Roeder remains defiant

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has brushed off speculation surrounding his future and insists he is not losing any sleep over it.

The Magpies entertain Blackburn tomorrow knowing they cannot finish any higher than 10th place in the Barclays Premiership table, a fact which has made Sam Allardyce’s availability a major talking point on Tyneside and further afield.

Chairman Freddy Shepherd has not commented on the matter publicly, and that has further fanned the flames.

However, Roeder, who was a surprise appointment last summer despite a sterling stint as caretaker manager, is simply ignoring the rumours.

Asked about the speculation, he replied: “The thing is about Newcastle United, for many, many years, it has been a soft target for speculation, even probably before Bobby Robson, but certainly for Graeme Souness and now myself.

“It does not surprise me, whether it is speculation about players – hundreds of players are coming to Newcastle United – and the same thing about managers as well.

“Newcastle United has always been an easy touch for speculation. Why? That is for other people to say.

“But for me personally, my character and my personality, luckily it goes straight over the top of my head. I have not given it a second’s thought.

“The only thing I have concentrated on since Monday night’s game at Reading is getting the boys in the right frame of mind to go and win this game against Blackburn.

“Fortunately, I do not have any sleepless nights whatsoever. I am sleeping very well, thank you.”

Victory over Rovers would give the Magpies hope of snatching the Intertoto Cup place they claimed last season, although the odds are against it.

That would represent a poor return for a club which has invested so heavily in the transfer market in recent years, although there are mitigating factors.

Having seen Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi return from long-term injuries at Reading, Roeder promptly lost Antoine Sibierski and Emre for the rest of the season with injuries which would have sidelined both for months had they arrived earlier in the campaign.

Asked if he will still be in charge at the start of next season, Roeder said: “I do not see why I shouldn’t be confident.

“We have had major problems at the club this year that any manager in work or out of work would have had.

“There is not a magic wand. I try to fight as hard as I can to stay away from the word ’luck’ because I do not like it. You start getting into the realms of excuses.

“But I have to say, the longer things have gone wrong here, I must admit that word is starting to reel me in a little bit.

“It has been the toughest season I have ever worked in, and I am sure that goes for lots of people at this football club. It has certainly been the toughest season for our physiotherapists and doctors.

“Normally you have two or three major operations; we have just now – after Sibierski was operated on the other night – had our 12th.

“It’s phenomenal, but you have to keep taking these thunderbolts. When you get hit, stand up and keep marching on, don’t give in or cave in to them.”

Meanwhile, Roeder was swift to warn Valencia not to bother setting their sights on £10million striker Obafemi Martins should they sell David Villa to Liverpool.

He said: “The only way Oba is going to Valencia is on his holidays.

“He signed a five-year contract and he is here for the long haul. I would expect Oba to be here for the next four years after this one.

“He has only just started his career here. He has scored 17 goals and had enough opportunities to have scored 30.

“Why would we want to let him go already? Oba over the next two years is only going to get better and better.”