Source: Daily_Mail
Newcastle star Cheik Tiote happy to have snubbed Chelsea
Newcastle midfielder Cheik Tiote has revealed why he snubbed a deadline day move to Chelsea in January to stay with the Magpies, and expressed his appreciation of the atmosphere at the club that had made him feel so welcome.[LNB]The 24-year-old saw Andy Carroll leave St James' Park for a ?35 million British record transfer fee, and could have been persuaded to follow Fernando Torres in his ?50m move to Chelsea.[LNB]However, the Ivory Coast international decided to stay on Tyneside in preference to London, and recently signed a new six-and-a-half year contract, keeping him at the club until 2017.[LNB] Happy to stay: Cheik Tiote in action for Newcastle against Bolton on Saturday[LNB]'If you come to a new club in a new country it is important there is a good atmosphere at the club.[LNB]'As soon as I arrived here the players made me welcome. They helped me settle in and meant I could do a good job on the pitch.[LNB]'Newcastle life is good for me. It is not like London - London is too busy, there are too many people.[LNB]'Newcastle is not so busy. That makes it easier to focus on your job. For me it is important. I would like to be here for a few years. I can learn here.[LNB]'I feel settled here. I enjoy it here. The fans are good and the new manager likes me. The club has looked after me and I do my best for the team and the fans.'[LNB]The Ivorian discussed his upbringing, and the difficulties he faced in his youth, as he had to sacrifice family life in order to pursue his aim of making the grade in professional football.[LNB] Happy days: Tiote celebrates his late equaliser against Arsenal earlier this month[LNB]Tiote left school at 14, and moved to Belgium just two years later with Anderlecht.[LNB]'I made sacrifices to be a player,' he recalled. 'I had to leave my family, my six brothers and three sisters. It was so difficult.[LNB]'Now I have a better life and I am happy for that but I had to be focused.[LNB]'In Africa the young boys want to go out all the time, they want to do something different.[LNB]'But for me the being different was to make it as a professional. To do that I had to leave that life.[LNB]'Going back would have been like saying, "I lose". I don't do losing. I want to win every challenge, every tackle, anything.[LNB]'When I was little my dad told me, "If you want to have something in your life, you have to work hard".[LNB]'My dad is dead now but I think he would be proud of me.'[LNB] Tiote signs Newcastle deal until 2017 to snub Chelsea and Arsenal interestTiote's journey from barefoot street star to Newcastle's find of the season[LNB] [LNB]
