Newcastle's Duff: Players will go stale at Chelsea
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Newcastle United signing Damien Duff has had a dig at some of his former Chelsea teammates.
He turned down the chance to join Tottenham and Liverpool to sign a five-year contract with Newcastle. And he is desperate to start playing regular football again - rather than just drawing a huge salary for doing nothing.
Duff, who has moved for a bargain £5million, fears that could start to happen more and more at his old club in the coming years as they continue to bring in the world's top players.
The Republic of Ireland international had become unhappy there.
He said: "There are superstars, mega-stars down there at Chelsea - they've got the best squad in the world.
"But over the next four or five years you will get players who are just happy to pick up their money.
"But that's not me. It's a short career and all I want to do is play. I knew it was time to move on. I only had a year left on my contract and they couldn't really say no when I asked to leave.
"I want to play football and be happy inside me and I haven't been for a while now. I just want to be happy again.
"I've had a great three years there but the last few months I had problems because I didn't play enough football.
"I just had a feeling that I wasn't guaranteed to play an awful lot this season. They've got four of the best wingers around there.
"I took it on the chin and asked to leave - Jose Mourinho understood the situation. But I rang Peter Kenyon about three weeks ago and I said if any clubs come in I'd like to speak to them.
"I was as honest as the day is long with him. I said 'I know I'm not guaranteed a place, and I'm not asking for that, but I have to play football'.
"Although I've had three great years, I had to go. People who don't know their stuff will say I struggled and didn't play a lot of games, but it's the complete opposite.
"Newcastle came in for me and I'm so happy to be here."
Spurs were initially leading the chase for Duff but he explained why he could not have moved to White Hart Lane.
He added: "There was one London club in for me and that was Spurs.
"But when I go to a club I put my heart and soul into it and for the past three years I've been a Chelsea fan.
"So I couldn't go to Spurs, it's as simple as that. I spoke to the people there and told them that and hopefully they understood."
He turned down the chance to join Tottenham and Liverpool to sign a five-year contract with Newcastle. And he is desperate to start playing regular football again - rather than just drawing a huge salary for doing nothing.
Duff, who has moved for a bargain £5million, fears that could start to happen more and more at his old club in the coming years as they continue to bring in the world's top players.
The Republic of Ireland international had become unhappy there.
He said: "There are superstars, mega-stars down there at Chelsea - they've got the best squad in the world.
"But over the next four or five years you will get players who are just happy to pick up their money.
"But that's not me. It's a short career and all I want to do is play. I knew it was time to move on. I only had a year left on my contract and they couldn't really say no when I asked to leave.
"I want to play football and be happy inside me and I haven't been for a while now. I just want to be happy again.
"I've had a great three years there but the last few months I had problems because I didn't play enough football.
"I just had a feeling that I wasn't guaranteed to play an awful lot this season. They've got four of the best wingers around there.
"I took it on the chin and asked to leave - Jose Mourinho understood the situation. But I rang Peter Kenyon about three weeks ago and I said if any clubs come in I'd like to speak to them.
"I was as honest as the day is long with him. I said 'I know I'm not guaranteed a place, and I'm not asking for that, but I have to play football'.
"Although I've had three great years, I had to go. People who don't know their stuff will say I struggled and didn't play a lot of games, but it's the complete opposite.
"Newcastle came in for me and I'm so happy to be here."
Spurs were initially leading the chase for Duff but he explained why he could not have moved to White Hart Lane.
He added: "There was one London club in for me and that was Spurs.
"But when I go to a club I put my heart and soul into it and for the past three years I've been a Chelsea fan.
"So I couldn't go to Spurs, it's as simple as that. I spoke to the people there and told them that and hopefully they understood."
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