Chopra - From Newcastle Journal

Was a bit mischievous yesterday and e-mailed Chop's comments on BFC to the sports editor of Newcastle Journal... and it made the back pages! ff

Chopra signs out to hunt for action
May 26 2006

By Paul Gilder, The Journal

Michael Chopra is poised to call time on his career at St James's Park after admitting that he is unlikely to sign a new contract with Newcastle.

The 22-year-old has been offered a new 12-month deal for the second successive summer, but, with Glenn Roeder determined to land a high-profile striker to partner Michael Owen next season, Chopra knows his first-team opportunities will again be limited on Tyneside.

Barnsley and Watford, both of whom have benefited from Chopra's loan services in recent times, have been linked with a player who will be a free agent when his present deal expires next month. Given his determination to find regular action, both clubs will be confident of securing his signature.

"I have been offered a new deal by Newcastle but it's only for one year," said Chopra, who last night admitted that a move to Oakwell would be attractive should the Tykes overcome Swansea in tomorrow's League One play-off final.

"I need to be playing first-team football and I think that I will find myself down the pecking order again.

"I really enjoyed my time at Barnsley and coming back to Oakwell will always be an attractive option for me. But there are other teams interested so we will have to wait and see."

Roeder is backing midfielder Scott Parker to become the club's Steven Gerrard.

The 25-year-old missed the end of last season after going down with glandular fever, and that was a huge disappointment after making his mark at St James's following his £6.5m move from Chelsea.

However, Roeder is convinced there is more to come from the England international.

"As well as Scott did in his first season - and he was terrific - people should trust me when I say he will be even better next time," he said. "I saw the response he got from the fans when he played at St James's Park last season when he was running round making tackles, displaying such effort and commitment.

"But I don't want Scott pigeon-holed as a holding midfielder. Scott Parker is not that.

"Scott has the ability to get forward and to score goals from around the penalty area. The goal he scored at Charlton last season is an example of the shooting ability he possesses, so I want to see him around the box.

"When he was at Charlton, the reason Chelsea paid so much money was because he was Charlton's driving force, a bit like Steven Gerrard is at Liverpool.

"If Scott Parker played well, then Charlton played well. I saw them a lot in Scott's last season at Charlton and he was their Steven Gerrard, the one driving them on. He's a player who commands huge respect in the dressing room.

"He's an intelligent lad and that makes him a potential leader."

Parker, who captained the side in Alan Shearer's absence last season before Shay Given was handed the armband, has returned to light training after his enforced lay-off, and hopes to be well on the way to full fitness when his team-mates return ahead of their Intertoto Cup campaign on June 28.

 

if Watford are interested...............

we've no chance-Prem  v Championship wages plus the chance to play against Newcastle

 

They WERE interested..

when they were in the Championship. Not sure they would be now.