Steve McClaren urges Holland stars not to feel blue

Steve McClaren has urged his Holland stars to put their international misery behind them and help to kick-start Newcastle’s Barclays Premier League season.

Tim Krul, Vurnon Anita and Georginio Wijnaldum were all part of the Dutch squad which lost 1-0 at home to Iceland and 3-0 in Turkey during the international break to leave themselves in peril of missing out on the Euro 2016 finals.

With Daryl Janmaat and Siem de Jong also hoping to force their way back into Danny Blind’s plans, the repercussions will have been felt deeply at St James’ Park.

However, McClaren is confident his Oranje contingent will be able to put their disappointment to one side to aid the Magpies in their quest for a first league win of the campaign at West Ham tonight.

McClaren said: “I have got experience of both sides and you really can just park your club when you are with your international team, you can park it. It is a weird experience, going from one to the other, but they adapt so quickly, footballers. Yes, they are internationals, they are a team and then they come back to the club and it’s great to see everybody else.

“Win, lose or draw in the internationals, good result or bad, they kind of just get on with it. If they lose and are disappointed, it’s great to come back to the buzz of the club, and if they win, it’s good that they bring back the infectious confidence.”

McClaren will be without striker Aleksandar Mitrovic as he starts a three-match ban following his dismissal against Arsenal, but opposite number Slaven Bilic could hand a first appearance of the season to former Magpie Andy Carroll following his recovery from a long-term knee injury. However, the Croatian also has deadline-day signings Michail Antonio, Victor Moses and Nikica Jelavic available.

Angelo Ogbonna is hoping to take the feel-good factor from West Ham’s historic win at Liverpool into the game. The Irons have lost both of their home Premier League games at the start of their final season at Upton Park ahead of their much-publicised move to the Olympic Stadium next summer.

Coupled with early elimination from the Europa League qualifiers, the start to West Ham’s season would have been considered a disaster were it not for impressive wins on the road at both Arsenal and Liverpool.

A 3-0 win at Anfield before the international break gave West Ham their first victory at Liverpool since 1963 and Ogbonna is keen for that result to lead to an upturn in home form.

“Our preparations have a good feel about it at the moment and we want to put things right against Newcastle because we are very annoyed about our last two results at home.

“We are focused and have to do everything to get the result. I want to concentrate and give everything and all the players will prepare well to win the game.

“We have been unlucky at home and we need to change and do something better than what we did in the last two games.”