Newcastle United midfielder Mo Diame has revealed that giving up his international career with Senegal has helped him deliver consistent performances in 2018.
In March 2017, the enforcer decided to hang up his boots for his country after winning 31 caps, but Senegal attempted to lure him back for the World Cup earlier this summer.
However, Diame – who has 213 Premier League appearances – realised that his excellent run of form this year – especially in the second half of the 2017/18 campaign – was helped by his decision to give up playing for his country.
“Retiring from international football has definitely helped me. I have time to rest. Some people have to travel a lot, maybe play a full international game and it’s not going to be easy for them. But I will have a rest and come back fresh for Arsenal,” he told the Chronicle.
OPINION
Diame’s excellent run of form in the second half of last season is partly why Newcastle finished tenth in the Premier League season, and obviously not having the strain of international football helped that. However, the same simply can not be said for this season, especially in the first match against Tottenham Hotspur. He looked a shadow of a player that he was back in the latter half of the last campaign, which is a shame, as he looked like he was coming into his own alongside Jonjo Shelvey, the pair creating a formidable double act. He needs to start improving, as his displays this time around have not been up to scratch. If he has put giving up international football as the reason for maintaining his good form, that certainly is not the case now. If anything, it has had the opposite effect on him this term. He needs to get his head down and start to deliver the performances that the fans know he is capable of.
