Shay Given has rocked Newcastle by revealing he wants to
leave the club
Newcastle
were rocked on Thursday night as Shay Given’s future was
thrown into doubt after 459 appearances for the club.
Given’s lawyer, Michael Kennedy, took the unusual step of
releasing a statement that will surely bring to an end the
goalkeeper’s loyal 11-year stay at St James’ Park under nine
managers.
Kennedy said: ‘Shay is very despondent following the very poor
performance of the team against Liverpool last
weekend. ‘It was the lowest point of his football career and a
performance that he would not wish to be repeated.
‘When he signed a new five-year contract in 2006 it was on the
basis that the club would challenge for major honours, but on the
present evidence all that he can see ahead with the turmoil on and
off the pitch is a battle for survival.
'Having served the club loyally for over 11 years, Shay feels
compelled to consider his position in the light of the interest
being expressed in him by Manchester
City, Arsenal and
Tottenham.’
Kennedy, who also represents Roy Keane, is notoriously reluctant
to speak publicly, so this is a sign of Given’s unhappiness with
Newcastle’s season and of their
prospects.
No bid for Given has been officially confirmed but Newcastle and
the player face a decision as to whether Given appears in the FA
Cup third round at Hull City on
Saturday.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, having just taken the club off the
market, has a major issue to deal with as Kennedy’s statement will
resonate on Tyneside due to Given’s enormous popularity at
Newcastle and because of his length of service — the 32-year-old
Irishman has been at St James’ since Kenny Dalglish signed him in
August 1997 from Blackburn.
This comes on top of Michael Owen’s decision last week to
postpone signing a new contract at Newcastle, raising the belief
that Owen will leave in June.
Cracks at the club are beginning to show. The thought of
Newcastle also losing their talisman in Given will alarm supporters
already more than sceptical about how Ashley is running their
club.
After Alan Shearer’s retirement in 2006, Given became the one
Newcastle player to whom the Toon Army felt a special loyalty.
Given feels the same loyalty to Newcastle fans but he is
understood to have become increasingly annoyed by the club’s
unreliability, particularly in the autumn when Kevin Keegan left St
James’ in controversial circumstances.
