http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/12/16/mark-viduka-to-watch-boro-game-down-under-72703-25403475/

MARK VIDUKA may well be enjoying a life away from football at the moment, and may well be literally half the world away from the madness that surrounds Newcastle United.

But the Aussie – who was set to be offered a new contract by Newcastle had they stayed up last season – will be watching from a much different vantage point on Sunday as he prepares to burn the midnight oil to watch a Tyne-Tees clash he knows so much about.

Having played for both sides in the fixture during his five-year stint in the North East, Viduka was a big part of the proceedings last time out.

Indeed, Viduka helped slice Boro open in a fixture that looked to have kept Newcastle up and sent his old club crashing into the Championship.

Instead, both sides were relegated and, despite talk that Boro and Newcastle were prepared to make a deadline-day swoop for his services, Viduka headed Down Under as the Toon and Boro headed down.

And breaking off from speculation that he is to make a sensational comeback for the Socceroos this summer to play in the World Cup, Viduka told the Chronicle from Melbourne: “It’ll be on really late here but I’ll be watching it for sure, of course I will.

“I spent a lot of time playing for both clubs.

“It’s a beauty of a fixture! I know that having played for both sides in it.”

But despite Newcastle’s runaway lead at the top of the Championship and Boro’s struggle at the other end, Viduka is too wise to make predictions.

He said: “Hey, I played them both and I know what it can be like. So don’t ask me to call a winner, let’s just say it will be fiercely contested.”

Viduka is currently back in his home town of Melbourne but is only visiting friends and family – dashing the hopes of Aussie A League clubs, especially Melbourne Victory or new side Melbourne Heart, that he is expected to come out of self-imposed retirement after turning down a string of offers in Europe.

It’s understood that Viduka will then return to eastern Europe after Christmas to spend more time with his family and sailing off the Croatian coast before deciding whether he can even contemplate making a shock appearance in South Africa.



Seriously to be crushed.....

I take it nobody watched Newcastle's 5 last games before the end of last season.

This from the person who hasn't watched Newcastle games AT ALL this season...
And lets not forget that Viduka didn't score a single goal in his 12 games last season. Yeah...12 games in two years. That's the man we want representing Australia!

Viduka can GTFO. You can't seriously want to call up a man to the national team who would a) rather be on his yacht, b) won't have played a competative game of football in over a year, c) doesn't give a shit about the shirt, and d) hasn't played for the Socceroos in almost three years.

Anybody who believes Viduka should be playing for Australia is an embarrassment to football fans and pundits everywhere.

Edited by afromanGT: 19/12/2009 06:21:48 PM

I watched most of the last 5 games he played last season. He was probably the best player Newcastle had - but let's face it, he didn't have much competition.

As for your other comment - yes, most signings happen in January, but this isn't because clubs want to sign players in January, or players only want to move in January, it's because only uncontracted players can move outside of the transfer windows - as Dukes is uncontracted he could sign for anyone, anytime. In fact, the fact that he's uncontracted would actually make him a more attractive notion to clubs as they don't have to wait until January... Yet he's still sitting on his arse, on his boat, enjoying the sun.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO PLAY ANYMORE.

I watched most of the last 5 games he played last season. He was probably the best player Newcastle had - but let's face it, he didn't have much competition.

As for your other comment - yes, most signings happen in January, but this isn't because clubs want to sign players in January, or players only want to move in January, it's because only uncontracted players can move outside of the transfer windows - as Dukes is uncontracted he could sign for anyone, anytime. In fact, the fact that he's uncontracted would actually make him a more attractive notion to clubs as they don't have to wait until January... Yet he's still sitting on his arse, on his boat, enjoying the sun.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO PLAY ANYMORE.

I think you have to accept that Dukes is very rich, has had a lot of injury problems, and probably doesn't see any reason to get back into the hard work of full-time training.

The only thing i believe he would care about is how to best close the book on his fantastic career.

I dont think Viduka cares about Money now. Otherwise he would have signed for Pompey,fulham or West Ham when he had the chance.

The only thing i believe he would care about is how to best close the book on his fantastic career and the only fitting way is another WC, especially since when we need him the most because of our formation.

No disrespect, but everything I've ever heard indicates that the only thing Mark Viduka cares about is Mark Viduka. How much money can Mark make? How much pain will Mark have to put up with? Now, don't get me wrong - I'd be EXACTLY the same as him if I were in his shoes. He's rich, he has fitness problems - does he want to go through the pain barrier in order to prove a point? Is there an amount of money that will convince him to do so? I somehow doubt it.

As for the "best hold-up player" in the EPL... Sorry mate, can't buy that. If he was he would have been in far greater demand when he left Leeds. All the clubs up there and he ends up at Middlesbrough. He was good - WAS - but he's never been 'great', certainly not 'the best'.

Before you ask... Off the top of my head, Emile Heskey, Didier Drogba, John Carew, and frankly Kevin Davies, are all better than Dukes.

Before you ask... Off the top of my head, Emile Heskey, Didier Drogba, John Carew, and frankly Kevin Davies, are all better than Dukes.

20-12-2009: Viduka Transfer Update: Mark transfers Pie from freezer to oven. Further developments may follow.