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Questions & Answers with Shay

If you'd like to ask Shay a question, send it to questions@shay-given.com

aliza ayob <iza712@yahoo.com>

Hi. I'm a great fan of Newcastle United and Shay Given from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I went to watch the final of the Premier League Asia Cup between Newcastle and Chelsea and it was a great game. I would like to say thank you very much to Shay Given for giving me his glove after the match. I'm totally honoured and it was a dream come true. I have just one question..who is your favourite football player? Thanks again Shay Given...you're the best.

Shay: "Good question...probably Zidane from France"

Stephen Rooney <srooney@airtricity.com>

Which brand of gloves do you reckon are the best available. I know your contracted to adidas so this is completly off the record and no its not a stitch up

Shay: "Adidas Fingersaves that I wear"

Lea Brayson <leabrayson11@yahoo.co.uk>

In your opinion who is an unsung hero at Newcastle?

Shay: "Gary Speed. He does a lot of battling in Midfield. He doesn't get a lot of praise but does a good job for the team."

ha quoc binh <haquocbinh82@yahoo.com>

I'm Binh! I come from Vietnam. Have you got any fans in Asia?
What do you think about us?

Shay: "I have a few I think. I enjoyed my time at the World Cup and at the Asien Cup with Newcastle. People couldn't do enough for you over there. The people in general are just so nice."

Hayes <themadgaf@oceanfree.net>

Do you think if a girl was an excellent footballer, should she be allowed play in the premiership?

Shay: "I don't know. The physical side of things might be a bit much...but it's certainly a question thats open to debate.

And what would you think if there was a girl player of that quality playing in it?

Shay: "I wouldn't have a problem with it at all. If she's good enough she can play, although we'd have to build in new cubicles to all the changing rooms around the country! :-)"

Newcastle Fan <nufc_magpie@hotmail.com>

Shay I think your spirit and determination are ahead of any other keeper I've seen in a while both for Ireland and Newcastle. What I wish to ask is this: Do you think you will ever leave Newcastle becuase it would be a great dissapointment if Newcastle was to ever loose one of the most determined goal keepers of the premiership, and would bring me great sorrow also.

Shay: "I don't know. It's not really for me to decide. The powers that be, there might be a new Manager and anything could be around the corner, so you never really know, but as far as it depends on me I would like to stay as long as possible."

Also, what is your best three films ever? :)

Shay: "Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and John Q"

sueob@eircom.net

My name is siobhan O'Brien, Do you still find it hard to believe that there are thousands of fans out there who would do anything to meet you and go to matches specifically to watch you play?

Shay: "I don't think they come personally to watch me. I think they come to see our standard of football. But we need all the support we can get and need to them to run any successful football club."

sueob@eircom.net

when ireland lost to the swiss did you find it surprising that us, the fans,were still 100% behind the team or did you expect is to retreat a little?

Shay: "Everyone was disappointed. The supporters have always been brilliant and always supported the team throughout."

Is the team high in spirits for world cup 2006?

Shay: "It's a long way away. It's a shame we're not going to Portugal. It's seems miles away at the minute, but when the qualifiers for the world cup come along, we'll be raring to go."

Eugene Han Football Weekly asked the following questions:

i) How did you become a goalkeeper?

Shay: "Don't know! :-) My Father was a goalkeeper. I also played up front but then decided to stick to goals. I might have been better in goals than upfront. We'll never know unless the Gaffer plays me upfront when Alan Shearer retires. (Shay laughs)"

ii) Kenny Daglish had bought you twice in his managerial career at two clubs. How do you rate him as a manager?

Shay: "I owe Kenny a lot. He brought me to Newcastle to play at 21 years old, which showed him the amount of faith he had in me back then. Yeah, I own him alot. He knows his stuff as far as football is concerned. I think it's a shame he's not in management but he's probably taking it easy on the Golf course right now. :-)"

iii) Who are the main role-models in your career?

Shay: "Peter Schmeichel growing up. Packie Bonner also from the Irish point of view."

iv) What are your main highlights so far in your life?

Shay: "World Cup finals has been the highlight so far. Getting to two finals with Newcastle also where I felt the Semi-Finals were the highlight for me because in both finals we didn't play well at all, but the Semi-Finals were a real BUZZ."

v) Having been voted the best 'keeper 2001/2002, what are your targets for this season?

Shay: "I want to try and limit the amount of mistakes I make. Over the course of any season a goalkeeper makes mistakes but my goal is to keep them to an absolute miniumum. When you make mistakes as a goalkeeper it's usually at the price of a goal, so you aim for an absolute minimum if any."

vi) You seem to excel at shot-stopping, what advice would you give to young players wanting to become goalkeepers?

Shay: "I don't! :-) It takes a lot of hard work and sacrifices. I think its the toughest position on the field. You have to have a broad set of shoulders and you can't take it too heavily when you make mistakes. You have to be able to handle that and get on with it."

vii) Lastly, where do you see yourself in five years time?

Shay: "Don't really know, hopefully still at Newcastle. A World Cup with Ireland in Germany 2006. I'd like to win some Championships or Cups/Medals with Newcastle. I'd like to win something for the fans and the team. Hopefully I can look back having done that. :-)"

My name is Kevin Johnson and i would like to know what is your PERFECT XI.

Shay: "

Me in goals

Right back would be probably Stephen Carr

Left back Roberto Carlos

Centre-Halfs: Johnathan Woodgate, Rio Ferdinand

Midfleld: Viera, Keane, Scholes, Zidane

Forwards: Henry, Viera"

Isolde Sheridan is_sheridan@hotmail.com

I was wondering if shay would maybe..possibly...hopefully be coming over to ireland anytime soon for anything?!? knowing my luck he will be but i'll miss him again like the last 2 times.

Shay: "We play Scotland in February, but don't know exactly when and if it'll be in Ireland or Scotland?"

Emma Carroll emma_carroll50@hotmail.com

Is there ever any time that your fans can get a chance to meet you, that isnt by chance like just seeing you outside the training ground cuz im your biggest fan ever"

Shay: "Some fans come to the training ground for a quick meeting, photograph or autograph, etc.. But to meet up for a full-meal is highly unlikely as I would never get round to them all. (Shay has a wee giggle to himself imagining meeting everyone for dinner!"

What do you think of the group Newcastle got in the second round of the champions league?

Shay: "Difficult. Best 16 teams in Europe. I didn't expect any walkovers. We still think we can get something from the group. Obviously not a good start."

Brendan W. Keeney bkeeney@nyc.rr.com

My question is: are you coming to New York any time soon? I would love to watch you play live.

Shay: "Not for a while, I've been a couple of times and really enjoyed myself. Hopefully soon again."

Samantha Eskdale <sameskdale@hotmail.com>

Many people suggest that football is getting a bad reputation due to the amounts of money that the players get paid. What is your veiw on the current reputation of football and do you think the wages players get is too much for what they do?

Shay: "Some of the top players are definately getting very good contracts for sure, but when you compare that with other sports like Golf, American basketball, baseball or football and things come into perspective again. So lots of folks are paid way more in their respective sport. It's of course not the footballers fault that they get paid what they do. You generally finish your career around 35 years old and so you've hopefully still got another 50 years to live and when you consider that most of the lads haven't got additional qualifications so they have to live on what they earn for a while. I don't begrudge any of the players for the contracts they get! :-)

Charlotte Law <charlotte.law@hsbcam.com>

Does Shay ever make it down to London? Newcastle is a bit far to travel for us London fans?

Shay: "I've just no time. Would love to have more but that's the way things are. I have no time in London apart from games. We fly in, get to our hotel go the the playing ground and fly home again. We don't get a night out on the town or anything like that, mind you judging by some of the results in London we've had, you'd think we were out on the town the night before the match! (Shay had a good laugh at the thought of that) :-)

Chris Pearson <chris.pearson@hitachi-eu.com>

You chose to change glove sponsor a couple of years ago from Adidas to Sondico, why was that ? and how do the different gloves compare ?

Shay: "It was a simple case of adidas not wanting to sponsor me anymore to be honest. Then I had offers from a lot of other companies. I tried out lots of gloves and Sondico was also one of the companies offering a contract and the whole package fitted well. I wouldn't say I would just choose any glove because the money was right, you can't go out playing in a pair of mittens. So first and foremost it's about the glove quality and Sondico offered both, a great pair of gloves and a great deal, so if there's a bit of extra cash that's a bonus but like I say, the gloves have to be good, or I won't wear them. That has always first priority." :-)

Laura Phillips <irlshaygiven1@hotmail.com>

Are you married? Have you any relations in Co. Leitrim?

Shay: "Yes, I'm married to Jane. I haven't any relations in Co.Leitrim, well as least not that I'm aware of". :-)

Amy Duffy <amym_duffy@hotmail.com>

What do you personally think of matt holland?

Shay: "Matt's a great player who's done well for Ireland and Ipswich."

Who are your best mates at Newcastle?

Shay: "I don't really have any best mates, we hang out with each other (the team), so I don't have any particular best mate."

And who are your mates in showbiz (I hear you're friends with Nicky from Westlife)?

Shay: "I don't have too many friends in Showbiz. Yes I met Nicky from Westlife about a year ago. I was at a concert and we became mates since then."

Is it true that you're to go up for manager of Ireland?

Shay: "No, I've got a hard enough job in goals never mind managing the team" :-)

Shay: "That's a difficult question. One who brings the results in is the most important thing for Ireland right now."

Who would Shay like to see as the new irish manager?

Which fans does Shay think are better, irish or newcastle?

Shay: "Well, the toon fans are the best in the Premiership. They're fanatical away from home and they love their football. The Irish are also brilliant, so they're both FANtastic (sorry pun here from the Editor and not from Shay...)

How do you feel about the sharing of position with Steve Harper?

Shay "I like to play in every game. I was really gutted when I couldn't play in the Champions League. Maybe the Manager thought I had played too many games but hopefully normal practice is resumed now."

How do you pick yourself back up to regain that personal confidence, that 1st string spot and the title of 'Best keeper in Europe?' when things don't go well for you?

Shay "You'll always have low points, mistakes happen. The thing is to not get carried away with either success or failure. You have to be as positive as you can about things and put the negative thoughts in a bin."

Samantha Eskdale <sameskdale@hotmail.com>:

I heard you bought a house in newcastle. What do you think of newcastle as a place?

Shay "Yes, I do have a house in Newcastle. I can't tell you where though! :-) This is my sixth season for Newcastle United and so it's become a home away from home for me. It's the longest time I've spent anywhere away from home and the people here have been magnificent. They're dead genuine."

SAMANTHA ESKDALE <sameskdale@hotmail.com>:

Where are your favourite places to visit?

Shay "Well, when we do get time off, we like to go to the Quayside, but that isn't too often. We also like visiting restaurants.

Could you please ask Shay his opinion on the whole Mick McCarthy affair?

Shay "I'm dissappointed he left. He gave me 36 caps. I owe him a lot. He gave me my debut aswell when I was nineteen. He did a very good job for Ireland. He can leave the job with his head held high".

Does he still believe Ireland can qualify for Euro 2004 and how?

Shay "Of course Ireland can still qualify. There are still a lot of games and football to play. We need to get good results and stay optimistic about our chances. There's no point getting pessimistic, we have to believe we can do it and I think we can".