Newcastle midfielder Mohamed Diame says he has made the Magpies his priority by deciding to retire from international football.
The 29 year old announced he would no longer be available to play for Senegal this week, and talking to NUFC.co.uk he revealed that extending his club career, and giving his all to the Magpies, was a key part of his decision.
“It’s not an easy decision, but I hope with all the rest that I will get from now I will be fresh to give my best for Newcastle. I know Newcastle is a massive club, and people have big expectations. I know that it is important when you are in a club like this, you have to perform at 100 per cent – even 200 per cent. It was important for me to take this decision for the rest of my career.”
Diame has 36 caps for Senegal but played just a single match under manager Aliou Cisse at this year’s African Cup of Nations in Gabon. The fact that he is no longer an integral part of the national setup, combined with the long haul travel to represent Senegal, no doubt contributed to the announcement.
The midfielder has played regularly for Rafa Benitez since he joined from Hull City for £3.5million in the summer, although it must be said he hasn’t made the sort of impact most would have expected, despite scoring six goals and providing two assists in 33 matches so far this season.
