Aaron Hughes Reveals He Was Forced Out
From today's Chronicle:
Aaron Hughes today
told of his heartbreak at learning he was no longer wanted at Newcastle
United.
The versatile defender joined Aston Villa on Friday in a £1m move,
the last of his 278 appearances for the club having come against Sporting
Lisbon at St James' Park last month.
The 25-year-old had been aware of speculation that David O'Leary was
interested in him as the season drew to a close, but the Northern
Ireland captain felt he still had a future under Graeme Souness.
Souness had not told Hughes, who had two years left on his contract,
that he was prepared to listen to offers for him.
And it was a call from his agent informing him that he had been given
permission to talk to Villa that spelled the end of his nine-year
association with the Magpies.
"I knew Aston Villa were interested as I'd heard whispers but as far
as I was aware the club had said I wasn't for sale," said Hughes.
"Then all of a sudden I got a phone call from my agent to say they'd
been approached and this time I could go as the fee was being agreed.
"At the end of the day the club's basically saying `you can go - you're
not needed' and another club's desperate to have you. It puts you
in the position where you have got to do what's right for you. I've
got my family to think about as well.
"The choice was made for me as Newcastle were prepared to let me go,
and another club was desperate to have me."
Hughes added that he has not yet had a call from the club's hierarchy
to thank him for his long service.
He had made 36 appearances in total last season, fewer than in the
four previous campaigns, but the Cookstown-born player was ready to
fight for a place next season before making a decision on his long-term
United future.
He said: "It'll be good to be playing football. Hopefully I can go
down there and hold a regular spot and get myself playing regularly
again. If I do that, I'll be happy.
"Last season I think I played 35 games - normally I play that many
in the league, never mind with Europe as well. It has been one of
those seasons. I was going to see who was brought in, sit for six
months and see how it panned out, then make my decision. As it turned
out, it was taken out of my hands but I'm excited about moving to
Aston Villa, although it's a hard thing to leave. I came here when
I was basically a young lad and I've done most of my growing up here
and it'll always be my home.
"My wife's from here, I've got family here and it's a cracking place
to live. I'd like to think I'd come back here to live."
Hughes added: "It'll be weird next season. It'll be nice to see old
friends and it's the one I'll look for on the fixture list. I'll always
be looking out for Newcastle."
O'Leary has signed Hughes to play at right-back and he will renew
his partnership with former Newcastle midfielder Nolberto Solano,
the pair having formed an understanding on the right when Sir Bobby
Robson switched Hughes to full-back in the 2001-02 season.
Hughes said: "I know I can play in various positions, and that some
people say my best position is centre-half, but I'm going as a right-back.
"I'm going to play one specific position and I'll keep it as long
as I'm playing well, which is good to know. There comes a time when
you need a position of your own."
Hughes' one regret is that he left St James' without having helped
the club end its 36-year trophy drought.
"I don't have many regrets but one was that I never won something,"
said Hughes. "I've been here long enough, and that was one thing I
wanted to do.
"We came close but just didn't make it. It's very disappointing that
never happened, not just for the team but for the city and the fans.
But there's been a lot more highs than lows and I've really enjoyed
my time here."
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Souness Guilty
From the official website:
Manager Graeme Souness has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3
for a failure to act in the best interests of the game and/or having
brought the game into disrepute.
The charge relates to post-match media comments following Newcastle
United's Premier League match against Everton on 7 May 2005. Souness
has until 6 June 2005 to respond to the charge.
Shearer's Mate Walks Away
Former Toon manager Ruud Gullit has resigned from his job at
Feyenoord after a disappointing season for the Dutch side where they
missed out on a Champions League qualification spot and also the trophy
they won in 2002, after Sporting Lisbon dumped them out of the UEFA
Cup.
More Tripe From Freddy Shepherd
More embarrassing, deluded and patronising quotes from Freddy Shepherd:
"I am the one guy who does not throw names around to boost
ticket sales.
"That just does not come into the equation at Newcastle, not like
it does elsewhere.
"We have got great supporters who are incredibly loyal and we have
signed eight players within the last 12 months.
"I am not the type to lie back and think 'That's it - the momentum
is lost'. We will be bringing players in.
"As a Geordie, I know what the supporters want and I will be doing
everything to get it.
"The one thing Newcastle can never be accused of is not supporting
their manager.
"There will be certain players leaving the club. The ones who haven't
put the effort in. It's been very frustrating and disappointing.
"It has taken Graeme a season to deal with the problems he inherited.
There were specific problems in the dressing room, but those will
be sorted out once and for all this summer."
Meanwhile Freddy explains why Patrick Kluivert wasn't retained:
"There is no one more disappointed than me that it didn't
work out with Kluivert," he said. Everyone at the time said that signing
him was a good move.
"At 28, he should have been at his peak, just like Alan Shearer was
the man at that age. We saw Patrick as the man to follow Alan. But
his injury record was poor. He had to go."
And he hasn't shut the door firmly on Craig Bellamy just yet either:
"If he threw himself on the floor and said sorry, we might
look bad if we didn't accept the apology."
If you knew what supporters wanted Freddy, you would have never appointed
Souness in the first place, you would have sacked him after the end
of what has been a disgraceful season as many fans were hoping and
still are, you would never have sold Aaron Hughes and you would probably
walk away because if the views on this and other sites as well as
at St. James' Park and in and around City pubs are anything to go
off - you're not wanted neither! So cut the crap out and keep your
gob shut because you're a joke... but we ain't laughing, we are seething.
Actions speak louder than words.
Who Said What? NUFC's Season in Quotes - June 2004
There wasn't much happening in Toon
world during June 2004 what with the European Championships in Portugal
but there was enough to keep United fans occupied. Who said what during
the 6th month of 2004? Check it out...
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