Coloccini Commits to Newcastle as he Targets European Glory

Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini has taken a dramatic U-turn by insistsing that he has worked through his problems and is now fully focused on Premier League survival and helping the club achieve European glory.

Speculation regarding the Argentinian's future at Tyneside erupted when a letter posted on San Lorenzo's official website portrayed an unhappy player devastated that a transfer had fallen through.

However, in an interview with the Newcastle Chronicle, Coloccini has now expressed his commitment to the club as well as his admiration for the fans and the manager.

"Everytime I go on the pitch I try to say thank you, I try to give them [the fans] the best performance. That's the way players can say thank you to the fan," said Coloccini.

"In the last few days the newspapers picked up a letter I wrote, the letter is true but the meaning of it is different once translated to English from Spanish.

"I never said that I wanted to go back to San Lorenzo, I never spoke to any team, the only reason to back to Argentina would have been personal problems.

"I'd like to say to the supporters of Newcastle United Football Club that I want to stay here and I thank them for supporting me."

Despite finding themselves in a relegation scrap this season, the club captain admits the dream of European glory is still alive, though the main focus is still to secure 45 points and avoid relegation.

"We have to be ready and realistic, we have to play for 45 points and then see what happens in the future.

"We're playing in the Europa League and that's important as well, when I arrived here I said I would like to play in the Champions League- people said I was I crazy.

"Now we're in the Europa League so we aren't far away, maybe this year hasn't gone like we wanted or expected, but that can happen," Coloccini said.

Newcastle today travel to Aston Villa for a vital game at the bottom of the Premier League, looking to maintain their good record against the Villains who have only won once in the last five meetings between the two teams.