I’ve tried many times to get interviews with both current and former NUFC players, although unfortunately it’s never quite come off.
Until today that is, and would you believe that I didn’t even have to ask anyone to participate. Instead, former Toon favourite Laurent Robert contacted us via our Twitter page and asked us if we would like to do an interview with him. Now Robert is quite the favourite, a modern day legend in fact who spent five years with us and helped to propel us to the heady heights of the Champions League. I was hardly going to say no was I?
So in an NUFC Blog exclusive, here is what I asked Laurent, and below them are his replies.
Who was the best player you played with at NUFC?
There are a few from my time with Newcastle. Alan Shearer obviously but Warren Barton was also another player who was really good. Really under-rated.
What was the best moment of your NUFC career?
Scoring my first goal for the club and walking out to hear all of you singing! When the fans are shouting and singing it’s the best place to play your football.
Do you have any regrets about your time at Newcastle?
No not at all. Great city. Great fans, Great club that deserves any success it gets in the future. Obviously a cup would have been great but it never came off for us.
What happened between you and Graeme Souness? He isn’t very well liked at Newcastle anyway so you won’t offend anyone by telling us if it was his fault.
I’m not going to say much about it as it’s in the past now. Lets just say that it really did not work out at the time.
Are you still in touch with any of your old Newcastle team-mates?
Of course. Warren Barton is the main one. I speak to him daily on Twitter.
You were linked with a return to Newcastle not so long back, how close was it to happening?
It was 50-50. I was so happy at the thought of coming back but unfortunately nothing really happened in the end. I was upset it didn’t work out but the rumours of me coming back were true.
How do you think the club is doing at the moment?
Newcastle is a great club will always be in my heart. I really like Joey Barton, I think he’s great! I think they have done well in this last season but the bottom half of the table is not where Newcastle should be forever.
We’ve been linked with a lot of players from the French league already like Kevin Gamiero, Yohan Cabaye, Cheikh M’Bengue aswell as players like Gervinho who play in Ligue 1. Do you know much about them? Would any of them be good signings for Newcastle?
I know bits about them. They are really good players who can do well in the Premier League if they get the chance.
What have you been up to since you left Larissa?
I’ve been keeping myself in shape and have done some training with my old club PSG.
Any plans to get back into football? Management? Coaching? Maybe you could teach Wayne Routledge how to cross a ball?
I really want to play again some time but I think I’m getting to old. I had a call from a club today in England so I’ll see what happens with that. Maybe I’ll be back.
And some fun ones……
My mother is a big fan of yours and she would like to know if there is a Mrs Robert on the scene at the moment?
I think I’ll keep that one to myself!
If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
To run on to St James’ Park and score again.
And finally, can we now officially call you a friend of NUFCblog.co.uk?
Yes of course. You’re very welcome.
Top bloke is Laurent Robert!
As I said earlier, Laurent hooked us up on Twitter which obviously means that he is on Twitter himself. He is not one of these people that just chats **** and doesn’t care what anyone says and if you ask him a question he will speak with you. I’ve done it often enough, as have many others and it’s plain to see from his replies that he still loves Newcastle. So if you’re not following him already then why not follow him @LRobertOfficial.
Thank you Laurent!
About toonsy
A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.
Top job Toonsy! And Robert is pure legend. 😎
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
Nice one Toonsy – great player – we could do with one or two like him.
3hourswasted(Quote)
Well in Toonsy,
Top bloke Robert and pure toon magic!
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Brilliant interview. Well done Toonsy! Really enjoyed it. Robert is class!
CTMag(Quote)
Well done Toonsy. Classy Robert.
mithun_toon(Quote)
Get in!
Moreno(Quote)
robert is not only a legend sounds like a true gent as well nice 1 toonsy thats class shame a few more ex players r not like that
pavel is a geordie(Quote)
Get in there Toonsy Lad its not often you can get a word never mind an interview with a Toon Hero 😉
and from reading this thread and his Twitter its clear that he is a decent down to earth guy, that has time for his Fans a very rare thing in this day and age.
Laurent thanks for the good times
Big Dave(Quote)
top bloke wish he had more followers on twitter 😥
batty(Quote)
some 😆 😆 1 on twitter thinks we just signed menez from as roma to , i get u the lead shortly
pavel is a geordie(Quote)
he a right winger and has ment to signed a 4 year contract 😯 😯 😯
pavel is a geordie(Quote)
Woohoo! Robert-absolute legend. I bet he was dying to say himself for the first question 😀
Anyone else think Hpool should sign him up in the summer? Solano and Robert in midfield, they’d coast to promotion like 😀
Newkie(Quote)
Hi lads, just wondering if that’s really him?
Bernard has twitter and he once said that that isn’t Robert’s real twitter.
http://twitter.com/#!/seedorf77
Anyway, one of my favourite players along with Nobby Solano. Love that left foot of his!
Asyraf(Quote)
its ment to be in the sunday sun in the morning
pavel is a geordie(Quote)
fkin go on toonsy lad,well done m8..
laurents free kick against the bindippers a reet peach..
hitman(Quote)
this puts other toon blogs to shame 😉
hitman(Quote)
Well he is a true Toon Legend and i would love him to come back here in some sort of Coaching capacity , Skills trainer and mentor /translator for all the french speaking members of the club maybe 😀
Axel(Quote)
To be fair to him for the first time ever,
Gary Neville is actually talking a lot of sense 😕
Moreno(Quote)
Joey Barton just tweeted “soccer is the winner”
Anyone else think that’s odd???
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Not to mention that for a guy new to twitter he seems old pro at it…
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Surprisinglt the Sky pundits coming across very well indeed.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sorry not soccer…………fuseball. Does it matter? You all know what i meant. So politically correct on here………….ha ha
That’s not him…
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah
Hey hey hey
Cabaye
Howay ManUre! Beat Barca, make La Liga look bad, and sway Kevin Gameiro’s opinion towards England!
OHurley(Quote)
OH LMAO
Maybe we can sing that in Columbus 😉
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Jersey-saw that, weird isn’t it…but isn’t this the one steve wraith said was official? I’m sure he’d lie, but simmo as well? unless wraith lied to him..in which case all that about what Barton said about the club 😕
also-OHurley, no chance, want Barca to destroy the manure c*nts… 😀 although if it did help us get gameiro… 😎
Newkie(Quote)
Asyraf – glad you mentioned that as I thought the same myself, so I did do some digging before I published and just gleaned from what he was saying, the way he was speaking even down to his up location that I’m happy enough its him 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
So has the Cabaye deal be finalised and @pavel you got that link about Menez? Will we have to wait a while for this deal to be confirmed
Goose(Quote)
Cwarr says it’s him. 100%
Baffles me why he’d say soccer tho…
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Jersey-
Man I hope so lol!! Who’d have thought a song for a Newcastle player would have originated in the US hehe
OHurley(Quote)
Cwarr could be lying about everythign tho 😛
Newkie(Quote)
newkie – like pardew you mean? 😀
toonsy(Quote)
Anyone seen anything more about the Barton to Villa stuff from last night then?
funkyjesus(Quote)
man u r getting battered
pavel is a geordie(Quote)
barca warming up…are what a shame 😆
hitman(Quote)
@pavel have you got that twitter like about jeremy menez?
Goose(Quote)
*i meant link
Goose(Quote)
Has there ever been a possession stat 99%-1%?
This is funny!
Stuart79(Quote)
@stevewraith Steve, can you help me out with a RT? Got an exclusive interview with @LRobertOfficial at http://www.nufcblog.co.uk
Steve Wraith gave us a retweet 😉
Moreno(Quote)
GET IN ROONEY SON!
Moreno(Quote)
Moreno, can I put the dogs away now? 😉
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Toonsy 😀 think you mean Pardwho mate, Pardwho oot!
Newkie(Quote)
Someone was offside in the build up to that goal.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Think giggs was just on actually funky..shame, wanted barca to slaughter em 🙁
Newkie(Quote)
JG,
You might have to mate, we will wait in the shadows and watch 😉
Moreno(Quote)
I thought you were offside if any part of the body that can play the ball was ahead? Half of Giggs torso was ahead of the defence.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Toonsy-
Great interview btw. Thats awesome that LR contacted YOU to do the interview. Great read and I hope we can see more!!
OHurley(Quote)
To be fair I only saw it the once so maybe when they show another replay I’ll see it, but the bodies were virtually level, if I was the linesman I doubt i could have called it..so marginal, they get given all the time
Newkie(Quote)
I guess. It makes the game more interesting as a neutral anyway.
funkyjesus(Quote)
FJ – grasping at straws or what.
Just admit it was a good goal ffs
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Aye, was a brilliant Barca goal from manure 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Well, no, not really. If a guy is offside, then its offside. Opinion of the team doesn’t change the facts but nevermind.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Mascherano at CB though 😕 I’d rather have Staylor! Puyol must be a massive miss for them, but they still got La Liga easy without him..need him for the big games like this though
Newkie(Quote)
jersey geordie if Barton has tweeted that then he is on his way to Hamburg Fusebol is the German word for Football .
Axel(Quote)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=215787858445640&set=pu.119415838082843&type=1&theater
Brilliant
Moreno(Quote)
lmao, Tiote is classic in that.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Moreno 😀
Newkie(Quote)
Fookin Man U equalised against the run of play…they are getting battered by Barca…
Hope Barca cuff ’em… 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Berbatov isn’t even in the match squad and isn’t sat with the team at touchline?
I guess he’s off in the summer then.
funkyjesus(Quote)
beautiful strike
Newkie(Quote)
This Man Utd team really do baffle me. They can do this well against Barcelona, destroy the Schalke team that obliterated Inter Milan and then consistantly struggle with the likes of West Brom, Blackpool, etc. in the league when away from home.
They seem to have a complicent attitude about them similar to what we have. Play the big games yet almost expect to win against certain opponents and then slip up.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Funky-can say that about half the teams in the league though-Wolves beating manure chhelski lpool etc..arsenal losing to west brom, drawing against us and then beating Barcelona…..and what a bloody goal!
Newkie(Quote)
My god… That is just class
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Villa was 1mil cheaper than Carroll, now that’s the funny thing 😀
Newkie(Quote)
Toonsy …..just a thought but do you reckon you could ask Laurent to get you an interview with Warren BArton ❓ ….seems a top bloke, talks sense and would be good to hear his view on the toon @ the mo, being a footy pundit an’all 🙄 😎
geordieqatar(Quote)
……top interview by the way …..good job fella 🙂 top blog
geordieqatar(Quote)
geordiequatar@64…good point mate, Warren Barton “centre parting” would probably have a load of interesting stuff to say about the toon….get on the case toonsy !! 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
I reckon him being a pundit rules him out. He’ll be contracted to not do stuff like that. It’s like when I asked for a player for an interview, a fully screened interview, I got told that the players will only do their contracted media work and nothing more 🙁
toonsy(Quote)
Well done on the interview Toonsy. Always liked Robert, classy player and seems a good bloke
Geordie Deb(Quote)