THE JORDI GOMEZ INTERVIEW

Jordi was the exact player that we needed in his sole season with us. He offered flair, creativity and goals from that number ten position and linked up so well with those around him. Much is said about the negative tactics of sousa which saw us a shadow of the side creatively the previous season but losing jordi was huge. He joined Martinez at Wigan, won the fa cup and proved to be a genuine premier league player. I spoke with him in Cyprus, here is what he had to say:-

You moved to swansea from espagnol, what was your first thoughts of the club?

It was a good club, obviously there were a few spanish players there which helped me. Andrea orlandi was there and other spanish players, it was my first time out of spain but it was good. The other spanish players made it so easy to adapt, it was nice. I always say it was one of my best times. The city i liked. I liked the people and obviously the football we were playing. The philosophy suited me a lot it was perfect.

You liked the city. The weather?

The weather was not good obviously, i didn’t mind it though. It didn’t bother me, i enjoyed it. It was nice to play football in. Now i’m in Cyprus and it is too hot. In swansea, the weather was perfect for football.

How much of an influence was roberto martinez in you joining Swansea?

Of course, Roberto was there. I didn’t know a lot about it, he said he wanted me there. I didn’t think a lot about it at all. A perfect possibility for me to go to england and there was no decision to make, i wanted to go. The spanish players were there and so it was a very easy decision. Normally when you make a change then there are lots of decisions but it was incredibly easy for me. Roberto said that he wanted me to go and i went.

Did you know him beforehand?

No. Obviously i knew andrea orlandi from our time in barcelona b and it was for one year but i didn’t know roberto at that time. It was good though, really good times. 

The fans took to you instantly and especially after the goal against cardiff, what was that game like for you?

To be honest i didn’t know about the rivalry, i was not aware of it. It was the first game that i was playing from the start, i think it was anyway. At the moment i didn’t realise how important it was but after that i realised. A massive win.

Had you played in a game with that intensity before?

Before that game no. That was the best atsmosphere i had played for. The best game, it was nice, normally in these games you think about it beforehand but at that time because i didn’t know the rivalry then i didn’t think about anything before the game. I just thought that it was normal, i didn’t realise that there was anything special but afterwards then it was obvious and it was a great game, amazing atmosphere and brilliant to be a part of it.

We just missed out on the play-offs, did you want to stay?

Yes, i said it was a great year for me personally and for the team as we nearly got to the play offs. At that moment i wanted to stay, i adapted to life here in swansea but i was a player for espagnol and then the opportunity came to go to wigan with roberto but for some moments i wanted to stay there in Swansea. That what was in my mind, i just wanted to stay, i said to my family and to my agent and to everyone that i wantted to stay in swansea. It was the perfect year for me and at that moment i wanted it to continue.

There is a belief here that martinez left because the club wouldn’t pay the money to sign you, do you know anything about that?

No. I don’t know anything about that. The truth is that if roberto would have stayed then i probably would have stayed there. He called me when he was at wigan and said that he wanted me to go there. I went to wigan eventually but swansea is one of the places i enjoyed most my football. I always look back with fond memories of the club, city and that year which i had there.

As you said, martinez went to wigan and you joined him there. I assume you have no regrets as you had some great times there?

Yeah of course, i was given the opportunity to get premier league football and i could not say no. It was a good decision. I won the fa cup, 4 or 5 years in prem league and then had the chance to go to sunderland, at the time i thought it was the right time for me. It was nice to get the fa cup trophy, i never expected to win that and so it was obviously fantastic to win.

You are currently in cyprus, i’m sure the weather is amazing. What standard is the football at?

The lifestyle is very good for the family, quiet, safe place to live and the league is quite compettive, people think its here for a vavcation but it’s a good quality. 4 or 5 clubs play in europe regularly and so it is obviously not a bad league. I’m happy, enjoying my football, hopefully i will be able to play for a few more years.

Do you have plans for after football management?

At the moment, i’m just thinking about playing and after ive finished i will see how i feel. Whether i will want to be a coach or whatever i want to be. I’ll decide that once i finish, i will sit down and think and see what i want to be but at the moment i’m just enjoying playing football.

Could we see you back at swansea one day?

I don’t know. I don’t think about it. As i said, once we finish then we will see. The older i get the more intersting i have in terms of getting into coaching or managing. People asked me do i want to be a coach and i have always said no, but the older i get the more i think about it.

A massive thanks to jordi for taking his time to speak to me and for that incredible year. I remember us getting to the championship and thinking that it was going to be a step too far, survival seemed unlikely but he and the rest of the squad obviously proved otherwise. He was a huge asset that season, twelve goals from midfield, some cracking one’s and obviously that cardiff free-kick: we will always remember that!