Roeder focused on UEFA Cup task

NEWCASTLE boss Glenn Roeder will not allow the soap opera of life at St James’ Park to distract him from his mission.

The 50-year-old is preparing his team for tonight’s UEFA Cup clash with Levadia Tallinn as the fallout from assistant manager Kevin Bond’s dismissal continued.

With star striker Michael Owen fighting to save his season and goalkeeper Shay Given recovering from the kind of injury usually only seen in car crashes, Roeder, who only took over at the helm during the summer, is quickly having to come to terms with what is an unique job.

However, he is refusing to be deflected from his task. Roeder said: “It is my life. I have not done anything else since I left school, I do not know anything else. I am doing the very best I can in my job.

“Like anyone else’s job, sometimes it is more difficult than at other times. But I think we probably will get through tomorrow night and then we will have had a fair start to the season when you take everything into account. The target was always the league stages, and that is why the boys wanted to come back two weeks early – as well as being told.”

Roeder declined to talk about the decision to dispense with Bond’s services following allegations made against him – and which he denies – in last week’s Panorama programme. He said: “The club made a statement yesterday and we cannot expand on that.”

Newcastle take a 1-0 first-leg lead into tonight’s game courtesy of Antoine Sibierski’s header at the Le Coq Arena. However, they will run out having once again surrendered a lead at St James’ at the weekend to take only a point against Everton.

Under-fire defender Titus Bramble was sent off for two bookable offences and was booed from the pitch by a section of the fans.

Roeder will keep faith with the 25-year-old, although, with Steven Taylor now fit again

Full-back Celestine Babayaro is out with a groin problem, while Damien Duff and Charles N’Zogbia are in the squad despite carrying knocks.