We should not be in this mess – Beye

Mar 15 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

HABIB Beye has tasted relegation once already in his career, but the Senegal international never contemplated doing so again at a club as big as Newcastle United.

The right-back was part of the Strasbourg side which dropped out of France’s Ligue 1 at the end of the 2000-01 season. But Beye thought his days of fighting at the wrong end of the table were behind him when he joined Marseille in 2003, then the Magpies last summer. Having come to St James’s Park to compete for silverware, the 30-year-old is bracing himself for nine very different “cup finals” to those he had envisaged.

The Magpies have slowly been dragged into a relegation battle this season, a fact hammered home when Reading and Wigan Athletic earned surprise results at the weekend to drag them into 15th place. Newcastle have won just twice in the league since October – courtesy of last-minute goals against Birmingham City and Fulham – something which has surprised summer recruit Beye.

“When I joined Newcastle, I was very confident I could achieve success here,” he admitted. “This is very difficult for us but we have to stay together. It is a difficult moment for the club, the players, everyone. All of us have to do our best to make sure the club stays in the Premier League because now it is very tight. We are not where we want to be.

“There are nine games left. They are nine cup finals. I came here wanting to play in a cup final and now I have nine of them! But not the kind I expected. None of us thought we would be where we are. It is very different but I still want to do my best for this club.”

Newcastle are not short of players who have experienced relegation battles, but alarmingly few have come through one successfully. But whereas the likes of Mark Viduka, Alan Smith, James Milner (all Leeds United) and Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers) played for clubs not expected to go down, Beye admits it was not the case for him.

“I had a similar experience to this one when I was at Strasbourg,” recalled the 2004 Uefa Cup finalist. “When I was there, we went a long time without winning a game, just like this one. Strasbourg and Newcastle are very different. Strasbourg was only a little club, while Newcastle is a big club. We should not be where we are

in the table. Newcastle should be in the top five. When I left Strasbourg, I never thought I would be in a situation like that again, especially after joining such a big club as Newcastle.”

United’s confidence visibly evaporated when they conceded at Anfield on Saturday. Two more goals quickly followed as Liverpool won 3-0. According to Beye that makes Monday’s game at Birmingham City – who could overtake Newcastle with a win – the most important of the Magpies’ season to date.

“Everybody needs to give their best for the club,” he added. “My own confidence is okay but it would be even better if we won a game. Birmingham is a massive game. I would say that because of everything that has happened, it is our biggest game of the season. It is the most important because we are in the same position as them. I would not have thought that a few weeks ago.”

Beye has been joined by compatriot Lamine Diatta until the end of the season and feels the versatile defender will be a good addition to the Newcastle squad.

“He is a good player who plays centre-back and right-back as well,” said Beye, who Keegan consulted before making the signing. “He is captain of Senegal, he has a lot of experience and won two championships with Lyon. I think it is a good addition to the squad.”