Pre Hammers: Coloccini

In a rare interview, Fabricio Coloccini has come out and put a refreshingly positive spin on life in Newcastle, contrasting sharply with the poison currently being spouting by a French Under 21 international. Our record signing for a defender said:

"I`ve not had anything go wrong, my joints are strong and physically I feel ok, even though I have played so many games. But you have to have luck. The club have not had much luck with injuries, there are so many players missing. I have never known anything like it before, but I have been lucky not to be injured.

It was the same in Spain with Deportivo La Coruña last season, I played in every game and it is something I am proud of. I hope it continues, I would be very happy if we got to the end of the season and I could still say I`ve played in every minute of every game.

Physically, English football is not a problem for me, but I am still learning. I am learning something in every game, it is all new to me, but I love it here. For me, the Premier League is the best league in the world and it was a dream come true to play in England. I don`t feel any differently about that, even though the team has not done as well as we expected.

Our biggest problem has been injuries, we have never had our best team on the pitch and we have a small squad. I hope that changes this month, but that is not up to me. I am very happy at Newcastle I want to be here for as long as I have a contract. Yes, it is different living here than in Argentina or Spain, it is very cold, but that is not a problem. I am happy at the club and my family are happy living in the city. That is the most important thing for me as a football player. If they are happy then so am I.

I`m not an inexperienced player, but I`m adapting to a new style of football and I`ve only been here for a few months. I believe I will be better in the second half of the season than the first because I am getting used to it.

The Liverpool game was very tough for me as a defender and the team. I wasn`t happy after that game with the way I had played, but we did not concede at Hull and that was important for us and me. This is a new experience for me, but it is a good one. I have no regrets about coming here, I am fine. This is my first year and it is for learning about how I can be better."

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.