"No easy Manchester United"

It seemed like it was going to be a dream start Shay for Newcastle on Saturday. To be leading 1:0 at half-time, you must have thought youse have it maybe?

Shay: "Well, even at half-time, we knew we were going to have a battle on our hands. You're up against one of the best teams in Europe. There's never an easy Manchester United to play against. We did well in the first half, defended well, got away with things but in the second half, they seemed to step it up a gear."

Alan Shearer's had a flying start to the season, don't you think?

Shay: "Aye, he's flying. He played well against Manchester Utd., he held the line well and played well giving us a vital goal in the first-half too. He might be losing his hair but he's playing like his younger years.
Hopefully he can score against Partizan aswell and take some of the pressure off early on. Otherwise it could be a tense night at home."

Did you feel the absence of Johnathan Woodgate and Craig Bellamy?

Shay: "I don't want to take away from the lads who were playing. You go out there and you play with what you have, not with what you'd like to have had. Any team would miss players of the quality of Woodgate and Bellamy."

The early kick-off is always a hard thing to get used to, don't you think?

Shay: "It is hard. You have to eat chicken, pasta and broccoli at 8:30 am in the morning and in fairness only a few of the lads can do it. I had some cereal and beans and toast. It's just a lot to face at that time of the morning."

Partizan Belgrade will be tough, what's your thoughts on the game?

Shay: "The game in Belgrade was very tough, so we'll be expecting something similar at St. James. There's a lot at stake for us, so there is pressure. It only takes a second to score a goal, and they're right back in it. It's a huge game for us where I hope Alan and the lads can put some goals in. It's perhaps the biggest game we'll have this season."

Any changes for the Patizan game?

Shay: "Well, Woody (Johnathan Woodgate) should be back in, he trained again yesterday, so he might well be back in defence, but Craig (Bellamy) won't make it."

Lastly Shay, you seem to have got a new hair-cut for the game against Manchester United. You look pretty marine style there!

Shay: "Aye, a touch too short, you'd think I was off to the army, but a bad hair-cut only lasts two weeks." (laughing)

Let's hope Shay's hair grows and the Champions League will be back at St. James. Roll on Partizan.

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