Mark Viduka

[The Bonk]

Link

 

Before leaving for a family holiday in Croatia, Viduka told me today: "I have played at St James' Park quite a few times now for Leeds United and Middlesbrough, and I have always felt it was a great place to play.

 

"Now it is going to be different having all the those supporters cheering me on, and I keep imagining what this is going to be like.

 

"And, to tell the truth, I cannot wait for it to happen come August."

 

Viduka has signed a two-year contract with United also having the option to keep him for another 12 months if they want.

 

And as things stand at the moment, Sam Allardyce is perfectly happy with the strike force of Viduka, Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Shola Ameobi that he will have available to him.

 

Viduka added: "Everyone knows that the strike force Newcastle United already have is top-class and I am looking forward to playing with them.

 

"Hopefully I can bring another dimension to how the team plays, as well as chipping in with some goals."

 

Get in! Top man! Nowt that I expected him to say any different, but it's nice to hear it anyway.

 

[Please don't link directly to copyrighted images - http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php/topic,19161.0.html]

[GeordieDazzler]

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1315/vidukazo9.jpg

[Guest exilim]

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate expressed his interest in keeping Viduka and in August 2006, he was awarded the number 9 shirt at Middlesbrough, his preferred number at all his previous clubs, following the departure of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Following another successful season, in which he scored 19 goals.

 

Martins is having the number 9 shirt now isn't it? This will be a bit of trouble. Fighting over the number 9 might be some good competition for the both of them and might also be good for the club itself.

[stozo]

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate expressed his interest in keeping Viduka and in August 2006, he was awarded the number 9 shirt at Middlesbrough, his preferred number at all his previous clubs, following the departure of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Following another successful season, in which he scored 19 goals.

 

Martins is having the number 9 shirt now isn't it? This will be a bit of trouble. Fighting over the number 9 might be some good competition for the both of them and might also be good for the club itself.

Martins will stay number 9. Squad numbers only usually change when a player leaves.

[Skirge]

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/03/06/united-face-viduka-battle-72703-23079809/

Newcastle United set for battle over Mark Viduka

Mar 6 2009 by Stuart Rayner, Evening Chronicle

 

NEWCASTLE United may face the difficult task of persuading a player they will axe this summer to choose them over his country next month.

 

Despite having started just one game all season, Mark Viduka is set for an international recall – if the Australian can prove his suspect fitness.

 

The 33-year-old striker failed to make the bench for Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

 

But the Achilles problem which kept him out was described as a minor niggle.

 

That got Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek dreaming again of selecting Viduka for the first time.

 

The Aussies host Uzbekistan in a World Cup qualifier on April Fool’s Day.

 

But if Viduka plays it will be no joke for the Magpies, with Chelsea at St James’s Park three days later.

 

Australia top their Asian qualifying group, and with two teams reaching South Africa, it would be a major surprise if they did not make it.

 

But Verbeek has identified two big problems recently: a lack of strikers and a shortage of experience.

 

Viduka would solve both.

 

The Socceroos lost 1-0 to lowly Kuwait in Thursday’s Asian Cup qualifier.

 

Their Dutch coach blamed naive defending and trying too hard to get back into the game after Mesaed Alenza’s 37th-minute opener.

 

“In the second half we played more with our heart and not enough with our head, which is understandable because we have some young players,” Verbeek said.

 

Viduka is one of Australia’s most experienced players with 43 caps, but none since the 2007 Asia Cup.

 

“The striking role’s not been easy to fill with Mark Viduka not playing,” said Verbeek. “Is he likely to come back for the Uzbekistan game?

 

“I really, really hope so. If Viduka shows me he is still the same player we know, there’s no reason not to select him.

 

“So far he has never given me the idea that he’s not interested anymore.”

 

Viduka would surely find a call from Verbeek hard to resist. If fit, he is a certainty for next year’s World Cup.

 

But his United contract expires this summer and it is an open secret he will not get another.

 

His only start this term came at Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day. He limped off with a groin injury after 68 minutes to boos from the travelling fans.

 

The ex-Middlesbrough, Leeds United and Celtic player has been an expensive luxury, starting only 20 league games in two seasons.

 

But he remains an outstanding player when fit.

 

And United could do with all the top players they can lay their hands on for the April 4 visit of Chelsea.

 

Viduka would not rule himself out by wearing the green and gold. The Sydney qualifier kicks off at 11am on the Wednesday UK time, with the Chelsea match a rare Saturday 3pm kick-off.

 

But Viduka would have to overcome jetlag and all the aggravation such a long flight could do to his fragile body.

 

He has been dogged by groin, hamstring and Achilles problems this season.

 

Viduka is not the only United player set to jet across the globe in the run-up to the Chelsea clash.

 

Obafemi Martins appears to have kissed and made up with Nigeria after almost a year out of the Super Eagles’ side.

 

That is bad news for United, as his return will be in Mozambique on Saturday, March 29.

 

The good news is, Nigeria have no midweek game.

 

Now Chris Hughton must hope Diego Maradona continues to overlook Fabricio Coloccini.

 

If not, the central defender will be on a plane to Bolivia – probably with club-mate Jonas Gutierrez – for Argentina’s April 1 World Cup qualifier.

 

England have a home qualifier that night, while Damien Duff’s Republic of Ireland are in Italy.

[Newcastle Fan]

Were starting Shola ahead of him ffs.

[Guest michaelfoster]

hope he just leaves tbh

[Disco]

hope he just leaves tbh

sooner the better, his transfer has turned into pretty much everything a lot thought it would be.

 

Big wages, doesn't care, never fit, money that could've been better allocated elsewhere (on the team).

 

Although he did help keep us up it's no different to what he did when he went on a little run for Boro prior to us signing to him.

[Pilko]

hope he just leaves tbh

 

Agreed, he's a fat fucking waster

[quayside]

hope he just leaves tbh

sooner the better, his transfer has turned into pretty much everything a lot thought it would be.

 

Big wages, doesn't care, never fit, money that could've been better allocated elsewhere (on the team).

 

Although he did help keep us up it's no different to what he did when he went on a little run for Boro prior to us signing to him.

 

The signing of overpaid, under performing and/or injury prone players like Viduka are why Ashley took the whole DOF/ Dennis Wise trip. If we get relegated and Kinnear remains our manager its all Viduka's fault - we have a real scapegoat at last   

[Disco]

hope he just leaves tbh

sooner the better, his transfer has turned into pretty much everything a lot thought it would be.

 

Big wages, doesn't care, never fit, money that could've been better allocated elsewhere (on the team).

 

Although he did help keep us up it's no different to what he did when he went on a little run for Boro prior to us signing to him.

 

The signing of overpaid, under performing and/or injury prone players like Viduka are why Ashley took the whole DOF/ Dennis Wise trip. If we get relegated and Kinnear remains our manager its all Viduka's fault - we have a real scapegoat at last   

 

Shows Ashleys ignorance/stupidity in the early days then as the signings of Smith & Duke were never going to be anything but how they've turned out (although Smith has probably been worse than expected - we didn't really need either)

[quayside]

hope he just leaves tbh

sooner the better, his transfer has turned into pretty much everything a lot thought it would be.

 

Big wages, doesn't care, never fit, money that could've been better allocated elsewhere (on the team).

 

Although he did help keep us up it's no different to what he did when he went on a little run for Boro prior to us signing to him.

 

The signing of overpaid, under performing and/or injury prone players like Viduka are why Ashley took the whole DOF/ Dennis Wise trip. If we get relegated and Kinnear remains our manager its all Viduka's fault - we have a real scapegoat at last   

 

Shows Ashleys ignorance/stupidity in the early days then as the signings of Smith & Duke were never going to be anything but how they've turned out (although Smith has probably been worse than expected - we didn't really need either)

 

To be serious for a moment -  a lot of the crap that the club is going through now stemmed from the signings in the Allardyce transfer window and the owners reaction to preventing it happening again. It's weird because Sam has a track record of doing decent business in the market. Did it go wrong because he didn't get who he wanted (takeover going on etc), couldn't hack it at our level or was it just our luck that he f*cked up whilst on our case? However you look at it Viduka was certainly a player he wanted and was not on his B list.   

[Disco]

hope he just leaves tbh

sooner the better, his transfer has turned into pretty much everything a lot thought it would be.

 

Big wages, doesn't care, never fit, money that could've been better allocated elsewhere (on the team).

 

Although he did help keep us up it's no different to what he did when he went on a little run for Boro prior to us signing to him.

 

The signing of overpaid, under performing and/or injury prone players like Viduka are why Ashley took the whole DOF/ Dennis Wise trip. If we get relegated and Kinnear remains our manager its all Viduka's fault - we have a real scapegoat at last

 

Shows Ashleys ignorance/stupidity in the early days then as the signings of Smith & Duke were never going to be anything but how they've turned out (although Smith has probably been worse than expected - we didn't really need either)

 

To be serious for a moment - a lot of the crap that the club is going through now stemmed from the signings in the Allardyce transfer window and the owners reaction to preventing it happening again. It's weird because Sam has a track record of doing decent business in the market. Did it go wrong because he didn't get who he wanted (takeover going on etc), couldn't hack it at our level or was it just our luck that he f*cked up whilst on our case? However you look at it Viduka was certainly a player he wanted and was not on his B list.

 

Fucked up IMO.

 

Just the profile here was a lot bigger when he did fuck up then when he was at Bolton. Some of the signings he made there fucked up just as badly. Jardel springs to mind

[Ronaldo]

Didn't Barton and Viduka come in before Ashley bought the club?

[Yorkie]

Hate how his career's turned out here.

[Disco]

Didn't Barton and Viduka come in before Ashley bought the club?

Didn't Barton and Viduka come in before Ashley bought the club?

I think so but regardless i think those transfer have still scoped Ashleys outlook.

 

[TRon]

hope he just leaves tbh

sooner the better, his transfer has turned into pretty much everything a lot thought it would be.

 

Big wages, doesn't care, never fit, money that could've been better allocated elsewhere (on the team).

 

Although he did help keep us up it's no different to what he did when he went on a little run for Boro prior to us signing to him.

 

The signing of overpaid, under performing and/or injury prone players like Viduka are why Ashley took the whole DOF/ Dennis Wise trip. If we get relegated and Kinnear remains our manager its all Viduka's fault - we have a real scapegoat at last   

 

Shows Ashleys ignorance/stupidity in the early days then as the signings of Smith & Duke were never going to be anything but how they've turned out (although Smith has probably been worse than expected - we didn't really need either)

 

To be serious for a moment -  a lot of the crap that the club is going through now stemmed from the signings in the Allardyce transfer window and the owners reaction to preventing it happening again. It's weird because Sam has a track record of doing decent business in the market. Did it go wrong because he didn't get who he wanted (takeover going on etc), couldn't hack it at our level or was it just our luck that he f*cked up whilst on our case? However you look at it Viduka was certainly a player he wanted and was not on his B list.   

 

 

Absolutely. Ashley's been accused of being a cheapskate but he backed Allardyce quite heavily in the market and got stung by signings like Viduka, Smith and Barton. He probably thought paying off Allardyce and his 40 strong backroom staff was cheap compared to the long term cost of keeping him on.

 

[cubaricho]

Hate how his career's turned out here.

 

Likewise.  I think he's total class and gets a lot of necessary shit on here to be honest.  When he's on the pitch we're a better, more creative side.

[Ronaldo]

Hate how his career's turned out here.

 

Likewise.  I think he's total class and gets a lot of necessary s*** on here to be honest.  When he's on the pitch we're a better, more creative side.

 

his attitude is and has always been a disgrace. Fantastically talented striker, even moreso than Shearer, just that laid back Aussie attitude combined with genetic tendancies towards a large frame have let him down

[Raconteur]

his attitude is and has always been a disgrace. Fantastically talented striker, even moreso than Shearer, just that laid back Aussie attitude combined with genetic tendancies towards a large frame have let him down

 

Typical English pretentiousness and pomposity... *

 

A more rational "nationality-based" explanation might be that as a teenager he was so fantastically ahead of every other player around him that he was never taught the importance of hard work. He's like the smart kid who coasts through the early years of school and when it starts getting difficult he realises he doesn't know how to work hard and thus fails to reach his potential...

 

* That's irony, btw

 

[chicago_shearer]

Absolutely no chance he will be here next season, very little chance he will play again for us this season, and a more than fair chance that he will return to Australia this summer to eat bbq shrimp pies all day and never be heard from again.  Bye.  

[Tooj]

Hate how his career's turned out here.

 

Likewise.  I think he's total class and gets a lot of necessary shit on here to be honest.  When he's on the pitch we're a better, more creative side.

 

That only depends if the managers decide to use him right by playing the ball to his feet and having runners around him. Rather than decided to lump the ball long at him, which then means he loses interest fast.

[TRon]

Hate how his career's turned out here.

 

Likewise.  I think he's total class and gets a lot of necessary shit on here to be honest.  When he's on the pitch we're a better, more creative side.

 

That only depends if the managers decide to use him right by playing the ball to his feet and having runners around him. Rather than decided to lump the ball long at him, which then means he loses interest fast.

 

Very true. The fat waster has short-changed us but we haven't done him any favours either when he has been fit.

[Guest Phil K]

Very true. The fat waster has short-changed us but we haven't done him any favours either when he has been fit.

Well - not often I agree with you, mate.

But fairs fair. Bang on the nose there with Vid.

He can be quality, but can't if he's perpetually on the sick.

Like a certain other quality striker, eh ?