Nacho Novo: Waving goodbye to Rangers will be my worst day ever

[Gribz 745]

Fully agree with all posts, Novo has been my fave player since Prso left and I also cant believe how under used he has been considering he plays every bit as good against Falkirk as he would against Fiorentina.

 

I think he is under rated by WS.

 

I dont fully believe the saying that impact players should start on the bench, they can make an impact from the first minute if they want to. Its only when the game is dying a bit when energetic players like Novo give a spark when coming off the bench. The OF game last week was made for him and his type of game that would have suited him from the off.

 

And to be one of the low earners for over 5 years and not even complain about it shows he has his feet firmly on the ground.

 

If he went to Middlesboro I think he would be a huge hit there.

[Cotter 0]

Yep. +1.

 

Agree with all of the above. Letting go of Novo would be criminal. Shockingly under-used this season. We were brilliant in December when the wee man got a run of games. Really hope he stays.

[ascender 352]

That's the thing Gribz, there's been quite a few games where I think we'd have benefited from playing him from the start to try and get an early goal and settle the nerves, but Smith was reluctant to use him. If it's going to be the same next season then that'll be why the contract offer isn't great. In some ways I think Novo would be better off leaving now and playing every week while earning a nice sum for a few years as he's deserved it.

Edited May 8, 2010 by ascender

[Gers4Life 0]

Get the lad signed up!

[Gribz 745]

Again Naismith was prefered to Novo

 

Novo was excellent when he came on yesterday, his run for the 3rd goal was superb.

 

It would be criminal if that was Novo's last game for us.

[ian1964 10,629]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qY6BYPwEsg&feature=player_embedded]YouTube- Nacho Novo - The Tribute Video (High Quality)[/ame]

[ian1964 10,629]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWBp8LMI-1I&feature=related]YouTube- Nacho has a message for Samaras[/ame]

[ian1964 10,629]

Novo - Why I Said No To O'Neill.

 

CELTIC legend Martin O'Neill grabbed me round the neck and growled: 'You'd better sign for us, wee man.'

It was June 29, 2004, we were inside the home of Rangers' bitterest rivals.

 

My career was at a crossroads, my head was spinning, my mind in a turmoil.

 

For three weeks Rangers had been chasing me, now Celtic wanted to steal me from under their noses.

 

The cameras flashed as I walked in the door at Parkhead but I was subdued.

 

I never said much as we were taken on a tour of the trophy room and the stadium.

 

In O'Neill's office we sat and talked football. My agent Jorge Leira was locked in conversation with Celtic's chief executive Peter Lawwell.

 

I found O'Neill to be a good guy, the kind of manager who has presence the first time you meet him.

 

As I got up to leave he playfully strangled me and told me I was in trouble if I didn't put pen to paper.

 

It had all started with a phone call that turned my world upside down.

 

The voice said: "Hi Nacho, it's Peter Lawwell here. We would like to talk to you about joining Celtic."

 

You could have knocked me over with a feather. I said that I had to speak to my agent and hung up. Stunned.

 

I'd clung on for weeks to my dream of leaving Dundee for Glasgow - but to sign for Rangers, not their arch-rivals.

 

Now, as Rangers and Dundee failed to strike a deal, Peter Marr had agreed a fee with Celtic and I was free to talk to them.

 

Look, it was flattering but I didn't want to wear the Hoops. I wanted a light blue jersey on my back.

 

When Gers made their approach I told Peter it was the ONLY move I wanted.

 

Dundee had signed me for �£100,000 and now they wanted �£500,000, not a bad return after the two decent years I had given the club.

 

Rangers had money problems, though, the deal dragged on. Mental torture.

 

There was even chat they'd wait until the following January, try to sign me on a pre-contract and then I would move on a Bosman. If that happened Dundee would get nothing and be left with an unhappy player for a season. Something had to give.

 

Celtic knew Rangers were in for me big-time and the Old Firm love nothing more than getting one up on each other.

 

If I'd signed for Celtic it would have been a major slap in the face for Rangers as the financial gap was only around �£50,000 between what they'd offered and what Dundee wanted. We never talked about personal terms with Celtic or length of contract.

 

I was very quiet and I think that was the reason they later said they would not be pursuing the deal, as I had not shown any enthusiasm.

 

That was right. I didn't want to sign for Celtic. I was NEVER going to do it. The summer was hell, I could only see it from one side. I wanted Dundee to take the money from Rangers and let me go.

 

I had to force the issue. I sat in the office at Dens Park, directly across from Peter Marr.

 

The Dundee owner was a good man but as far as I was concerned he was the guy blocking my dream move.

 

I shouted: "So you won't sell me to Rangers, fine. I will stay at Dundee. But I can tell you this. I won't play for you. Every day, my knee will be ******."

 

Peter flew into a rage. What I was saying was out of order but I was thinking of anything I could to force Dundee's hand.

 

I told him again there was no way I would play for Dundee.

 

Peter screamed back at me: "You are refusing to play now? Well, there you go, you can get what you want. Go to Rangers." He stood up, leaned down and scribbled his signature on the paper that granted me permission to talk to Rangers. He shouted: "Now get out of my face."

 

I left the scene. Jorge stayed inside to finalise things with Peter and I just shut my eyes and tried to get my breath back. I had just heard what I wanted.

 

I could sign for Rangers.

 

A week after those Celtic Park talks I swept through the gates of Murray Park. Inside Alex McLeish's voice boomed out: "It's taken a bit of time, wee man. But at last you're here!" I signed in a flash. I knew after saying no thanks to Celtic, the Gers fans would take to me.

 

These were the issues I'd have to deal with but I was where I wanted to be - at Rangers.

[Frankie 8,383]

Novo must stay...

 

He's not the best player in the world but he brings experience, pace, creativity and goals to the team. I can't see how we could replace that in a cheaper sense.

[Guest Flying Hippo]

Nacho said after the game that he is going, due to lack of playing time and not money, and that he feels it's time for Fleck and other younger players to get their chance

 

I really hope he doesn't go to Middlesbrough. Would be difficult seeing him cosying up to the likes of McManus, Robson and McDonald after a goal