I WILL NEVER FORGET THE TOON
MERINO STILL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY AND FANS WHO CAPTURED HIS HEART
MIKEL Merino will never forget the day he first heard that chant – “He comes from Spain and he’s f ****** class. In fact he’s better than Fabregas. That’s Merino!”.
It takes some players years to earn that kind of individual tribute at St James’ Park, but the Geordies immediately adopted the Spaniard as one of their own.
So much so, that when Merino was walking down the Quayside with his mother a few days after his move from Borussia Dortmund, locals were quick to seek him out and shake his hand.
There were a lot of twists and turns to come and Merino’s initial loan move was made permanent, with one catch: his five-year contract included a modest release clause. That was duly activated by Real Sociedad last summer.
But leaving the North East behind was never going to be easy – even if the 22-year-old had the chance to return home to the Basque country.
“Once I made the decision Rafa called me. We were not talking for too long but he wished me the best,” Merino told The Chronicle.
“I did the same and I still try to follow all the matches that Newcastle play. I’m still a Newcastle fan. I think I will always be one.
“It was tough. It was not an easy decision for me. I miss a lot of things from Newcastle and the way they treated me was pretty awesome because I felt almost like I was at home. The city was really beautiful and the people there showed me a lot of love. Not only the league and the football but the culture and everything.
“I was living there with a friend and we both miss it a little bit because they are experiences that maybe you don’t live again in the same way. This time was really special.”
Benitez played an influential role in Merino’s decision to leave Dortmund for Newcastle and a long-standing relationship with the player’s father, Angel, proved crucial to getting the deal over the line.
Merino was that intelligent No6 Benitez had wanted for some time and the Newcastle manager did not shy away from talking up those comparisons with another Basque, Xabi Alonso. So what was it like working with his compatriot?
“It was great to have a Spanish manager who has made such a big impact in the game and in England with the fans,” Merino said. “I learned a lot of things: what I need to do and what I don’t have to do on the
pitch. That helped me a lot. Not only him but all my team-mates and, of course, in the league, every single match was special and you could learn something different from every training session.
“I think that Rafa’s a very constant coach. He always knows what he has to do. He’s always on top of the players. He’s always taking care of every single detail with every single player. It doesn’t matter whether you are the goalkeeper or the striker, he’s always taking care of you and that’s what makes him a great coach for me.” Merino was initially one of the first names on Benitez’s team sheet – starting six of the first seven games of the season – before suffering a back injury which he admits came at “the worst moment”. Although the midfielder was only sidelined for a month, basic movements – turning, sprinting, jumping – were suddenly more difficult.
Merino looked a different player when he returned and struggled to regain his place after Jonjo Shelvey and Mo Diame established a tight partnership in midfield.
Given his lack of game time, Merino was repeatedly linked with a move back to his homeland, and Sociedad activated his £10.5m release clause in July.
Merino has since become a regular in San Sebastian – even winning a penalty in Sociedad’s shock win at Real Madrid last month – but he’s not forgotten life at St James’ Park.
Indeed, the Spaniard’s one and only goal in black and white, a late winner against Crystal Palace at St James’ Park, still gives him goosebumps. “I remember running back to our own half because we had to start the match again, and listening to the whole stadium singing my song was amazing and I couldn’t help but smile a little bit because it is a memory that I will always remember,” he said.
I miss a lot of things from Newcastle and the way they treated me was pretty awesome Mikel Merino