or isn't saying and i'm not believing what i want to believe. If that was the case i'd have said Souness acted like a child with him and then drove him out the club for less than he was worth, but that happened with another player entirely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 43842 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 he's saying - he didn't get on with Souness, but thats not the reason he left. 30910[/snapback] If its a direct quote then that is exactly what he's saying. Because he says it was "nothing to do with the fact i didn't get on with Souness" it means that even if that's not the reason he left, he didn't get on with him. 30916[/snapback] You're both making it mean what you want it to mean. Read it for what it is - an unfortunately phrased sentence. It's clearly been put to him that he didn't get on with Souness and all he's doing is saying "No, that's not why I left. It had nothing to do with me not getting on with Souness at all". But you two believe what you want to believe. 30927[/snapback] As i said if its a direct quote then he is saying he didn't get on with Souness, if its because he's unable to use the english language properly its hard for me (somebody who can) to decipher that from here! Personally i couldn't give a shit what he is or isn't saying and i'm not believing what i want to believe. If that was the case i'd have said Souness acted like a child with him and then drove him out the club for less than he was worth, but that happened with another player entirely 30931[/snapback] Seriously though, if that's what he'd said, if he'd let slip to a journalist that he didn't get on with Souness, then the article would make a lot more of it than it does, and he'd have been quizzed a lot further on it - no way would a journo let that one go. The fact that he wasn't quizzed further tells me that that's not what he was saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Lazaru 0 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 he's saying - he didn't get on with Souness, but thats not the reason he left. 30910[/snapback] If its a direct quote then that is exactly what he's saying. Because he says it was "nothing to do with the fact i didn't get on with Souness" it means that even if that's not the reason he left, he didn't get on with him. 30916[/snapback] You're both making it mean what you want it to mean. Read it for what it is - an unfortunately phrased sentence. It's clearly been put to him that he didn't get on with Souness and all he's doing is saying "No, that's not why I left. It had nothing to do with me not getting on with Souness at all". But you two believe what you want to believe. 30927[/snapback] As i said if its a direct quote then he is saying he didn't get on with Souness, if its because he's unable to use the english language properly its hard for me (somebody who can) to decipher that from here! Personally i couldn't give a shit what he is or isn't saying and i'm not believing what i want to believe. If that was the case i'd have said Souness acted like a child with him and then drove him out the club for less than he was worth, but that happened with another player entirely 30931[/snapback] Seriously though, if that's what he'd said, if he'd let slip to a journalist that he didn't get on with Souness, then the article would make a lot more of it than it does, and he'd have been quizzed a lot further on it - no way would a journo let that one go. The fact that he wasn't quizzed further tells me that that's not what he was saying. 30934[/snapback] Yeah i agree with you actually, it will have just been poor use of the english language by JJ since nothing was made of it, of course that doesn't mean he definitely did get on with him!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheInspiration 1 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 It's ambiguous, but perhaps deliberately. As I see it, it's not making out he didn't get on with Souness. He's saying it's nothing to do with whether he got on with Souness, but the way he said it made out he didn't. Souness however seemed to like Jenas, but was unserstanding that he wanted to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sima Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 To be fair if i was a young player i suspect i'd imagine i could improve and progress better at a club with coaches who aren't shite!!! 30862[/snapback] I think you hit the nail on the head there, mate. We have not had a decent coach since...when ? Burkinshaw ? 30922[/snapback] Fazackerley tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 he's saying - he didn't get on with Souness, but thats not the reason he left. 30910[/snapback] If its a direct quote then that is exactly what he's saying. Because he says it was "nothing to do with the fact i didn't get on with Souness" it means that even if that's not the reason he left, he didn't get on with him. 30916[/snapback] You're both making it mean what you want it to mean. Read it for what it is - an unfortunately phrased sentence. It's clearly been put to him that he didn't get on with Souness and all he's doing is saying "No, that's not why I left. It had nothing to do with me not getting on with Souness at all". But you two believe what you want to believe. 30927[/snapback] As i said if its a direct quote then he is saying he didn't get on with Souness, if its because he's unable to use the english language properly its hard for me (somebody who can) to decipher that from here! Personally i couldn't give a shit what he is or isn't saying and i'm not believing what i want to believe. If that was the case i'd have said Souness acted like a child with him and then drove him out the club for less than he was worth, but that happened with another player entirely 30931[/snapback] ... and I don't believe what I want to believe either but I certainly agree with that ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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