The French Hairdresser reveals the depth of his angst in a mackem fanzine, according to tonight's Ronnie. The following is an extract from the article:

Perez admits that Peter Reid's refusal to give him the contract he wanted on Wearside affected him deeply following his transfer - but just how deeply was never apparent until the 'Sex & Chocolates' interview.
I quote: "From the first day I knew it wasn't a good move for me because I thought it would be easy to be introduced into the team, but it wasn't.
It was my fault, I was so disappointed to leave Sunderland that I didn't want to play for Newcastle. All the time I was thinking 'Why didn't he [Reid] give me a contract?' It really affected me and I was still upset when I started to play with Newcastle.
I wasn't very good even in training. I'd arrive already feeling tired and I really didn't enjoy it. When you wake up and you feel miserable you are not good and I wasn't good, and day after day I was bad and bad and bad and more bad and played badly, badly, badly.
I just played in the reserve team. I played very, very badly game after game. I was poor and poor and poor and poor because I wasn't very happy.
I felt the players didn't like me, I didn't like them, I didn't feel comfortable in the club and the team but it wasn't their fault, it was my fault, because I wasn't good."
Ah, happy days . . .

Have you ever read such pathetic, undiluted gob-rot from a so-called professional footballer, earning extremely good money for two whole seasons - presumably as recompense for feeling sorry for himself.

What a total, utter waste of space. At least he's under no delusions over what a large pile of dung he truly was. Tosser!

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2001

Answers

Yes, Clarky. Not one of our better acquisitions. Un(e) grand(e) Tosseur(se), je pense.

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2001

You'd think with all that money, and extra time on his hands, he could have found a shrink to work through his problems.

Or is this further evidence of something being discussed on another thread.........

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2001

Ben and I went to see it's only a pre-season friendly at Livingston a couple of years ago (Ben was 7), Perez was hopeless, maybe the worst performance I'd ever seen from a Newcastle goalie.

Two nights later we were at Tannadice for the next rendition of it's only a pre-season friendly and Ben looked as though he was about to cry when the team was announced and Perez was in goal. I think the upset was that Ben had his goalie strip on and clearly should have been picked rather than Lenny.

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2001