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Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 10, 2007 16:59:59 GMT
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Post by RAF on Dec 10, 2007 17:07:30 GMT
Top Man Diao.
H
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Post by StokieSC on Dec 10, 2007 17:09:14 GMT
Good to have Salif back.
Who were the Prem clubs after him? Derby prehaps?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2007 17:09:27 GMT
They should get him to do the club's PR as well. Stoke Is In My Heart - Diao
Posted on: Mon 10 Dec 2007
Salif Diao put pen to paper at the Britannia Stadium earlier today and immediately confessed "I always wanted to come back".
The 30-year old Senegalese midfielder signed a deal which will keep him in the Potteries until at least the summer of 2009.
Salif, a free agent since leaving the Potters at the end of last season, spoke of his delight at sealing the move and revealed why it had taken so long to complete.
Speaking exclusively to stokecityfc.com he says: "I picked up a knee injury towards the end of last season, and I said to myself I would play on to try and get Stoke into the Premier League.
"I knew I would be out for a little while over pre-season if I played on, but it was a risk I was willing to take.
"I went on holiday for five weeks during pre-season to give it some rest, but that made it worse.
"I was told after that I should have kept training and kept it moving, so that was extremely frustrating.
"I worked on my own over the summer to try and build the muscles up in my leg.
"It was difficult because I couldn't have an operation to sort the problem out.
"I had a blood injection to try and speed it up, but even then it would have taken two or three months to get better.
"The main thing is I'm ok now, and I am back here; this is where I want to be."
While the former Liverpool star insists he always knew he would be back, a haunting memory from his time with the Anfield club played a huge role in him not joining City sooner.
"I could have signed before now, but there was no way I was going to come here and take money off the club when I couldn't even train," admits Salif.
"I have a lot of respect for Tony Pulis and Tony Scholes so I didn't want to have money for doing nothing.
"I was in a situation at Liverpool a few years ago where I signed a five year contract and then got injured.
"I was getting money when I wasn't playing and I felt horrible because of it.
"So there was no way I was going to do the same thing here.
"But now I'm fit and ready so it's just a case of me getting back in to the routine and start building myself up to play Championship football again."
Finding himself without a club going into a new season was something Salif has never experienced before, but says City's persistance kept him positive.
Saying: "It was very wierd to be honest with you.
"But there was quite a bit of interest in me, none more so than from Stoke and that kept me going.
"There were other clubs apart from Stoke interested in me, including Premier League sides.
"But as much as I want to play at the top level, Stoke is in my heart, and it would have been very, very difficult to turn my back on them.
"My dream is to get back into the Premier League with Stoke, and if I didn't think that was possible I wouldn't have come back."
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Post by PotterLog on Dec 10, 2007 17:09:46 GMT
"I didn't want to take money for doing nothing."
Come on, who's he trying to kid? ;D
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Post by StokieSC on Dec 10, 2007 17:12:12 GMT
"I didn't want to take money for doing nothing." Come on, who's he trying to kid? ;D I believe him. ;D Knowing Pulis we would have signed him in August, and not seen him play probably till now. If he hasn't signed for that reason alone, I salute him. |
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Post by Menorca Stokie on Dec 10, 2007 17:19:02 GMT
It's all lies, lies and even more lies. The real reason for the delay is because of tax reasons and his personal trainer was working hard with him.
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Post by stokecityscott on Dec 10, 2007 17:20:09 GMT
top geeza, if he wanted money for nothing lad, he would of signed in pre season.
ONE SALIF DIAOOOOOOOOOOO
THERES ONLY ONE SALIF DIAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Post by frasier37 on Dec 10, 2007 17:22:57 GMT
He loves us duntee?  ... ...He's full of shite intee?  ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2007 17:23:01 GMT
Great news indeed - a real asset when fit - lets hope he's now not too far off
a very decent player indeed and much needed
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Post by PotterLog on Dec 10, 2007 17:25:27 GMT
Don't get me wrong, it's fabulous news. But if you believe that's the real reason for him not being here sooner then your brain's a bit pickled.  Not that I care of course. Goooaaaaarrrrrrrn Salif lad. |
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Post by CrazyPotter on Dec 10, 2007 18:03:05 GMT
Agree, if you believe that, then you'll believe anything Well chuffed he's finally signed though!  Whelan aswell please Mr Pulis. |
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Post by Olgrligm on Dec 10, 2007 18:55:37 GMT
I really hope that's true and I'm delighted that he's finally signed for us, but what was all that business earlier in the season with his agent saying things like 'Salif is still available' and other such things in The Sentinel. Surely it'd be better for all concerned if he said he'd got a gammy leg in the first place?
Also, kudos to the person who first said that he hadn't signed because of a bad knee.
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Post by salifdiao on Dec 10, 2007 18:56:38 GMT
Gary hackett told me the other day that this story is cock and bull and i believe him
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Post by Bang Bang Cauliflower on Dec 10, 2007 18:58:19 GMT
Dont care why he didnt sign before, he has now - we now have our destroyer! Add one creative midfield maestro and we have a recipe for promotion boys and girls!
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Post by stayingupfor Sexualchocolate on Dec 10, 2007 19:16:58 GMT
Feckin get in. Top signing. Welcome home Sal.
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Post by mumf14 on Dec 10, 2007 19:24:30 GMT
I reckon he must be nearly fit.!
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Post by terrorofturfmoor on Dec 10, 2007 20:56:08 GMT
Bought a little tear to my eye's, reading that!!!  |
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Post by stevetheboater on Dec 10, 2007 21:05:58 GMT
I can't see any reason why this story was kept under wraps since pre-season. For him to say that in August would have been great PR, to say it now doesn't quite add up. I sense a strange smell ;-)
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Post by stokieg on Dec 10, 2007 21:09:03 GMT
Anyone for captain diao????
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Post by Thank you from Moorlander1 on Dec 10, 2007 21:20:10 GMT
Nice to see him back,lets hope he has not lost too much form. The story does not ring true though does it?
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Post by winger on Dec 10, 2007 22:29:57 GMT
Well done lads, did you all come down in the last shower of snow?
Translation: I tried fcuking everywhere else bar El Fail: it the end this was the best I could do.
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Post by thevue on Dec 10, 2007 22:46:21 GMT
rose tinted?
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Post by luke45 on Dec 10, 2007 22:46:55 GMT
he seems genuine, and i think it's great that he clearly isn't in it for the money, "I could have signed before now, but there was no way I was going to come here and take money off the club when I couldn't even train," Top Player, who will add so much to the team, well done TP for getting him here, with prem sides after him, a signing we desperately needed. Welcome Back Salif! |
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 10, 2007 22:48:04 GMT
winger is just upset that Salif wasn't tempted by Delia's vol au vents! ;D
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Post by winger on Dec 10, 2007 22:53:36 GMT
'I'd like to have had one of those vol au vents, especially the mango and caper ones, they're my favourite, but even though they were all laid out on the buffet and the gaffer kept calling me every day to have one for free, it felt wrong to take a bite until I'd saved up enough to pay for it.'
Salif Diao talks hors d'oeuvre
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Dec 11, 2007 2:40:54 GMT
Winger. Seriously though, I don't care if he's being truthful or not, my metaphorical "exalt" points go to Captain Diao. |
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;D
