ROEDER RESERVES JUDGEMENT ON DYER
Caretaker Newcastle United manager Glenn Roeder will make a late
decision on whether to hand midfielder Kieron Dyer a Barclays
Premiership start at Aston Villa.
The 27-year-old played a 60-minute practice match earlier this week
and suffered no ill-effects, although he remains short of match
fitness.
Defender Craig Moore returned from his hamstring injury for the
reserves on Thursday night, but the game could come too soon for
him, while Michael Owen (foot), Steven Taylor (shoulder) and
Stephen Carr (hernia) are all still out and Amady Faye is yet to
return from the African Nations Cup.
Dyers injury woes have limited him to just four appearances all
season, and Roeder has challenged the winger to revive his World
Cup dream by helping his club out of its current problems.
In life, everyone has to have a goal, and I said to him your goal
has got to be the World Cup. You have got to reach for the stars,
Kieron, he said.
Its not as if hes never played for England and hed be unproven.
Hes played well for England, so the manager knows what hes
capable of.
Being out this time for a long period, I feel, has hit him and has
made him really realise how much he loves football.
If you had seen him in training, the professionalism he showed
during the sessions, the effort he put in - he was flying, it was
terrific.
Roeder also backed striker Alan Shearer to bring the glory days
back to Newcastle as manager - but not just yet.
Shearer has ruled himself out of the running to become Graeme
Souness successor, insisting he is not ready for such a big job,
but Roeder believes the current captain will take over one day and
make a success of it.
Roeder, who is being assisted by the 35-year-old as chairman Freddy
Shepherd searches for Newcastles next manager, said: When he
eventually takes the job, Alan will bring success to Newcastle
United because hes a winner.
Hes got that charisma and hes one of those people who - Kevin
Keegan certainly had it and the best coach I ever worked for, Terry
Venables, certainly had it - can walk into a room and you notice
him straight away.
You are ready for him to say something and you sit up and take
notice. There a very few people in life who have that ability - and
they dont have to work at it, they are born with it.
When Alan decides he feels the time is right - you have to wait
for the opportunity, but there will be an opportunity - he will
make a success of it.
Aston Villa are without midfielders Gavin McCann and James Milner
for the Villa Park clash.
McCann is serving a one-match ban after collecting five bookings
while Milner is unable to play as he is on loan from the
Magpies.
Lee Hendrie will return to the starting line-up while teenage
midfielder Craig Gardner, who signed a new three-and-a-half-year
contract this week, is on alert to make his first start, given that
Eric Djemba-Djemba has also still to return from Africa.
Striker Milan Baros is fit to return after missing last weekends
4-0 win at Middlesbrough with a hamstring strain.
OLeary has no reservations about turning to 19-year-old midfielder
Gardner in the absence of McCann and Milner.
OLeary, who handed Gardner a new three-and-a-half year contract
earlier this week, said: Craig will start along with Steven Davis
and will form one of the youngest central midfields ever seen in
the Premiership.
They go up against two big names, Scott Parker and Emre, and
whoever wins control of the midfield will win the game.
Ive no other alternative but to play Gardner as Gavin is
suspended and it is a massive test for him.
Personally, I hope the boy does well. You will not get anyone who
wants to be a top footballer more than him. His attitude and
willingness to learn is unbelievable.
It would give me the utmost pleasure if the boy plays well and I
hope the crowd get behind him.
He has shown his potential as a strong midfield player with two
good feet but the Premiership is a different grade entirely and we
will have to see how he performs against world-class
players.
OLeary, who will play Lee Hendrie wide on the right in place of
Milner, admits he is shocked to see where Newcastle are at the
moment.
The Irishman said: Newcastle are a club with the potential to win
the Premiership as they are up there with the top clubs.
They have been able to go out and buy some great players. They can
buy someone for £5million or £6million whereas we have to buy five
or six players for that sort of money.
What sums them up is that they are able to go out and buy someone
like Michael Owen.
The chairman has always backed his managers with their wages and
transfer fees and that is why I thought they would be in the top
six this season.
I do not think Newcastle is an impossible job because, if you have
the money they have, then it is down to the judgement of the
manager to make it a success.
Villa, beaten only twice in their last 16 games, are looking for
three points to take them into the mid-table comfort zone for the
first time this season.
For 19-year-old Moore, there will be no resting on his laurels
after his heroics in the 4-0 win at Middlesbrough.
OLeary added: He has to build on the form he showed at
Middlesbrough. He will now be judged on how he plays and how many
goals he scores.
He is a frontman who can lead the line and he is looking to make
good runs and hopefully take his chances.
If he is going to be a star striker he has to go on to score goals
consistently and only time will tell if he will do that.
He is a quiet, unassuming lad. He does not get emotional and every
day is the same for him. He is good to manage.
OLeary will also be looking to the influence of Gareth Barry, who
will be making his 300th appearance for Villa at the age of just
24.
Aston Villa (from): Sorensen, Taylor, Hughes, Delaney, Mellberg,
Ridgewell, Samuel, Barry, Davis, Angel, Baros, Phillips, Moore,
Gardner, Whittingham, Hendrie, De La Cruz.
Newcastle United (from): Given, Harper, Ramage, Babayaro, Elliott,
Bramble, Boumsong, Parker, Solano, Emre, Dyer, NZogbia, Luque,
Clark, Bowyer, Brittain, OBrien, Shearer, Ameobi, Chopra.