Vid's happy to give up single life

Feb 3 2008 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

MIDDLESBROUGH old boy Mark Viduka has vowed to begin winning over his doubters on Tyneside today – after giving up on single life.

Viduka returns to the Newcastle side after a three-game absence relishing the chance to play as half of a double act again.

And the Aussie believes he can use a partnership with Michael Owen to rediscover the goal touch he seemingly left behind him at the Riverside.

Viduka blames Sam Allardyce’s ploy of playing a lone striker for his struggle to impress consistently so far at St James’s Park.

But it’s all change – and all the better for Viduka – under Kevin Keegan.

And the Australian is in the mood to remind Boro chairman Steve Gibson of what he claimed to be happy to have lost last summer.

“I had a strong finish to the second half of my last season with Boro, and hopefully I can do the same here,” said Viduka, whose 10 goals in the final three months of the 2006/07 did much to keep the Teessiders up.

“Newcastle fans have definitely not seen the best of me yet, but then I don’t think they’ve seen the best out of the team.

“Once we start playing together as a team and getting a bit of confidence, people will see certain individuals in a new light.”

And Viduka for one believes that will happen sooner rather than later.

“Kevin (Keegan) was a good appointment for me. He likes his football and he likes attacking. You almost feel like you have something in common.

“We played with one man up front under Big Sam. Some players are very good playing alone, but I prefer to be one half of a partnership. I’ve always enjoyed it when I’ve had someone to link up with.

“We played a lot of games under Sam with one striker and it was very difficult for that striker.”

Despite that goal rush towards the end of last season, Viduka heard Boro chairman Gibson express relief when he refused to stay on at the Riverside, suggesting the Australian offered questionable value for money.

Viduka is in the mood to make a point about that today.

“I have no problem with Steve Gibson,” he added. “But I was a little disappointed that he came out with some of the things he said because he’s a man of a certain stature.

“And he knows and I know that what he said wasn’t true.”