Speed blames naive approach for Newcastle’s Europe flop

GARY SPEED has blamed Newcastle’s Champions League misery on naivety after seeing the latest in a series of away day disasters cost them their dream.

Wednesday night's 3-3 draw at Southampton, in which the visitors twice led before the break, ended their hopes of pipping Liverpool to fourth spot and left them knowing that, even if they win at Anfield in their final game of the season on Saturday, Aston Villa will condemn them to a season without European football if they beat Manchester United at home.

That would have been unthinkable a few short weeks ago, and Speed, like skipper Alan Shearer, now unlikely to get another crack at the big time, knows exactly where the blame lies.