With a lot of anticipation towards Saturday’s match against Newcastle, Michael Beale discussed several talking points around this fixture including: the unbeaten run, the form of both sides, local lads and his personal memories of this match.
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT
“I’m really looking forward to the game. I came into the club after the draw was made but you could instantly feel the anticipation. It’s been far too long since the last derby. Everyone in the nation will be watching and it’s a great game to be involved on. We love derby games in English football. It’s great to have it at the Stadium of Light. Both teams have had different ups and downs over the last seven years but we’re ready and prepared for the game.”
UNBEATEN RUN
“As a football club, we aren’t thinking about the previous games. We are playing for the fans and this city. We know it’s a tough game but it’s at our stadium with our fans behind us. The energy from the fans will go onto the pitch.”
CURRENT FORM
“We’ve got a young, exciting team who are doing well. You can see the good work that is going on every day from everyone involved at the club, it’s now time to get down to business. Coming out of the festive period, it was really important we stayed in the play-off picture. The response from the players has been fantastic since the change. We’re in a good place to park the league for a second and focus on this cup fixture.”
JOB SO FAR
“There was a strong alignment between me, the coaches and directors to make this a seamless transition. The focus is on our ambitious dressing room. They’ve really impressed me so far. What an opportunity this is to make our fans proud against a Champions League side.”
DIFFICULT CHALLENGE
“Aside from Patrick, we are the same as the squad that played against Preston. We’ve got to be the best version of ourselves. They are young players who still have a lot of experience. These players are showing really well at the moment, and I know they can go do it again on Saturday. Newcastle may have had up and down results recently, but let’s not kid ourselves, they will be incredibly difficult to break down.”
MAGS
“This is the first time I think in a while they’ve had a couple of days to take a breather with the fixture congestion. They’ve had a busy schedule with European games but have still done really well with the injuries they’ve had.”
LOCAL LADS
“The local boys, it’s in their blood. A lot of people around the building are local and passionate about this club. You feel the warmth from those people, and they help you become comfortable in the job and the area. The local lads and the rest of the team know the feet of this game. Every derby is a cup final and it’s certainly an exciting challenge.”
PERSONAL DERBY MEMORIES
“I’ve had a lot of mentions of Di Canio’s knee slide. I’ve spoken to Jermain Defoe on his memories. I know the significance of this game, everyone around the country does. Derbies are what we play for. Everyone involved feels very fortunate.”
