New defender in it for the long term
Posted on 31st January 2007
Newcastle United yesterday completed the signing of Oguchi Onyewu. The player has said he has long term ambitions at the club. The twenty-four year old United States international will play no part against Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa side Newcastle United manager Glenn Roeder believes his signing will give the Magpies a significant boost.
The defender yesterday joined Newcastle on loan from Standard Liege for the remainder of the season as Roeder finally made a breakthrough in the transfer market. And having been told that his future is in his own hands, Onyewu is relishing the chance to get to work in a black-and-white shirt.
“I’m not just here for the short-term – I’m here for the long-term,” said Roeder. “It feels great to be here and I'm eager to step in and make an impact with the team. There were other possibilities for me but it didn't take long to decide (to join Newcastle) because I realised this was the best career move for me. I know the club's great history and all about the great fans and, although they have not managed to win anything for a long time, I know they are eager to start winning titles and I want to be part of something special here."
The only thing Newcastle United can win this season is the Uefa Cup and, having appeared for his Belgian club in the competition's preliminary stages, Onyewu is ineligible for European action. Instead, the Clemson college star is targeting potential prizes further down the line - but first he must prove his class to Roeder.
“He has got 13 games to prove he’s a Premiership player,” said Roeder. “He has to prove that he's a player worth keeping and that's why this is such a good deal for us. He has hunger and he has something to prove and this is a win-win for us. Standard were looking for a permanent deal straight away and it required a lot of hard work (to secure a loan signing). It has been hard work for a few days because he is Standard Liege's best player.”
Earlier Newcastle United news
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