Exclusive: Steve Finnan On Espanyol, Relegation And Playing Again

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Sanchez Llibre, Finnan, Espanyol (Marca)

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Steve Finnan believes that Espanyol are good enough to stay up this season and hopes that he can stay injury free and help the side to find the results that they need.

The Republic of Ireland international has had to watch the majority of the Blanc i Blau's games from the sidelines since joining from Liverpool after a run of injuries has limited his chances of playing this term.

With Mauricio Pochettino replacing Mane, after he had taken over from Tintin Marquez, continuity has been hard to come by, but Finnan in convinced that the team can turn things around.

"The players that we have here are easily good enough to keep the club up and we have been unlucky and not won some games that we should have," he told Goal.com.

"It has not been easy what with three coaches this season and I think that confidence dropped early in the season and it is a result of that.

"There has been a lack of confidence, there is no denying that, and we have to restore that."

Espanyol are due to move into their new purpose-built stadium on the outskirts of Barcelona next month, but Finnan does not think that anyone is considering that as an added motivation for remaining in the top flight.

"I do not think that the new stadium has had much effect and that anyone is thinking about staying up for that reason," he added.

Playing Again

The move to the Barcelona-based outfit has not gone as Finnan would have hoped, but he is remaining positive and recognises that he has only training in which to prove himself to the coach.

"The city is fine and I am enjoying it over here from that point of view, but with the injuries it has been frustrating being so stop-start all the time," he continued.

"Things have not gone well for me on the football front because of the injury problems, but now I am only thinking about the rest of this season.

"It is obviously not how I thought that things would go and I just want to start playing regularly now.

"If I'd had games then maybe things would have been different, but in Spain there is no reserve league so if you are not in the first team then you do not play.

"So I cannot expect to walk into the team when the players in front of me have been doing well and I have not been fully fit.

"I only returned to full training just before the Real Madrid game and could not say to the coach that I should play because I was not quite ready.

"Now I am just thinking about the rest of this season and trying to earn a place in the team again and to prove what I can do.

"I want to help the team to do well and earn the results that we need to stay up, because nobody wants the club to go down.

"I have not spoken to the coach about my position, but I will just work hard in training and wait for my chance."

Lucas Brown, Goal.com