Newcastle defender Massadio Haïdara has reflected on his time with the club as the expiration of his contract approaches.
The 25-year old will leave St James’ Park at the end of the month when his contract expires, putting an injured ravaged five and a half years behind him.
While the left-back is said to be in talks with Ligue 2 outfit RC Lens, Haïdara says he isn’t in any rush to make a move. Talking to the club’s website following the final day of the season, as quoted by The Chronicle, Haïdara said:
I don’t want to rush – I want to see what is best for me, and try to make a good choice for me and for the sake of my career.
I am really, really happy to finish my time by having some minutes at St James’ Park.
It was really good for me, and for the people around me to see me on the pitch again.
I hope everything will go better and better at Newcastle every year, and whatever people are here I’m sure will give 100 per cent.
[Last season] was strange. You train every week and you don’t have a game at a weekend.
I just try to be professional, try to train properly, try to be involved and give everything I have to the manager to see if I can get some minutes, or if I can be on the bench. I never give up.
I always try to do my best and help my team-mates push on, and make them better as well.
I was waiting, patient for my time. That is the way you have to be and that is what I did.
Haïdara was considered a promising talent when he signed from Nancy for £2million in early 2013, but a string of injuries prevented him from ever building any momentum.
In fact, his most memorable moment as a Magpie will probably be when he was clattered in a horror tackle early into his Newcastle career, when Wigan’s Callum McManaman drew nationwide criticism for a knee high studs up tackle on the former France youth international.
Since then injuries have persisted, limiting Haïdara to a total of just 53 appearances for the club. However, despite not being able to achieve what he set out to achieve, Haïdara says he will remember many positive memories from his time on Tyneside. He continued:
I want to thank the fans – they have always been amazing.
Since the first day I came here, and when I’ve had the ups and downs, they were the first to send me messages to try to make me happy, and for that I am very, very pleased.
Because I had some injuries, I couldn’t do what I wanted. That is a little disappointment from my time here.
But I’ve had some good times as well. I remember my first year, playing in the Europa League, and winning the Championship last season. I’ve had a good time, it’s just I’ve had some difficult times as well.
That’s part of football – sometimes it doesn’t go the way you want, but sometimes it is perfect.
