Chopra is so happy to be out of Toon

14 April 2012

The tale of Michael Chopra fits the image of Newcastle United as a club whose hierarchy are set so high on stilts that core values have been lost, to the detriment of the working man.

The 22-year-old striker is the scorer the Toon Army have been craving, yet he was ignored by United because he cost the club nothing.

Instead, millions of pounds were handed over for forwards who have turned out to be either crocks or duds.

Even Newcastle legend Alan Shearer advised him to seek fame and fortune elsewhere. Yet, while leaving the club was bitter-sweet, Chopra has rediscovered joy in his football.

His smile has returned and his goals have helped Cardiff City to the top of the Championship.

The Tyne has been swapped for the Taff, the Toon Army for the Welsh Dragon, and the engaging Chopra could not be happier.

Honest and lucid in his thoughts, Cardiff's £500,000 summer capture delivers words with the same calmness and precision he has shown in front of goal this season.

Despite success in loan spells at Watford and Barnsley, where he scored a combined 22 goals in 44 League appearances, the opportunity he wanted most just would not be granted.

Chopra said: "I'm a Geordie. I was brought up in Newcastle and I didn't want to leave the club I supported as a boy. But I had to do it for football reasons.

"I was 22 and to be training from Monday to Friday and then looking ahead to a Saturday knowing that I wouldn't be playing was hard for me. I was desperate to get out. I was asking the manager all last season if I could go on loan and he wouldn't let me because of injuries.

"No disrespect to Shola Ameobi, because I like Shola, but he was playing and he kept on getting picked.

"I thought 'maybe I should be given a run in the team'. If I had, and had as many games as Shola has had, I think I'd have scored a lot of goals because I've got a lot of belief in my ability. But it wasn't to be and I had to move on. Hopefully, I've moved on for the better."

Chopra has embraced Cardiff City the vision. Under manager Dave Jones and new chairman Peter Ridsdale, that vision is of a Premiership club in a new stadium by the end of 2008.

Chopra added: "When I first met the manager and Peter, they told me their plans and the players they were bringing in. They haven't gone against that. They went out and signed those players.

"They told me the stadium would be up and running and that's going to start this month. The manager has always said the future of Cardiff is bright and it's certainly going that way. Everyone gets on well. We play for each other and we want to win. That shows in our league position.

"Going back to Newcastle after my time at Watford and Barnsley was like taking a step back because I wasn't playing.

"I feel just like the 18-year-old kid who made his debut. I'm playing with a smile on my face. I'm really enjoying myself, loving every minute, and I think the fans can see that.

"You can definitely see the Premiership potential here, especially within the supporters. They're a bit like the Newcastle fans - really passionate for their football and, no matter whether the team are winning or losing, you're guaranteed to get them turning up.

"A lot more people are starting to take notice of Cardiff because of the way we're playing. A bit like Newcastle under Kevin Keegan when they were called 'The Entertainers'. We've got that mentality. We like to put on a show and impress people."

Chopra was taken to St James' Park as a boy by dad Minty, whose Asian roots his son has embraced into his Geordie take on life.

"My dad's probably the biggest Geordie you could get, even though he's Asian. He has always supported Newcastle. He loves the city. I see myself as a role model for all young players, not just Asian players.

"I'd love to go back to Newcastle in the future. But I'd want to go back as the main striker after I've proved myself at other clubs.

"Then again, Newcastle might go out and buy other players. It's a club who always spend £10m, £15m on strikers and never give the youth players a chance."

There has only been one blot on Chopra's Cardiff landscape - a one-match ban for five bookings - and he even sees a silver lining in that: "I've had some stick off the lads for getting five yellows.

"In a way, though, I was pleased to get them out of the way. Otherwise, I might have been banned from the Sunderland game next Tuesday. Being a Geordie, you'd like to get stuck into the Sunderland players."

You can take the Geordie boy out of Newcastle, but you can't take Newcastle out of the Geordie boy.

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