Duff on his way to Newcastle

[FarBeag]

Fair play to him.Glad he has left that fantasy club.I hope he fooking rips them apart when they meet next.Cant wait to see the real Duffer in action again.

[dr_peepee]

He got a huge turnout and an impressive reception from the Newcastle fans!!

[RogerMilla]

could turn out to be a great move , i guess he feels his medal collection is sufficient though !! if he helps them win any piece of silverware at all he will become a club legend

[dr_peepee]

It seems Scot parker, Shay Given and Steven Carr was a factor in his decision. Not as disapointed today after seeing the reception he got last night. I hope it works out for him.

Like most of us I just like to have an Irish contingent at the big clubs playing CL football...

[Dodge]

Don't think they were a factor as such, he just replied to a question about settling in, that he got on with them. I'm sure if he signed for Spurs he'd have sadi he was mates with Keane and Reid.

[fergalr]

Reading all the quotes its pretty clear why he chose Newcastle.

'Yet if Liverpool's enthusiasm for deploying him on the right was a disincentive to moving to Anfield, Duff simply refused to countenance joining Chelsea's London rivals. "As a Chelsea player I couldn't join Spurs," he reflected, apparently seriously.'
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1828193,00.html

[wws]

M O N E Y

the only motivating factor or personal consideration in this whole transfer
footballers do not give two hoots about who pays the piper

[shakermaker1982]

I'd say it was down to Duff wanting a game every week!!!

[geysir]

M O N E Y

the only motivating factor or personal consideration in this whole transfer
footballers do not give two hoots about who pays the piper
If it was only money then Duff could have stayed where he was taken up another 2 year option for £4m or £5m and sat on the bench grinning for most of the time.

[Dodge]

He played 75% of Chelsea's games last season apparently. Now he's in a comfort zone knowing he'll play every week. might work, moight be bad for the lad...

[BaZmO*]

He played 75% of Chelsea's games last season apparently. Now he's in a comfort zone knowing he'll play every week. might work, moight be bad for the lad...
But how many of those games were for the full 90 minutes?

[eirebhoy]

M O N E Y

the only motivating factor or personal consideration in this whole transfer
footballers do not give two hoots about who pays the piper
I think every transfer under the sun is down to money according to you. :)

Anyway, according to a few articles like this one (http://www.southtynesidetoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1112&ArticleID=1649915) Duff turned down Inter and Valencia. I'd love to have seen him join either of those.

[gustavo]

Inter or Valencia are both better clubs than Newcastle its a pity he chose them but maybe its just wishful thinking on my part that an Irish player would want to test themselves at the highest level anywhere other than England

[Irish_Praha]

Inter or Valencia are both better clubs than Newcastle its a pity he chose them but maybe its just wishful thinking on my part that an Irish player would want to test themselves at the highest level anywhere other than England

He said before his last transfer that he wouldnt play in Italy or Spain because it would be too hot there for him :cool:

[tricky_colour]

Don't think they were a factor as such, he just replied to a question about settling in, that he got on with them. I'm sure if he signed for Spurs he'd have sadi he was mates with Keane and Reid.

I am sure he would but he probably prefers a quieter lifestyle than those two?

[geysir]

He actually said in the press conference that he was best mates with Carr and Given.

[John83]

He actually said in the press conference that he was best mates with Carr and Given. Sure, take it out of context. I read that quote too, and to paraphrase, "I spoke with friends at the club like Carr, Given and Scott Parker and they helped my decision, but I'm not here to be with friends. I'm here to play football."

[geysir]

Sure, take it out of context. I read that quote too, and to paraphrase, "I spoke with friends at the club like Carr, Given and Scott Parker and they helped my decision, but I'm not here to be with friends. I'm here to play football."

I didn't read the quote, I heard the interview. Go listen to it. You are mixing up one statement with another.

He answered something to the effect that Its brilliant to have Parker Given and Carr there.
"Shane and Carr are probably 2 of my best friends from the Irish team, its helpfull, but I'm here to play football not make friends"

It's not that difficult to contemplate that Carr has friends.

[Irish_Praha]

It's not that difficult to contemplate that Carr has friends.
:D :D :D

[eirebhoy]

Another article which confirms he turned down world class clubs:
http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/info/tm_objectid=17444036%26method=full%26siteid=50081% 26headline=duff%2dsnubbed%2dinter%2dfor%2dtoon-name_page.html

[FarBeag]

Well, it all just goes prove that that Duffer is not a Greedy *****r like most of his football colleagues in the premership.He is the best winger in Europe by a mile imo, and is worth at least three times more than Newcastle paid for him. Well done to them. He would have being a revelation at this year’s world cup if he had been there. He wants to play football and earn his living honestly. Once Mr. Duff is happy who gives a flying fig because it will make him a better player for his country which for me anyway is the most important thing. I hate Chelsea and this gives me more reason to hate them.

[geysir]

It's pretty clear that Duff's priority is to play first team football (in a cool climate) with a decent enough club.
The Newcastle claim that they only paid a £5m transfer fee is misleading.
We don't know how much Duff & agent got as a signing on fee, anything from £5 to £10m, nor do we know the terms of Duff's contract and how it compared to what others were prepared to offer.

[Dodge]

It's pretty clear that Duff's priority is to play first team football (in a cool climate) with a decent enough club.
The Newcastle claim that they only paid a £5m transfer fee is misleading.

There is now way that they would announce the wrong figure to the Stock Exchange. hey have far too much to lose if found out

[geysir]

There is now way that they would announce the wrong figure to the Stock Exchange. hey have far too much to lose if found out
£5m is the correct transfer figure that they have to announce to the stock exchange but are they obliged to announce the terms of the contract re salary, bonus and signing on fee?
BTW Dodge, sometimes if you post more than twice on the same page I note the Google adds favour a certain auto brand.

[Pauro 76]

http://eleven-a-side.com/acrossthewater/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=23622

ah Duffer... he would have shone in La Liga. :(

[tricky_colour]

£5m is the correct transfer figure that they have to announce to the stock exchange but are they obliged to announce the terms of the contract re salary, bonus and signing on fee?
BTW Dodge, sometimes if you post more than twice on the same page I note the Google adds favour a certain auto brand.

Well I am pretty sure they would't have to announce his salary, and probably
none of the rest either.

Personally I doubt Duff is too bothered about money, I would struggle to spend £1,000 a week never mind £50,000, I am sure Duff already has more
money than he will ever know how to spend.

[DmanDmythDledge]

But how many of those games were for the full 90 minutes?
Only 7.

[CraftyToePoke]

Personally I doubt Duff is too bothered about money,

hopefully you're right, and newcastle like a winger and are expected to excite at home by that big home crowd of theirs, hopefully he will be free to play as we all know he can, something Mourhino seemed to want to stifle out of his game.

could be a stage made for him up there.

[BaZmO*]

Only 7.
Point proven so...

[John83]

You are mixing up one statement with another.
:o Sorry about that so.

[John83]

I read today that Spurs wanted Chelsea to continue paying part of Duff's salary, which is partly to blame for him not going there.

[Emmet]

There is now way that they would announce the wrong figure to the Stock Exchange. hey have far too much to lose if found out

Yeah I agree - also the main reason Chelsea wanted to keep the fee 'undisclosed' was to stop Spurs and Liverpool finding out they had accepted a significantly lower bid from Newcastle who they see as less of a threat than L'pool or Spurs. The Newcastle chairman was thanking Chelsea at the press conference ffs ... he knew they had done Newcastle a big favour!

[eirebhoy]

Looks like Duff's back to his old self again without the shackles. Newcastle fan quotes from the game against PSV:

"Duff is causing havoc creating loads of chances, but as he is playing off the front man, there is only Shola in the box against the 2 centre halfs"

"Duff looks great - playing in a suporting role."

[Dodge]

Point proven so...
Not really, he started the vast majority of them.

[Irish_Praha]

Looks like Duff's back to his old self again without the shackles. Newcastle fan quotes from the game against PSV:

"Duff is causing havoc creating loads of chances, but as he is playing off the front man, there is only Shola in the box against the 2 centre halfs"

"Duff looks great - playing in a suporting role."

Yeah, and as soon as he is subbed Newcastle score 2 goals :)

[Emmet]

It'll be great if he does re-discover his old form. Hopefully he can stay injury-free and get a regular place in Newcastle's starting XI ... although judging by those comments from the Newcastle forums it looks like he might be playing as a striker rather than a left-sided midfielder

[gustavo]

Well they are short of strikers and they do have N'Zogbia for left wing so it could be a short term role for him .

[Scram]

I'm probably in the minority in seeing this as a good move for Duff. I always felt he was somewhat inhibited in his play at Chelsea under the pressure of knowing that he has to produce his best to have any chance of staying on the pitch.

At Newcastle, I can see him playing to his full potential and enjoying his game to a much greater extent. But NOT as a striker...that's aridiculous notion.


I like Roeder as a manager, he did really well the latter half of last season and was unlucky at West Ham.

The Toons have very decent squad and I see them in a top six finish especially if they can get Owen fit...still problems at the back though with the likes of Boumsong and Carr!

I'll have a lot of interest in Toon games this season....go on the Duffer.

[tricky_colour]

I'm probably in the minority in seeing this as a good move for Duff. I always felt he was somewhat inhibited in his play at Chelsea under the pressure of knowing that he has to produce his best to have any chance of staying on the pitch.

At Newcastle, I can see him playing to his full potential and enjoying his game to a much greater extent. But NOT as a striker...that's aridiculous notion.


I like Roeder as a manager, he did really well the latter half of last season and was unlucky at West Ham.

The Toons have very decent squad and I see them in a top six finish especially if they can get Owen fit...still problems at the back though with the likes of Boumsong and Carr!

I'll have a lot of interest in Toon games this season....go on the Duffer.

I hope you are right, but I am unsure if his inhibited play was down to being at Chelsea or through lack of confidence after injury, either way he must be better off playing regularly at Newcastle than a part timer at Chelsea. Eitherway we won't have to wait too long to find out.

[tricky_colour]

Newcastle 3:1 down to Villareal, Duff subbed with 15 mins left result 3:3.
He was replaced by one Alan O'Brien (also Irish) who forced the corners from which the goals came.
Looks like Newcastle have found a left winger? :D


http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Profiles/0,,10278~30604,00.html