Two-time Premier League winner reveals contact from Tottenham boss
By Harvey Byrne
Former Chelsea star Damien Duff has revealed that he received a message from then Tottenham boss Martin Jol about a move to White Hart Lane in the summer of 2006.
The now 37-year-old was highly rated during his playing days as he starred in 120 matches for Chelsea between 2003 and 2006, helping them to two league titles.
He eventually departed England’s capital for north east giants Newcastle for a fee of £5million, but he has shared how Jol made contact in an attempt to bring him to Tottenham that same summer.
“I remember getting a message from Martin Jol, but I was a Chelsea fan after winning titles there so it was something I never really looked at,” told Duff to FourFourTwo magazine.
“I had friends at Newcastle – Scott Parker, Shay Given – and I wanted to give that a real go, but
“I had a disaster. I gave them everything but sometimes moves don’t work out.
“I cried on the day that I left [Chelsea] – looking back, that probably should have told me I was making the wrong call, as I never cried when I left Blackburn, Newcastle or Fulham, or even when I retired. But it was my own decision.”
Duff’s career went on a downward spiral after leaving Chelsea as he suffered relegations with both Newcastle and Fulham before moves to Melbourne City and Shamrock Rovers respectively.
It would certainly suggest that it worked out best for Tottenham with Duff avoiding a move and Jol ended up signing future stars Didier Zokora, Dimitar Berbatov and Steed Malbranque instead.
The north London club have steadily progressed in the last 11 years and with a third place finish last season alongside a second placing in the league this campaign they will next be eyeing their first Premier League title.
In other Tottenham transfer news, Paul Van Himst believes that it is too soon for reported Spurs target to move to the Premier League.
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