Jose Enrique goes in goal

The popular Spaniard may have been best known as a left- back, but he endured a bizarre return to St James’ Park with Liverpool

How did your move to Newcastle happen?

In 2007, Newcastle were the only team keen to sign me until I boarded a flight to England. Then Manchester City called and I told them Newcastle were a bigger club, who’d already put a deal on the table, so I was going there.

Did you find it difficult adjusting to life at Newcastle after leaving Spain?

Sam Allardyce liked old school football, so it was hard for me to break into the first team because I didn’t know how to play that way. When Kevin Keegan took over, it was a good change for me, but he didn’t want me in the team either. I understood, as I hadn’t started particularly well in England, but when Kevin left I began to flourish.

You had a great relationship with Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez. How crucial were they for you at Newcastle?

We would have asados [ Argentine barbecues] – Coloccini always cooked for us and he was very good. On the pitch, Coloccini played next to me as a centre- back and Jonas was on the left wing in front of me, so we spoke to each other. There weren’t many Spanish speakers in the Premier League at that time, so when they arrived it was a relief for me.

Your second season at Newcastle was a bit mad and the club were relegated...

It was good that I couldn’t speak English too well that season! I have a big personality and would have reacted differently if I understood

more. The dressing room was very good, but we couldn’t click on the pitch and the blame lies with us as players. Changing the manager so much didn’t really help. When Joe Kinnear arrived, people said he hadn’t been a coach for a few years. You think, ‘ Wow, you want us to stay in the Premier League, and you bring in a guy who hasn’t managed in four years?’

How did you find Alan Shearer as a boss when he came in at the end of the season?

He was a top bloke. The problem he had was he loved Newcastle so much that he wanted to change many things in very little time. He could have done well as a manager for us – when he took charge the team was already broken and even then, we nearly stayed up.

You decided to stay and help Newcastle go back up. Was that a hard decision?

Any player who says they didn’t think about leaving when we were relegated is lying, but it was our mistake. I’ll always remember the last game at Aston Villa, when the fans were clapping us at full- time. I thought, ‘ Wow, this is amazing’. I wanted to stay for those people.

Was it a shock to see Alan Pardew replace Chris Hughton not long after promotion?

Chris believed in me the most and is a good friend. He was loved in the dressing room and it felt like the club were repeating what they did before relegation, changing the manager for someone who wasn’t a big name. You just think, ‘ Why change?’ If it was Jose Mourinho, you’d understand it, but Chris was doing fine. Alan treated me well at Newcastle, though.

Do you regret your tweets slating the club and their transfer policy before you left?

A lot of fans said I was right! But at the time, it was a mistake. I was mad because the club were selling players. It hurt me because I had four years there, I loved it, I loved St James’ Park and I loved all the Geordies. Even though I was leaving for Liverpool, I was saying, ‘ You shouldn’t do that to this team’.

At your two English clubs, you had to learn Geordie and Scouse. Could you figure out what people were saying?

The most difficult accents in England… I still don’t understand either! [ Laughs] It could be tough at Newcastle with Andy Carroll [ below] and it was similar at Liverpool, but I love the Geordies and Scousers and I’m lucky to have played for two of the biggest clubs in England.

On your first return to St James’ Park with Liverpool, you ended up in goal. What are your memories of that bizarre game?

It was crazy. I said I’d left Newcastle to sign for a top- six team, but at the time Newcastle were sixth and Liverpool were seventh – the fans soon reminded me! Pepe Reina got sent off and Kenny Dalglish told me to go in goal. It’s a good memory now, as even though the fans were laughing at me, you could see their love. The whole stadium sang, “Jose Enrique, we’re in the top six!” and I kept the shirt and gloves. I’ll always remember that moment.

Why did Liverpool improve so much under Brendan Rodgers?

People forget how good Kenny was – we won the League Cup [ below] and got to an FA Cup final with him. But then Brendan came from Swansea and loved to play the Spanish way. His training sessions were great – they were different every day, and hard. He’s done well at Leicester and will manage a big club again.

What was it like being out injured during Liverpool’s dramatic 2013- 14 title battle?

It was a nightmare. I feel I could have helped the team a bit, but Jon Flanagan came in and did well. Not being involved was painful, but if we’d won the league I wouldn’t have cared because I’d still have been part of it.

How dispiriting was it that injuries limited your last three campaigns with the club?

Jurgen Klopp was honest with me from the start – I’ll always respect that. He said, “Jose, I’ve heard some amazing things about you, but I can’t have a player who trains once and needs two days off.” The way he plays is very intense, and you need to be really fit. He gave me the captaincy against Exeter before I left and I kept the armband. It’s a great memory.

Why didn’t you ever play for Spain?

I deserved a chance. I did well at Newcastle and Liverpool, but Vicente del Bosque never came to watch me. If you give me a chance and I don’t play well, I get it, but I deserved an opportunity. Del Bosque won the World Cup and Euros, though, so what can you say?

In 2018, you were diagnosed with a brain tumour. How hard was the battle to beat it?

I was shocked, so I spoke to Jonas Gutierrez, who’d had chemotherapy [ to beat testicular cancer]. Side- effect wise, mine was all right – chemo makes your body struggle in a worse way. Thankfully, I’m still here and I’m happy.

How did it feel to hear you were all clear?

Great. Everyone was nervous, but my family and partner were brilliant. We moved to Paris for the treatment, and apart from attending the appointments it was lovely – we miss it.

Did it give you a new perspective on life?

It makes you appreciate life even more. I still have check- ups and nod off on the machine – I don’t expect anything to come back. If it does I’ll think about it then, but not right now. These things happen to many people across the world, and they can make you stronger.