Lolo's latest offering from April 15, 2002

On Saturday you were losing 2-0 at Derby but managed to turn the game around by the end of the match and win 3-2. How did you turn things around? We weren't far away from a catastrophe, but despite that we had had things under control. We whould already have scored well before that. Two defensive errors cost us dear as we conceded two goals. In any case, after I scored the first goal from a free kick, everything started happening. We scored the equaliser just a few minutes later.

So it was your goal that got things going. Yes, I think so. After my goal all the team was very motivated and we did everything to get the three points.

Tell us about your free kick. I took it on the left side, from a very acute angle, at about 30 metres. The goalkeeper didn't think that I would be able to knock it in from there. He thought I'd put a cross in. Finally, I put it right on the button. Other than that, I hit the woodwork twice. One in the first half on a shot from 30 metres that somehow the goalkeeper managed to turn onto the bar. I'm not sure how he managed it. For the second one I cut inside onto my right foot and shot from 20 metres. I thought I'd put it in but it cannoned back off the bar. That was too bad. Otherwise, I had another shot that was just wide of the target.

Were you involved in the other two goals. Not really. For the second goal I was involved early on in the movement, but not at the end. It started on the left side before passing over to the right.

This victory puts you on the right track for getting fourth place? With a match in hand on Chelsea and Leeds we are well placed. But there is still everything left to do. We're going to do all we can to finish fourth.

What is your programme this week. This morning we had training. There is no training on Wednesday, but otherwise we'll train every day this week. This weekend we play Charlton at St James Park.

Craig Bellamy was voted young player of the year in England. Have you congratulated him? Of course, I congratulated him at training. He has had a great season, despite his injury, and he has done lots of good things for us on the field. Unlike some supporters in Barcelona, I never doubted his ability.

The player of the year is Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Do you agree with this? He is a very good player, and it was the right decision. In his first year in England he has had a great season. At one stage he scored eight or nine games in a row. That's amazing. It's unlucky for Robert Pires who would also have deserved it if he'd been selected.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Answers

I think his comments about starting the revival are accurate. And he doesn't take credit for the other goals.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Unlike some supporters in Barcelona, I never doubted his ability.
Careful Kiwi - they'll quote that verbatim in the Ronnie.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

No Dan, it's true, so they won't publish it ;-)

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Thanks for the translation Kiwi. Perhaps if you do the next one you could slip a red herring in there for Chronicle consumption - it would be hilarious to see it get published. :-)

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002