Former Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff has admitted on Chelsea TV that he regrets swapping the then-Premier League champions for Newcastle United in 2006.
Duff turned down Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur to complete a £5 million move to St James, as reported by the BBC, three years after becoming one of Roman Abramovic’s first high profile signings in his West London revolution.
Newcastle United's Damien Duff during his press conference with manager Glenn Roeder (L) and chairman Freddie Shepherd (R)
However, the high-earning wideman quickly found himself on the wrong side of Newcastle’s famously passionate fanbase, grabbing onto a Premier League lifeline thrown by Roy Hodgson’s Fulham shortly after his own goal in a final day defeat to Aston Villa consigned the Magpies to a humiliating relegation.
And Duff has admitted that he regrets swapping top of the table clashes and Champions League football with Chelsea for two years of turmoil on Tyneside.
“Looking back now, did I make the wrong decision in leaving? Yes,” Duff, who retired in December last year after winding down his career in his homeland with Shamrock Rovers, told Chelsea TV.
“I remember speaking to the club about a new contract, I never had a falling out with Jose. I still loved it there but I just wanted to go and play football week in, week out.
“I made my decision, probably a rash decision, but it’s something I stand by. I wish I’d stayed, I should have stayed.”
On reflection, Newcastle fans probably feel the same.