interview David Goodwillie is happy to be out of the limelight at Ewood Park
If only he had said something sooner we could all have been saved a great deal of trouble.
Goodwillie was courted by both Rangers and Blackburn Rovers last week, although the whole terse episode did feel as though it lasted a great deal longer, but ultimately he opted to join the Barclays Premier League club from Dundee United.
A £2.8m fee had already been agreed between the clubs along with personal terms on a lucrative four-year contract, but Rangers made a two further, desperate offers while the player was undergoing a medical at Ewood Park.
Stephen Thompson, the United chairman, rejected both, but Goodwillie would not have been persuaded to nip back up the road, anyway.
There was only one option as far as he was concerned. The opportunity to join a Premier League team was too great to turn down and, following a weekend of discussions with club officials and manager Steve Kean, he was happy to head south. A move to Rangers, it seems, held little appeal by that stage.
“On the Sunday night I knew I wanted to come to Blackburn and all the other stuff was just talk,” said Goodwillie. “I knew about Rangers’ interest but that was it. I was in a hotel with Ricky Gillies [PFA agent], he made sure my head was clear and I wasn’t thinking about it. I was focused on coming to Blackburn.”
Goodwillie was advised by Peter Houston, the United manager, as well as his representatives to move south rather than opt for Glasgow, in order to remove himself from the spotlight and trouble that has followed him around off the field. The forward agreed it was the correct decision.
“I felt I needed a fresh start in a new country and in a new league,” he said. “A big factor is being away from the spotlight. If I stayed in Scotland I don’t know if I could have gone to Tesco for my shopping without getting hassled.
“I spoke to Peter Houston, who has been great with me, and my advisers and everyone agrees that being down here is the best place for me. I don’t want to criticise Scotland, but I think the best thing for me just now is to be down in England playing my football. It’s the first time I have been away from Scotland to live and it will take time to settle but I will manage.”
The prospect of playing the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool should certainly help. Kean will name Goodwillie in his squad to face Wolves in their inaugural league game of the season, a match in which Goodwillie is hoping to make an early impression to those at his new club.
“Playing in the Premiership is an exciting challenge,” he said. “When you look at the teams you are playing against, the big names, it’s a very attractive prospect. I know I need to work hard and give it my best shot. Hopefully, I can achieve good things here. I’d like to think I’ll score goals. I just enjoy scoring goals and it makes me feel happy. Getting a move straight to the Premiership was a bit of a shock but it just shows what can happen if you work hard.”
The Scotland internationalist, who was recalled by Craig Levein for Wednesday’s game against Denmark but spent a soggy evening sitting on the bench, became convinced about his move to Ewood Park after speaking to club officials about their plans for the future under Indian owners Venky’s. “I spoke to a few people about the club and it’s a good place to be. There are players of a similar age here and the lads have been brilliant to me,” said Goodwillie.
“Sometimes it can be difficult when a player joins a new club but everyone has made me very welcome. I have set myself a few targets but I will keep them close to my chest. Hopefully, it won’t take me too long to settle in to the Premiership -- getting off and running on Saturday would be great.”
It has been a long, often fraught, journey to the Premier League for Goodwillie. His misdemeanours away from football have often overshadowed his precocious talents on it, yet he has the ability -- as far as Kean is concerned, especially -- to succeed in the English top flight.
The striker is grateful for the education he received at Tannadice, though, even although he trotted out that hackneyed line about checking for his former side’s result on the Saturday evening. It may be a cliche, but you are tempted to believe him.
“Dundee United were fantastic with me and I will always be grateful to the club for giving me my chance,” said Goodwillie, who made his United debut at the tender age of 16. “I started my career there and it will always be a special place for me.
“My team-mates there were fantastic and I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for them. United’s result is the first one I will be looking for after our game finishes on a Saturday.”
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