|
Post by markscfc72 on Dec 11, 2007 10:10:23 GMT
Salif Diao turned his back on Premiership interest from Sunderland and Derby to rejoin Stoke City on an 18-month contract, The Sentinel can reveal today.
The 30-year-old midfielder is now in the process of undergoing personal fitness work at the Britannia in a bid to be fit by the new year.
The former Senegalese international was wanted by both Sunderland's Roy Keane and, before his recent departure, Derby's Billy Davies.
But Diao, who played 28 times in two stints for Stoke last season, eventually gave in to the club's courtship over the past seven months to return for a third spell in the Potteries.
"We're absolutely delighted to have him back on board," said Stoke manager Tony Pulis, "because last season we all saw the kind of class he brings to proceedings.
"There were other clubs taking more than a passing interest in him, but I'd like to think Salif has chosen to come back because he loved his time here before and appreciated the way we looked after him.
"The reason he hasn't signed before now is because he wanted to overcome an injury problem, but he will still need time to get back up to speed in terms of his overall fitness because he hasn't played since the last game of last season.
"But we're more than confident he'll be worth the wait. He's the kind of quality we need to add to the fantastic efforts everyone has put in up to now this season."
Diao was training today as he began his battle to regain the level of fitness required to join City's promotion push, but it is unclear just when he will be ready to play. He said: "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, but it was difficult.
"But the main thing now is that I'm OK and I am back here; this is where I want to be.
"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.
"But now I'm fit and ready, so it's just a case of getting back in the routine and start building myself up to play Championship football again."
Finding himself without a club going into a new season was something Diao had never experienced before.
He explained: "There was quite a bit of interest in me - including from Premier League sides - but none more so than from Stoke, and that kept me going. 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."
|
|
|
Post by ruts66 on Dec 11, 2007 10:26:23 GMT
Match your words with performances, Mr Diao, and prepare yourself for Godlike Hero Worship as a Stoke Legend !!! No badge kissing 'til we're promoted though, ok ?!!!
|
|
|
Post by Irish Stokie on Dec 11, 2007 16:26:05 GMT
Well that sounds all fairly good to me. He seems to have a valid reason for not signing up sooner and it makes a nice change to have someone whos not just a money grabbing bastard, i.e. Hendrie. That and now we have a central midfielder with some real quality, add to that Whelan in Jan and where on the way to the prem!!! ;D
Cant wait to see you back big man!!!
|
|