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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:Quote:
Originally Posted by Irish Pride
Nobody makes an announcement on players they haven't signed...Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
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.
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.
:confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
...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.
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.
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.
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Originally Posted by NeilMcD
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.
Duff was signed by Chelsea on a 4 year contract for 17m.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by placid casual
how do you know its not 2 different set of people who are posing both arguments.
Wasn't Carr another crocked player that Newcastle bought?Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by 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.
10 mill
5 mill transfer?
5 mill signing on fee??!?!?!?
nice one duffer!
Did Liverpool definitely bid for him?Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
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 clubQuote:
Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse
Quote:
Originally Posted by BaZmO*
I dont know but from what Duff says in the press conference referring to Liverpool it looks like they did at least enquire .