NEWCASTLE UNITED HAVE confirmed the signing of Republic of Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick.
The 28-year-old makes the switch as a free agent following his recent departure from fellow Premier League club Burnley.
Hendrick has penned a four-year deal with Newcastle, where he’ll link up with international team-mate Ciaran Clark.
“It’s a massive club and playing over the years, going to the stadium, it’s one of the best stadiums to play in, so I just want to get playing there,” the Dubliner said of his move to St James’ Park.
“I’ve had over 100 games in the Premier League but I want to keep going and keep improving with a different team. It’s going to be different for me, the demands with the bigger stadium, the crowd, how big the club is, so I’ve got to take that on and keep pushing myself and striving to get better. I’m looking forward to it – I can’t wait.”
Hendrick, who was named in Stephen Kenny’s first squad as Ireland manager today, played 139 times for Burnley in all competitions after joining from Derby County in 2016.
“Jeff is someone I’ve admired for a long time,” said Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce, whose side finished 13th in the Premier League last season.
“I watched him when he was at Derby, then he went to Burnley for a lot of money and couldn’t afford him, so I missed out then! He’s an experienced international footballer who can play all across the midfield so we welcome him aboard. He’ll be a big asset to us, on and off the pitch.
“He’s a great pro, down to earth, and at the age of 28 it’s a wonderful time to get somebody. It is the peak of his career. He’s a really fit boy who has played 122 times in the Premier League for Burnley over the last four years, and I’m sure he’ll be a great addition to the squad.”
Hendrick will be looking to increase his tally of 54 senior caps when Ireland face Bulgaria and Finland in next month’s Uefa Nations League games.
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Kilkenny football any thoughts people? I used to feel they should enter in these competitions give them experience but with that result not worth it. What goes on in their team preparations because Gaelic football ain’t that technical. I mean do they play football at all down there??
Football is a joke here! Pick lads up on the side of the road and throw em a jersey. Shouldn’t be that hard to bring an extra man or 2 back into defence and not concede the likes of 7-30.
You are laughed at if u say u play football for kilkenny so the decent ones don’t bother turning up.
Then why bother with it surely young lads would jump at a chance to pull on the Kilkenny jersey.
& the same Kilkenny people who mock football & do nothing to promote it will whinge & complain that other counties aren’t promoting hurling.
Fair play to the small counties like Waterford, Wexford, Clare, Laois & Offaly who put resources into both games.
Nope big difference in pulling on a hurling jersey and a football one. I know lads on the football team who just go for the free gear they get and trips away, can’t even make their club team.
Very unfair and downright rude comment.To say that we don’t put resources into our football is pure tripe considering we send our football team out to Britian each year to play in the Britiah junior championship because of the huge beatings they get at home which makes the team at least try because they believe they can win.Aswell as that…..no matter what people do Kilkenny will never be that interested in football,always was an out and out hurling county and always will be,it runs in the blood(no bragging intended but just look at the history and look at the history of our football….enough said).The interest for football in KK is just isn’t there but they keep on competing and getting trashed.I have lived in Kilkenny for 24yrs but not anymore but in my time living there I have never EVER heard people giving out about the promotion of football and to make sure that county boards spend fairly on their sports the GAA accesses all county accounts at the end of every year.But to be honest I’m not suprised by your comments as I have seen other ones of yours about Kilkenny.I myself have proudly played for Kilkenny in both Camogie and Gaelic Football.We are so bad we shouldn’t be even playing it but we do it because it is part if the ethos of an organisation that we all so dearly love.Do not speak tripe about a county that you do not know any facts on,just clueless accusations!
I agree with some of what your saying but come on, 49 points! That’s just disgraceful and down right embarrassing, clearly their is a need for greater funding which could go to better coaching etc…
That result is a disgrace and a stain on Kilkenny GAA!
Ok you asked for it with a comment like that. I’d rather be from a county that’s successful in one code than be from a county that’s shite in both!
I asked for it? By stating that sending out chaps to receive such an awful beating is disgraceful? Kids sent out to be humiliated?
You reckon the best thing to do is castigate my county? They’d never lose to Offaly in either code by that margin! Kilkenny are only half a GAA county and I reiterate my point this kind of carry on is a stain on Kilkenny GAA. Do the decent thing and withdraw from the competition.
Finally, I’d rather be…. what a stupid comment? Imagine preferring to be from another county although I suspect you’ve engendered that feeling before?
Ah Rory, Waterford ain’t shite at hurling but they’re not far off it judging by their performance in Nowlan Park a month ago!
*That was for Andrew, not Rory
Waterford Wexford and Clare have a far bigger population than KK. KK have a population in total of 87,000 people. Pound for Pound the most sucessful county on all ireland titles and yes they have provicial titles in the big ball as well not like some other Leinster counties.
The way Offaly hurling is going, they will soon be as big a laughing stock as Kilkenny football! Can’t even organise a training session with all the in house fighting and the gates been locked in Tullamore. Get it right in yere own county first before u starting mouthing about another one.
There is no point in bringing in better coaches when there is just no interest
Kilkenny treat Gaelic football with the contempt it deserves.
We’re very lucky in this country to have 2 fantastic sports that we can call our own. I pity anyone who is too blind to appreciate them both.
Offaly showed serious All-Ireland form today.
I would love to see hurling separated into a different association and just promoted by hurling people. Let’s face it the only similarities is that they share the same pitch and have the same scoring methods. Football is just one of many ‘football’ games played around, this one to Irish rules. While hurling is a truly unique sport that we can be proud of.
This hurling v football crap has to end. The two sports fall under the umbrella of the GAA and that’s where the similarity ends. It’s like comparing soccer with rugby!
Kilkenny don’t treat Gaelic with contempt, the County Board also doesn’t spare on funding or trying to promote football so let’s be clear on that. Issue is clubs just don’t support football and the won’t encourage players to play football. If minors can’t make hurling panel their not interested in playing football..It’s very unfair to say on here that the result was disgraceful, it’s disrespectful and bloody rude to players who actually bothered their backside to go and play football in the first place. Let’s be honest hurling is number one game in Kilkenny and nothing will change that…