Source: Daily_Mail
Stoke striker Kenwyne Jones making waves at the Britannia
Kenwyne Jonespeers disapprovinglyover his laptop atthe sheet of A4 onthe table next to atape recorder.[LNB] 'You can't beserious,' he says. 'All thosequestions there?' [LNB]It's clear that Jones is approachinghis first major interview since becomingStoke's record £8m signing in thesame direct, no-nonsense way heleads the attack.[LNB] Star quality: Jones is in the kind of form that once attracted interest from Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea[LNB] One that can giveBarclays Premier League defenderssleepless nights.[LNB] It has brought comparisons withDidier Drogba. A younger, less polished,Drogba perhaps, but someonewho possesses a combination of skilland raw strength that makes him, inthe words of his old Sunderlandmanager Steve Bruce and new bossTony Pulis, 'unplayable' on his day. [LNB]The 25-year-old from Point Fortinin Trinidad seems unimpressed bythe comparison. [LNB]'I've said this manytimes before and I'll probably have tocontinue saying it: there is only oneDidier Drogba and only oneKenwyne Jones. I am myself. [LNB]'Whether or not people make thecomparisons in the styles, that's notfor me to judge. I don't model myselfon anyone.' [LNB] Like for like: Jones' style has drawn comparisons with Chelsea star Didier Drogba[LNB]Still, Jones would appear to be theperfect target man for Stoke'sarsenal of set-piece plays and longthrow-ins. His headed equaliser in a2-1 win at Newcastle on Sunday, afterearlier hitting the post and bar, washis fourth in as many games.Some might call it a battering ramrole. [LNB]It is one he embraces, pittinghimself in physical combat againstopponents. A former midfielder anddefender, he loves the rough andtumble of English football, even if a challenge from Wolves' JodyCraddock on Jones' Stoke debut ledto fears he had broken his ankle. [LNB]Fortunatelyhe only missed two games.[LNB]'I could have been out for maybesix months if it was terrible, butthank God that didn't happen,' saysJones. [LNB]'No matter where you play infootball, it's a contact sport and it'sgoing to get physical. [LNB]There's nopossible way you're not going to havethe elbow in the face, a high tackle orthe knee in the back. If you're notable to rough it then you might aswell just not play. [LNB] Uh oh! Kenwyne Jones feared the worst when he limped off against Wolves [LNB]'Now more than ever you have tobe strong in football, you have to befit to be able to stand up to thesegames because it's much different tohow it was 20 years ago.[LNB]'Every position has an art form andthe game has changed from thattype of footballer, what they wouldcall a battering ram type. [LNB]STOKED TO BE AT THE BRITANNIAKenwyne Jones has had mixed fortunes since arriving in the UK. However, his summer move to Stoke has seemingly revitalised his career, with the striker scoring four goals in his last four games for the club.[LNB]Southampton 2004-2007Games: 51 Goals: 22 (43%)[LNB]Sheff Wed (loan) 2004-2005Games: 7 Goals: 7 (100%)[LNB]Stoke City (loan) 2005Games: 13 Goals: 3 (23%)[LNB]Sunderland (£6m) 2007-2010Games: 88 Goals: 28 (32%)[LNB]Stoke City(£8m) 2010-Games: 6 Goals: 4 (67%)[LNB]'It doesn't bother me. Everyone hastheir opinion but they could talkabout it until they are blue in theface, it won't change what I'm goingout there to do. [LNB]'You still have to do those bits butit's not really about that anymore. Ijust do what I can to get on top ofdefenders. Basically do my job.' [LNB]For all the plaudits Jones hasearned during a career spent wearingthe red and white stripes ofSouthampton, Sunderland and nowStoke, there remain doubts abouthis temperament, about having theheart to fulfil that potential. [LNB]A striker who only a short while agowas linked with Liverpool, Chelseaand Tottenham and valued at£40m by Bruce has made asideways move to Stoke.Jones took a cut on his £60,000-aweekwages and Sunderland agreedto fund some of the rest themselvesto get him off the books. [LNB]Bruce talkedabout him needing to 're-ignite' his career. [LNB]'I don't think I have tore-ignite anything,' says Jones. [LNB]'I justhave to get back scoring and beingwho I am, that's all. Whatever he saidis in the past, I'm on a new chapter. [LNB]'You can be the best player in theworld but sometimes you have noconfidence. You're not able to applythat or things aren't going right inyour environment. [LNB]'Everyone hastheir potential but it's still to be seenwhat I can do. I'm 26 next month,not 35, so I have my best years infront of me. Sometimes I maybe don't give theperformance I should but no-onegives it every single time. [LNB]'SometimesI give the performance and peopledon't see it. That's football. Everyonehas their opinions. [LNB] Red alert: Kenwyne Jones' performances at Sunderland alerted the Premier League's big guns[LNB]'We have a saying in Trinidad. Afterone time is a next. The fact of thematter is that circumstances didn'tallow me to be at the places I wassupposed to be 18 months ago,whatever they are. [LNB]'Those opportunities never goaway. There is always a time whenthey come around again. We'll seewhat happens. Who knows, after thisseason I could be there again. We justhave to live for today and hope fortomorrow. [LNB]'To myself I don't have a lot toprove, I have a lot to do. For a lot ofpeople I have a lot to prove but I'mnot really focussing on the otherpeople. No matter what you do in lifeyou can't please everyone. [LNB]'I'm different. I'm not British, I'mnot used to hustling and worryingabout everything that passes. If it'scold I'm not used to worrying aboutthat. At the end of the day there'snothing you can do about thatsituation, you know.' [LNB]Jones' laid-back Caribbeandemeanour at times gives way toshyness. On other occasions hecomes across as a typically confidentPremier League star.The laptop has long been cast aside(he has not yet got broadband at hisnew home so spends longer thanmost of his team-mates at Stoke'straining ground on the web) but hefiddles with his phone for long periodsinstead. [LNB] Too cool: Jones - pictured here during his days with Southampton - has a reputation for being laid-back[LNB]There is little eye contact.The long list of questions comes inhandy because it transpires thatquite a few subjects are off-limits. [LNB]Have his wife Avalon and their threechildren moved down from Durham? [LNB]'Everything is settling in fine. I like tokeep my family life private.' [LNB]Did he have to get away fromSunderland for the good of his career? [LNB]'I don't really want to answer that.' [LNB]Surely the fact he took a pay cutshows what kind of person he is andhow determined he is to succeed? [LNB]'The fact it happened says somethingtotally different but I'm notgoing to say.' [LNB]Now he's at Stoke does he have agoal target for the season? [LNB] Up and over: Jones' uncle Philbert taught his famed back-flip celebration[LNB]'I do setgoal targets but I keep it personal, sohopefully I'm on course to get there.' [LNB]We try to expand on to Jones' background:his uncle Philbert, whostarred for Trinidad & Tobago andtaught him his back-flip goal celebration;his father Pamphille, who servedin the army, a career Kenwyne wouldhave followed had he not left theisland and spent three-and-a-halfmonths trying to impress footballclubs in England and Scotland; hismother Lydia, who went away toAmerica and worked as a cleaner tosupport her five boys and four girls. [LNB]'Haven't you got all this on file?'asks Jones wearily.Yes, but maybe there's somethingnew? [LNB]'Nothing's new. It's the same asit was mate.' [LNB]He is reminded that a photographerhas been waiting more than anhour outside to take his picture infront of Stoke's impressive ClaytonWood training ground. [LNB]A £5m faceliftmakes it an impressive backdrop.The computer is back in his lap andJones listens without looking up. [LNB]So what about the photographer?'He's made a mistake.'[LNB]Interview over.[LNB] Stoke boosted by news that Ricardo Fuller didn't suffer a fracture during clash with NewcastleStoke boss Pulis hails 'unplayable' Jones after victory at NewcastleNewcastle 1 Stoke 2: Magpies knocked off their Perch by late own goal[LNB]
