Duff on his way to Newcastle

[tricky_colour]

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/sports/transfergossip/sport/football/transfer-gossip/july-23rd-toon-renew-klose-interest-cole-transfer-chelsea-formality-blackburn-raid-villarreal-$445561.htm

[jockser]

Newcastle have massive support in the North East and obviously aren't shy of a few quid.
Also its a level of their ambition that they snapped up Duff from the grasp of Spurs and Liverpool
LOL i think youre codding yourself lad. Newcastle are a team going nowhere they wont get NEAR spurs this year and they didnt snap duff from anyones grasp, as duff decided to go there. poor decision in my opinion by duff

[mypost]

Newcastle are a team going nowhere they wont get NEAR spurs this year and they didnt snap duff from anyones grasp, as duff decided to go there. poor decision in my opinion by duff

So in the winger war, Robben beat Duff at Chelsea.

Lets face it, Duff isn't going to Newcastle to win leagues and cups. He's a double league champion, after all. He's going there purely to get more first team football. That can only be good news for Ireland, as his lack of action for Chelsea last year, can also be attributed to his sub-standard performances for Ireland in recent times.

[Irish_Praha]

I was just reading the reaction of Newcastle fan to the signing of Duff on BBC's 606. There are several unbalanced reaction such as Duff is the saviour and they will be a match for anyone this year or that he is not as good as he used to be and is a waste of money (I suppose this is how it appears if you haven't been looking at him closely and dont realise that playing for Chelsea affected his game). However, the basic consensus it that they are very happy to get a player of his quality but, as they already had several options for LMF, the money might have been better spent improving their defence and finding 2 good strikers to replace Owen and Shearer. If there is still money left in the pot to do this then they are delighted with the signing, if not then it may not have been such a clever signing.
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This post here is probably sums it up best:

I really do not understand why we have siged Duff. Sure he's a good player but do we really need him, especially at this price? At a time when we have a very thin and hole riddled squad we sign a player for a position who we already have 3 competant alternatives for. Firstly N'Zogbia was awesome last season, secondly Luque who has only just stated his intent to succeed with the club, and should either of these become injured we had Emre who could also comfortably convert to LM.

Why oh why does this club repeatedly make such squanderous decisions with its cash. £10mil on a player whose position we already have sufficiet cover for. Yet the team still cries out for 2 more decent strikers, a new centre-back, a LEFT-BACK and a right-back!

How much more money can we realistically expect to have left, £15mil max? Is that enough for 5 quality players? I don't think so, 2 or 3 max. I think we're set for another disappointing season.

[dr_peepee]

I don't know how much of a say he had in his destination.... But I'm very disapointed in his decision.

Newcastle... good players, when fit. average manager, average performers. The should have pulled out all the stops to get Martin O'Neill and maybe my opinion at this point would be different.

[NeilMcD]

Cant believe he went for €5m

[geysir]

Mathematically according to the contract that Duff originally signed with Chelsea for a transfer fee of £17m it makes sense that Chelsea only get £5m.
I'd say there would be a few extra costs involved.

[NeilMcD]

Expain please

[lofty9]

£5million is a bargain.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_objectid=17435846%26method=full%26siteid=94762% 26headline=%2dbargain%2d%2dduff%2dcost%2d%2d5milli on-name_page.html

[Dodge]

Mathematically according to the contract that Duff originally signed with Chelsea for a transfer fee of £17m it makes sense that Chelsea only get £5m.
I'd say there would be a few extra costs involved.
wtf!?!?

[Stuttgart88]

Firstly N'Zogbia was awesome last season, secondly Luque who has only just stated his intent to succeed with the club, and should either of these become injured we had Emre who could also comfortably convert to LM.

Why oh why does this club repeatedly make such squanderous decisions with its cash.
This Toon fan needs his head examined if a proven dud like Luque still ranks ahead of a proven winner and a proven international. I'd like to know now if the £5mm fee is deemed "squanderous", though I'd say the total fee is higher.

5 year contract sounds like good enough business.

Am glad to see another Irish "cluster" emerging but equally am disappointed he's not at a CL club, though the fresher he is for Ireland the better.

In a way I'm also concerned about Newcastle's injury record. Maybe Geysir's right but Duff's record with injuries isn't exactly impeccable. At Chelsea they had a number of doctors examine Duff to determine the cause of his recurring hamstring injuries. They even taught him Judo to reduce the likelihood of hurting his shoulder in afall again. I hope this medical knowledge is transferred up north & that he benefits from the same preventative regime. Didn't Luque & Scott Parker also pick up long term injuries last season? Carr too?

[pete]

Poor decision by Duff as Newcastle going nowhere. Shows a lack of ambition & he would prefer to be big fish in small pond & earn more money.

[NeilMcD]

I think the training pitch at Newcastle was the problem with a lot of the injuries. Spurs have shown how if you get the right people in you can stop the rot. Spurs used to have huge problems with injuries year in year out. They invested heavily and got a lot of top medical staff into the club and have solved the problem

[dr_peepee]

5 million is all he cost..

5 F***ing million....

I would never have pegged him for a hungry ****!! Spurs and liverpool could've easily coughed up that kind of money and each would've been an infinitely better career move.

Very Disapointed... :mad: :(

[Stuttgart88]

Liverpool has Kewell, Riise & Gonzalez as left-sided players. Fergie only has want-away Ronaldo, and maybe Kieran Richardson. I'm very surprised United didn't see fit to do business at that price. Sunday Times suggests that the way Spurs prematurely announced he was attending a medical turned Duff off a move there.

Apparently he's taken a pay-cut from the 65k a week he was on at Chelsea so I doubt it's about money. The guy's already financially secure for life many times over.

Maybe, just maybe, he wants to enjoy his football, feel appreciated by 50,000+ fans every week and live near and work with one of his best friends (Given)? Doesn't sound too far fetched to me. Maybe he's also thinking of what'd suit his international career best. Until Kerr's last year or so Duff would frequently say that playing for Ireland was what meant most to him.

Funnily enough, at Chelsea his league medals and prolonged CL runs probably compensated for lack of WC qualification to some extent. Lack of major trophy opportunities at Newcastle may make him focus that bit harder on qualifying for the last 2 or 3 international tournaments he's likely to be around for.

I wonder would he have asked Bobby Robson for an opinion?

[Irish Pride]

If I was a spurs or Liverpool fan i would be sick.....If Newcastle out bidded them then fair enough. But for £5million i think that is the bargin of the Summer. No matter who i had in my team, i would take Duff for that price on a 5 year deal. Owen must be delighted with that signing........if he ever plays again. Very surprised Man United didnt entered the race.....with Giggs in his mid 30's. its hard to believe they didnt make a bid. But you have 2wonder about Spurs. They were interested in Duff and yet they wouldnt pay the £5million for him. Amazingly they paid £4 million for Andy Reid.

I do feel Luque for Newcastle is a fantastic and will come good. With the lack of strikers they have i can see him doing well up front.

[Dodge]

I believe all clubs matched Chelsea's asking price and it was Duff who chose Newcastle..

[shakermaker1982]

New Utd could be going places this season, especially if they sign Klose (one transfer rumour doing the rounds). I don't know why Duff is getting stick for going to the Toon Army. Spurs have more MF than Chelsea and have ruined Reidy's career. Duff like any footballer wants games and New Utd will guarantee that week in week out in front of some of the best fans in the Premier League. Fair play to him, he could have sat on the bench, make the odd appearance and pick up medals for another season.

[Stuttgart88]

with Giggs in his mid 30'sDuh, I forgot about him :)

[NeilMcD]

Spurs never made an announcement in relation to Duff. I have checked their website and that is where the make any official announcments. Also the rumour was that Spurs bid 5 Million. I think it looks like Stuttgart has got it right, Duff wants to be the star man at newcastle the same way he was at Blackburn and maybe he wants the peace and quiet of life up north.

[joeSoap]

Very surprised Man United didnt entered the race.....with Giggs in his mid 30's. its hard to believe they didnt make a bid.

Giggs is 32 (made his United debut 16 years ago)...won't be 33 till November and is in better shape than most others. He really has been an ideal pro and role model to others. He'll be around for a couple of seasons yet....:ball:

[Dodge]

Spurs never made an announcement in relation to DuffNobody makes an announcement on players they haven't signed...

[NeilMcD]

Nobody makes an announcement on players they haven't signed...


I know but it Stuttgarts post the times said that he turned down Spurs due to the fact that they announced that he had passed a medical at Spurs. I was responding to that fact.



I think he should have went to Spurs but from what he said at the press conference it appears to me that he went with his heart, i.e., He wants to live up north.

[NeilMcD]

Newcastle unveiled new signing Damien Duff following his £5m move to the club from Premiership champions Chelsea.

The 27-year-old winger, who is believed to have turned down Liverpool and Tottenham, signed a five-year contract with the Magpies on Saturday.

Duff said on Monday: "A lot of people - Liverpool fans in Ireland - will ask 'why didn't you sign for them?'.

"But I just listened to my heart and it told me to come to Newcastle. That's all it is."

Duff spoke to ex-Chelsea team-mate Scott Parker and part of Newcastle's other squad members in Republic of Ireland team-mates Shay Given and Stephen Carr before making his decision.

He said he took 'a couple off days' to make his decision and the left-sided midfielder revealed he instigated his departure from Stamford Bridge.


There is a massive job ahead of us and I think everyone knows that we are not going to win the Premiership this year

Damien Duff

"If it wasn't for me piping up I would still be there now doing pre-season training," said Duff.

"I rang the Chelsea chairman, Peter Kenyon, about three weeks ago and I just said if any clubs come in I would like to speak to them.

"Newcastle came in and I am happy to be here."

In 2003 Chelsea paid £17m to Blackburn for Duff and he made 125 appearances and scored 19 goals for the Blues.

Duff, who has been capped 58 times for the Republic of Ireland, picked up two Premiership title medals during his time at Stamford Bridge.

He does not expect the same level of success at St James' Park but insists he is determined to help the club to silverware.


We owe Chelsea a big favour

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd

Duff added: "We're not kidding ourselves here. There is a massive job ahead of us and I think everyone knows that we are not going to win the Premiership this year.

"But I have signed for five years and I intend staying with the boss and chairman and doing great things."

Magpies boss Glenn Roeder predicted more new arrivals at the club but urged for patience from fans.

The fee for Duff represents a significant drop on the £10m reported for the deal and Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd praised Chelsea for allowing the move to go ahead at that price.

"Chelsea are happy with the deal and we are happy. Let's be honest, we owe Chelsea a big favour," said Shepherd.

[mypost]

Poor decision by Duff as Newcastle going nowhere. Shows a lack of ambition.

:confused:

...and the non-Premiership players playing for Ireland have?

Duff needs regular first-team football, and if he can't get that at Chelsea, there is no point in Chelsea waiting until next year to let him go on a free transfer.

[NeilMcD]

I dont think there are many people who feel that Duff should have stayed at Chelsea, but I think most people feel that he could have gone to Spurs or LIverpool and he would be better off than Newcastle.

[Réiteoir]

Had this from a well-connected Spurs fan:



Pat Devlin was asked to broker a deal with Chelsea for his client all parties knowing that we had a sweet deal pending as a result of the Arneson affair. Devlin did his bit and a knockdown fee was agreed as Chelsea were also happy to have him of the payroll.

The crunch factor was that Newcastle's left winger's salary was going to be a stumbling block for us and this was known from the start. It was agreed with Levy that a sizable signing fee would be paid to compensate for the cut in wages that Newcastle's left winger would suffer.

No problem to date save that when the deal was supposedly sorted Levy tried to pull a smart one by spreading the signing on fee over the term of the contract......contrary to what had been agreed at the start.

Devlin blew a fuse..........as he already had strong links with Newcastle he set about pursuing that avenue......Levy called his bluff.

Newcastle's left winger all the while was happy to sign for us and having burnt his boats with Mourhinio as he was already half way out the door at Chelsea.

He did not go to Newcastle until Thursday evening.

[CraftyToePoke]

I dont think there are many people who feel that Duff should have stayed at Chelsea, but I think most people feel that he could have gone to Spurs or LIverpool and he would be better off than Newcastle.


thats about the size of it alright, newcastle have a history of big name appeasement signings, they went for Rooney too iirc, but never seem to progress.

[geysir]

Expain please

Duff was signed by Chelsea on a 4 year contract for 17m.
After 4 years he is a free agent.
Contract is worth £4m+ p/a approx.
Duff is entering last year of his contract, if he waits until January07 he can negotiote his own terms for re signing with Chelsea or for another club.
If he walks away from Chelsea after 4 years, Chelsea get SFA.
Duff (or agent) probably negotiated how much another club would have pay to get released from the Chelsea contract.
I don't see that as being too complicated and that's how it worked out.

[placid casual]

have to agree with he guy who said its a bad move.
duff has no ambition and wants the quiet life.
apparently the traffic in london was doing his head in and he wanted to return to the grim north for some kip.

un-ambitous,narcoleptic,overated...

[BaZmO*]

have to agree with he guy who said its a bad move.
duff has no ambition and wants the quiet life.
apparently the traffic in london was doing his head in and he wanted to return to the grim north for some kip.

un-ambitous,narcoleptic,overated...
I dunno, sometimes there's just no winning. A player goes to a big club with no real security that he'll be playing every week and he's called a mercenary. He then goes to a team where he'll be guaranteed his game (even takes a pay cut) and then he's accused of having no ambition. There's no pleasing some people.

[NeilMcD]

how do you know its not 2 different set of people who are posing both arguments.

[geysir]

At Chelsea they had a number of doctors examine Duff to determine the cause of his recurring hamstring injuries. They even taught him Judo to reduce the likelihood of hurting his shoulder in afall again. I hope this medical knowledge is transferred up north & that he benefits from the same preventative regime. Didn't Luque & Scott Parker also pick up long term injuries last season? Carr too?
Wasn't Carr another crocked player that Newcastle bought?
The interview with Carr recently revealed a few things about injuries at Newcastle. Carr pretty much knew he wasn't ready for a comeback and Souness was putting heavy pressure on him to play, then ensued a big fall out.
With Duff at Blackburn he did say that there were times when he should have been rested instead of rushing back. With the permanent crisis at Newcastle, buying crocked players, players getting crocked then the danger is that our delicate star won't get the time to recover should he need it.

[drinkfeckarse]

Nobody makes an announcement on players they haven't signed...

Not quite true, plenty of managers openly admit to an interest in a player if only to unsettle him. And as you know, Real Madrid and Barca are always happy to announce who they intend to sign.

[BaZmO*]

how do you know its not 2 different set of people who are posing both arguments.
That's the thing, I don't. But it does highlight the fact that a player is always gonna get criticised for every decision he makes, therefore he's better off doing what's best for himself.

[NeilMcD]

Of course it would be a very boring world if we all agreed on stuff. Of Course the player is right to do what he thinks is the best decision. But people on here are equally entitled to say that they feel he should have went to a better club than Newcastle. As I said if Newcastle were the only club in for him I dont think many people would have a problem with him leaving Chelsea, its the fact he chose Newcastle over Spurs and Liverpool.

[wws]

10 mill
5 mill transfer?
5 mill signing on fee??!?!?!?


nice one duffer!

[BaZmO*]

Of course it would be a very boring world if we all agreed on stuff. Of Course the player is right to do what he thinks is the best decision. But people on here are equally entitled to say that they feel he should have went to a better club than Newcastle. As I said if Newcastle were the only club in for him I dont think many people would have a problem with him leaving Chelsea, its the fact he chose Newcastle over Spurs and Liverpool.
Did Liverpool definitely bid for him?

[Dodge]

Not quite true, plenty of managers openly admit to an interest in a player if only to unsettle him. And as you know, Real Madrid and Barca are always happy to announce who they intend to sign.
They don't make official announcements, they talk to their friends in the media. Which is what happened here. Loads of rumours but very few actual quotes from the people involved. And the only time the Barca/Madrid people make announcements is when they're going for elections and then they're not speaking for the club

[NeilMcD]

Did Liverpool definitely bid for him?


I dont know but from what Duff says in the press conference referring to Liverpool it looks like they did at least enquire .

[drinkfeckarse]

I'm being pedantic as it's not even an issue really but a manager admitting an interest in a player isn't official? You could look at both ways really....

[geysir]

You can find a link to Duff's heartfelt press conference here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/default.stm

[Donegalcelt]

maybe he wants the peace and quiet of life up north.

dunno about that, didn't Jenas leave because he thought it was a "goldfish bowl." Mind you, Damo's a quiet lad and will spent most of his time either sleeping or playing the playstation

[NeilMcD]

I think Jenas is a different character, I think with Jenas he felft it was too small and he could not get up to extra carricular activities and it not get back to the training ground etc. Some players like big cities and some prefer smaller ones. I think Duff and Jenas are chalk and cheese.

[Irish_Praha]

I think Duff and Jenas are chalk and cheese.
Or salt and pepper

[Metrostars]

Look on the bright side: now there will be less chance for him to get injured or overtired from playing all those european games.

[Rosco]

i can't believe they got him for only £5mill !!!! surely someone else would have snapped him up for that. Mind you knowing shepherd, as with what owen said during svengate, they probably offered him a kings ransom to play for them. Just hope he stays injury free, unlike owen !!

[tricky_colour]

Well with just a year left on his contract wouldn't Duff have a lot of
bargaining power? How much will he be paid at Newcastle?
Anyone know?

[Fergie's Son]

This is looking stranger and stranger.

[Irish_Praha]

Does he have a girlfriend in Newcastle or something?