Given taken to hospital

[Dodge]

For what its worth I agree with you eirebhoy. sadly

[geysir]

Sadly, in reference to the mindset, no doubt?

[shakermaker1982]

The guardian reckon 6 weeks for Given........ oh darn.

[youngirish]

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrossthewater/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=24509

Nice one.

[RogerMilla]

hopefully stan will pick kiely , they know each other well and kiely was performeing excellently up to when he was dropped ( which made it very unfair..)

[elroy]

We'll just have to wait and see, i dont think the medical staff even know for def when he'll be back. Could be three wks, could be six.

Looks like paddy kenny will be back for sheff utd this wkd thou, he arguably has being one of the best keepers in the premiership so far this season so hopefully he'll come good.

[eirebhoy]

he arguably has being one of the best keepers in the premiership so far this season so hopefully he'll come good.
I was just looking at the Premier League fantasy football and they give bonus points to the top 3 players in each match. Kenny got the 3 bonus points against Liverpool and 2 bonus points against Blackburn. He also had an excellent game against Spurs keeping the score down to just 2-0. He's an excellent keeper and if he's available we've no need to call up Kiely. It looks like he'll definitely be available now too.

Kenny's a bit like Andy Johnson imo. He looks more like a Sunday league footballer than a premiership footballer so he doesn't get the credit he deserves. ;)

[Stuttgart88]

Agree. If Kenny is fit we'll be fine. He seems to be a strong character too. I think his defenders recognise that he's a good keeper which is important.

Anyway, just doing the nuts & bolts well is all you can ask of a keeper. Pulling classy saves out of a hat is never something you can depend upon.

But I'd much prefer to have Shay!

[NeilMcD]

Given injury likened to car crash
Shay Given
Given felt the full force of a Marlon Harewood challenge
Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder says the surgeon who operated on Shay Given has likened the goalkeeper's injury to one familiar with a car crash.

Given sustained a one-centimetre tear in his bowel when he slid in for a ball with West Ham's Marlon Harewood.

"The surgeon said he has never seen an injury like this through football," said Roeder.

"He has seen it happen in car crashes where there has been impact - I suppose that is what has caused it this time."

Newcastle won the game 2-0 at Upton Park, but Given is expected to be out for at least six weeks after the initial diagnosis.


This is not about us rushing him back or anything like that

Glenn Roeder

He was rushed to hospital after suffering severe abdominal pains but Roeder cleared Harewood of any blame.

"Shay would be the first to admit when he sees the pictures that Marlon Harewood thought he had an opportunity to get to the ball," added Roeder.

"I suppose if it was Shola (Ameobi), we would have expected Shola to try to get to the ball if his team was losing 2-0. Shay being Shay, as brave as he is, was not going to turn away and not go for the ball.

"He went for the ball, both of them were trying to get the ball fairly and unfortunately, Shay came off worst."

Steve Harper will step in as first-team keeper and Roeder insists he will not rush Given back.

"It is a question now of waiting for Shay to get fit again," he said.

"But this is all about Shay, this is not about us rushing him back or anything like that.

"He will be given all the time he needs and all the help he needs by the club to make a full recovery, which he will do - and in the meantime, we are lucky to have Steve Harper."

[brine3]

a bowel tear, sounds like a very nasty injury, six weeks is very optimistic

he'll have problems eating properly i'd say, and will lose a lot of strength and fitness, so he'll have to build all that back up again.

[Closed Account 2]

The only thing you can say is that, as a goalkeeper, hopefully fitness and strenght wont be as big a factor as an outfield player. I still dont think he'll make it for the Czech game, and even when he does come back, you worry that an opponent might go for him in that area, knowing that he is vulnrable.

[Delbertt]

a bowel tear, sounds like a very nasty injury, six weeks is very optimistic

he'll have problems eating properly i'd say, and will lose a lot of strength and fitness, so he'll have to build all that back up again.

I'd say the medical staff would be taken that all into consideration, he's definitely going to miss the cyprus and cezch games anyway so hopefully he takes his time and recovers fully.

[Over the post]

The only thing you can say is that, as a goalkeeper, hopefully fitness and strenght wont be as big a factor as an outfield player. I still dont think he'll make it for the Czech game, and even when he does come back, you worry that an opponent might go for him in that area, knowing that he is vulnrable.

:D We're all vulnerable in that area

[elroy]

I think we may as well all forget about any notions we have of Shay being available for our two games. If he makes the SM game in November he'll be doing well. Considering the area he has the injury, he will want to be fully recovered before he can play again. Wouldnt fancy a few balls in that area if it wasnt right.

Think PK is more than capable, however after the Dutch game i was a bit concerned with his communication and organisation of the defence.

[Fubar]

was away for a few days.. just heard the news and am devestated to be honest. Shay is the player we can least afford to lose. I would have Kenny in for him I thiink he will step up to the plate (hopefully!!)

[brine3]

Kenny has looked good for Sheff Utd. We're lucky to have him.

We should call up Mick Devine as third keeper!