Guest Texasmag Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Link United have no excusesMar 17 2007 By The Journal Nicky Butt has apologised to the club's fans following Newcastle United's abject UEFA Cup surrender to AZ Alkmaar. And the midfielder is adamant that the Magpies faithful have every right to be angry with the players. Butt was blunt and forthright as he emerged from a tense away dressing room at the DSB Stadion and the former England international did not hold back in his criticism of the team's performance. As a regular winner of silverware during a decade of domestic dominance at Manchester United, Butt has more idea than most about what is needed to lift trophies, and he was livid at the manner in which Newcastle allowed Alkmaar to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg to progress to the quarter-finals on the away goals rule. But while the former England star expects a frosty reception on Tyneside for the next few weeks after seeing the club's last chance of silverware this season fizzle into nothing, he insisted the players were equally angry about what had happened. "It was the wrong time to deliver a poor performance like that," said Butt, who has rebuilt his personal, if not the team's, fortunes this season following his return from a loan spell at Birmingham City. "We had a great game in the first leg but we didn't play anything like that in the second. Maybe we thought we had already done the hard work at home and that is a fatal error to make. As a team we did not play very well and as individuals we did not play well. That's about it, we didn't pass the ball well, we just didn't perform. "There will be anger and there will be a lot of disappointment on Tyneside, we fully understand that. All I can say to the fans is that there is just as much anger and disappointment in the dressing room about what has happened. "We will be joining in that sense of anger. There was a lot of shouting and bawling at each other after the game. I understand if the crowd are angry and upset with the players because it's another chance gone begging. "We wanted to win something, we've done pretty well in Europe this season, but we've let ourselves down against Alkmaar and that hurts everyone connected to the club." Given United's involvement in the Intertoto Cup in July, there is a temptation to suggest the sheer number of games played by the Magpies caught up with them in Alkmaar this week. However, Butt does not entertain such a notion and the 32-year-old does not believe others should be able to use tiredness as an excuse for what has happened. He said: "We can't use tiredness as an excuse. I can only speak for myself, but although we've played a lot of games, the way we train with the fitness coaches, it's all geared up to coping with the number of games we have to play. "Tiredness isn't a factor for me and I doubt very much if it is for the other lads as well. On the night we didn't play to our potential and we paid the price for that." Newcastle appear to have little left to play for this season than a respectable league position and the hope that a top-eight finish will be enough to earn qualification for the Intertoto Cup if Chelsea and Manchester United meet in the FA Cup final in May, thus ensuring that the three available Uefa Cup spots will go to the teams finishing fifth to seventh in the top flight. The Magpies are five points behind Tottenham Hotspur in eighth place ahead of this weekend's fixture and a win at relegation-threatened Charlton is vital if they are going to lift the mood of their supporters, as well as maintain the pressure on those sitting above them in the Premiership. Butt added: "There might be a temptation for people to say that the season is over, but it definitely isn't. We have to concentrate on getting up the table now. We've got eight games left starting at Charlton. The fans will want to see the right reaction from the players. We have to get on with it and do the best we can." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmonkey Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Butt added: "There might be a temptation for people to say that the season is over, but it definitely isn't. We have to concentrate on getting up the table now. We've got eight games left starting at Charlton. The fans will want to see the right reaction from the players. We have to get on with it and do the best we can." Thats why hes won various medals with ManU, and Kieron Dyer has won fuck all despite having three times the natural ability of Butt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gray Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 love how everyone jumps on dyer when given said it first Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmonkey Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 love how everyone jumps on dyer when given said it first Given can piss off too then, not like hes ever won anything. Doesnt seem like hes bothered much anymore either, now that hes got his poker budies to dry his tears. Any other toon player saying the season is over should have a word with themselves, at least Butt has the right mentality. Although I still didnt like Dyer's statement of "I just know this is going to take a long while to get out of our system". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Although I still didnt like Dyer's statement of "I just know this is going to take a long while to get out of our system". They're human. It probably will take a while. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinho lad Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 our season is over. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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