Jose Enrique declares NUFC will do more than survive

Jul 3 2010 by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle

JOSE ENRIQUE will continue to “look up” next season when it comes to life in the Premier League.

Already many pundits feel that Newcastle United will be facing a scrap for survival.

But the Spanish ace – who arrived at St James’ Park three years ago with Champions League ambitions after starring in the competition for Villareal – doesn’t believe such a negative outlook exists within the United camp.

The L6m defender returns to Tyneside this weekend after his summer break following a tour of the United States and he is delighted to be classed as a Premier League player once again.

He told the Chronicle: “Anything is possible in the Premier League, but staying in it is the most important.

“But I always look up. I did in the Championship because I wanted to get promoted, and I will continue to do it next season.

“It is not like Spain where you have four or five good teams – here you have 10 or 11 good teams with good squads.

“We need to be able to compete with them.

“I’m sure if we show the same type of endeavour as we did last season we can gain a respectable finish in the Premier League.”

Just 12 months ago Enrique was hotly tipped to quit United and make a return to his native Spain.

But the reality was that the Valencia-born left-back was one of the first to nail his colours to the mast and reveal his will to fight on for the black-and-white cause.

He subsequently turned in a series of fantastic displays in the Championship after which he was many fans’ vote for player of the season, with the entire home crowd on their feet after his first goal for the club against Nottingham Forest in one of the highlights of the campaign.

Enrique has no regrets. He said: “I think it was scary at times last season for some teams that came to play us – it can be like that again this season.

“You get grounds like Old Trafford and they are full all of the time, and we are similar. But to get it in the Championship shows what great supporters we have here.

“I've said it before but we have the best fans in Europe.”

Enrique’s influence proved key for Newcastle last season and it also means that there will be possible reunions with those who jumped ship last term in Habib Beye, Michael Owen, Seb Bassong and Damien Duff.

Enrique said: “I hope we play against the players who left and we win! They know it’s a great city and we have great fans.

“But we’ll be looking to beat them now we’re back in the Premier League.”