Steve Harper: Keeping check on reality?
Posted on February 27th, 2010 | 16 Comments |
Having had to watch from the bench as arguably one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world, saved Newcastle’s bacon week in week out, Harper could have been forgiven for feeling a little sorry for himself. But his love for the club (and probably the decent wages he was on), meant he stuck around anyway and, in fact, he still managed to play in some pretty high profile occasions, including a Cup Final appearance and Champions League football. And he’s been speaking to The Journal about those days:
“I am sure we can reach those dizzy heights again but realistically that is a long way off,”.
“The stadium is there, the fanbase is there so that has to be the ultimate aim but our first aim is to get out of the Championship, stay in the Premier League and then build year on year.
“I have played in some of the Champions League nights and they were incredible nights both between the posts and on the bench. Having European football at St James’ Park when the Continent’s big-hitters used to come to Tyneside such as Juventus, Barcelona and Inter Milan was really special. But we have to be realists. We have to gain promotion before we can start thinking about nights like that again.
“For me personally the Juventus game (in 2002) stands out. I didn’t play at Blackburn on the Saturday and was then told by Sir Bobby in his own inimitable way I would be playing against Juventus in the Champions League. That was certainly a big change from an evening at Kingston Park with the reserves! It probably seems longer ago than it actually was. To finish third, fourth and fifth in the Premier League was a big credit to Sir Bobby.” For some who tasted football’s headiest brews the Championship was not their cup of tea, but Harper had a different perspective.
“I am loving it now.”.
“To be part of a happy dressing room in a team top of the league is fantastic. I relish the Championship games just as much as those memorable nights under the bright lights of the Champions League. Once the whistle goes it is 11 v 11 on a grass pitch with one ball, it doesn’t matter who you are playing. You should treat each game the same whether you are playing Barcelona, Juventus, Middlesbrough, Blackpool or Scunthorpe. Players love playing football and when you haven’t played in a long time, when you do start playing regularly again you realise just how much you have missed it.
“I was second choice to one of the best goalkeepers in the world and people have to realise what Shay (Given) did for this club. Some of those times I would not wish on anybody. To go three or four years hardly ever playing was hard.
“I remember playing in Slovakia (against Dubnica in the 2005 Intertoto Cup) in July and we won 3-1. I thought I had done well and I never played again for the rest of the season. The other night was my 200th career appearance, which is probably not great for somebody that is 35 next month, but three years ago I was nearer 100 than 200 so I can’t complain. You can’t let it get you down.”
“You would be amazed how many fans were looking forward to trips to the likes of Scunthorpe and Blackpool because it had been a while since they had been to those places,”.
“The truly hard- core fans can remember the last time they went to some of the clubs outside the top division. I was amazed how many were looking forward to the team hopefully winning more often than not.
“We are a united Newcastle United. Everyone is in it together and covering each other’s back. People talk about cliques in dressing rooms but ours is a good place to be because the banter is flying about.
“It is enjoyable to be in a happy environment where you are winning more often than not. That is something that has been missing for a while. The difficult characters have moved on but we are not under-estimating the task ahead of us.”.
I think he’s bang-on about some of the fans seeing trips to grounds in the second tier as an adventure, and I include myself in that group. Although I guess the novelty might easily wear off. And he’s right about the ‘winning’ factor giving everybody a lift, and despite some fairly average performances the fact we’re winning the majority of our games, sends most people supporters home happy enough.
More candid words at the end there from a player who remains at the club and casting aspersions on those who have been shipped out. And although from the outside looking in, we can imagine there were some difficult characters, the words in themselves are as much an ingredient of creating team spirit in the current camp as they are a product of it. Another rallying cry to the troops, as they head off to Watford for a difficult game, and I guess you can never have too many of them.
NUFCBlog Author: bowburnmag
bowburnmag has written 234 articles on this blog.
Sorry BBM but your comment about having to sit and watch the greatest goalkeeper in the world, Given, is way off the mark.
He was a great shot stopper but wouldnt and still wont command his box and teams exploit this. It happened to us time and time again and its no different at Man City where they are shipping them in from crosses with the back four huddled around him.
He is a myth, to say he saved our bacon is ignoring the howlers and headers conceded, Harps is a better all round goalkeeper for me.