Chopra hits back at jibe

Striker admits he made wrong choice in derby

Last updated: 10th February 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Chopra hits back at jibe

Chopra: Denies shooting claim

It's absolutely nonsense to suggest that I didn't want to shoot against Newcastle.

Chopra
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Cardiff City's on-loan striker Michael Chopra has hit back at suggestions he did not want to score against former club Newcastle.

The ex-Magpie marksman had a late chance to score the winner in the Tyne-Wear derby recently, but opted to try and pick out strike partner Kenwyne Jones.

The poor play in the final third cost Chopra his Black Cats place as he was loaned back to Cardiff after, with David Healy being promoted to the bench.

Chopra admits he made the wrong option in not shooting, but insists his decision-making had nothing to do with the fact that Sunderland were playing Newcastle.

No point to prove

"I haven't got a point to prove to anybody," he told the South Wales Echo. "I have read a lot about the Newcastle game and comments by a certain Gary Rowell.

"He knocked me for not shooting, and at the end of the day, I took a wrong option. You can't win.

"But in a previous game, the same thing happened and we scored, so the guy should shut his month because he doesn't know what he's talking about.

"Last season, my six goals earned Sunderland 13 points, so his point really doesn't hold any water. It's absolutely nonsense to suggest that I didn't want to shoot against Newcastle.

"I made my mind up early and that was it. On another day, I might have hit the ball first time and scored; I might have missed and people would have said I should have squared the ball."