Jermaine Jenas makes ridiculous claim as he suggests just why he struggled to live in Newcastle

Former NUFC midfield and current pundit Jermaine Jenas has opened up about the culture shock he faced when he arrived in Newcastle as an 18-year old, but his reasoning was a little hard to sympathise with – stating that the lack of Afro-Caribbean barbers made it difficult for him to get his hair cut!

Speaking about how Harry Kane may struggle if he made a move to the Spanish capital and Real Madrid, Jenas touched on his struggles to settle in Newcastle after being signed by Sir Bobby Robson in 2002, opening up about some of the rather obscure ‘little things’ he found it difficult to adjust to.

Here’s what he had to say when talking to BBC Sport:

“I got dragged out of Nottingham when I was 18 and got sent to Newcastle, which was a culture shock for me at the time.

“There were not many black people in Newcastle at the time so even just small things like being able to get my hair cut, there was no Afro-Caribbean barber shop in Newcastle, so I had to go back down to Nottingham to get my hair cut.

“It is little things like that, the comfort things that you go to, are gone, and you have to find a way to adjust.”

Forget his issues with hair-cuts, his wording in the first line is strange enough. ‘Dragged out of Nottingham’ and ‘sent to Newcastle’.

Am I missing something here Jermaine? You weren’t being punished, you were probably having your salary trebled and were given the chance to swap a Championship club for one playing at the top end of the Premier League, in the Champions League and managed by the great Sir Bobby Robson!

Maybe a poor turn of phrase and bad example regarding the lack of barbers providing the biggest ‘culture shock’, but either way, Jenas’ comments are a little befuddling here.

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About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

One thought on “Jermaine Jenas makes ridiculous claim as he suggests just why he struggled to live in Newcastle

  1. Listen we all understand what he’s saying, except those who still believe life hasn’t changed since the late 20th. century

    Newcastle, almost three hundred miles from the capital, with possibly the worst weather in England?

    What do they have to offer? a reasonably attractive county, (mostly all owned by the Duke of N’ Land) and an area where most players live, within easy reach of the airport, plus a somewhat depressed post deindustrialized city center, with a history of alcoholism and a party town.
    Not exactly the best form of environment for young athletes from area’s
    with a lot more to offer, who at a later time, may decide to be critical of the lifestyle then.
    A different era…………

      (Quote)

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