The Diary of Antti Niemi

Fulhams senaste nyförvärv, Antti Niemi, verkar vara en riktigt trevlig snubbe. Det här fanns att läsa på TFI och ska vara hämtat direkt från hans dagbok:

I've signed for Fulham

I am pleased to announce that I have signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Fulham. I am sad in many ways to have left Southampton, but I am equally delighted to have joined such an excellent Premiership club. Southampton accepted an offer from Fulham on Friday and gave me permission to speak to Chris Coleman and Dave Beasant over the weekend. We had a good long chat about the club, its plans, and what they expected from me and I have to say that everything we spoke about was spot on. Joining Fulham just felt right for me after speaking to them.

If my main priority was money, I did have the option to join a different Premiership club, but I decided not to make that choice. I always said that I would only leave Southampton for a club that suited me and that was right off the pitch as well as on it, and in Fulham I think I have found that club. They have a good side, it's a nice club, and it's also in a lovely area of London where I think my family will be happy. Everything about the move makes sense.

I genuinely wasn't looking for a move away from Southampton. Just a week ago I was in the process of buying a new house nearer to my daughter's school. I was with the Saints for three-and-a-half years the longest I have ever been with a club and it has been a very happy time of my life. I had a great time with Southampton and enjoyed it immensely. It's common knowledge that I was upset about David Coles' sacking just before Christmas, but I want to make it clear that it played no part in my decision to leave Southampton. David and I both know that football is a precarious business and that these things sometimes happen. If he had still been at Southampton today, I would still have made the decision to sign for Fulham.

Having another crack at the Premiership was a major factor in my decision. The Premiership is a wonderful place to play football. I'm fortunate in the fact that I have already proved that I can be a success at this level, so hopefully I can just pick up where I left off six months ago and do well for my new club. Playing for Fulham is a challenge I'm really looking forward to. Like many clubs our first target is probably to secure the club's Premiership status and once that has been achieved we can make new targets.

From Southampton's view, I can understand why they allowed this move to happen. George Burley was fantastic and made it clear to me that he didn't want to lose me, but at the same time he felt that he could not stand in my way of the chance to play in the Premiership again. I'm 34 this year, so to get a decent fee isn't a bad deal for Southampton. The transfer probably suited all parties. The club is fortunate to have a superb replacement for me already in Paul Smith. He's a great keeper and I really do hope that he is now given the chance to play regularly. Paul's a fan's favourite and will do a tremendous job for the club. I hope that the club don't spend the money they got for me on a new keeper because Paul is good enough to be a big success there. I am sad to leave the Southampton fans behind me because even when I had the occasional bad game, they were always there for me. I felt that I had the full support of the fans. Apart from a few sick phone calls from a handful of nutcases this weekend, the supporters of Southampton have been fantastic to me. I'd like to think that those people that abused me on the phone were not true fans anyway. I'm not going to let them spoil my view of Southampton supporters.

So, now I have a lot to look forward to with Fulham. It's very exciting. First of all I know that I have to earn the respect of my new team-mates, and of the fans at Craven Cottage. I'm not expecting to walk straight into the team. I have to show that I am good enough. I really can't wait to make my debut for Fulham.