Tiote facing Kone link-up

Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote admits it will be hard to face up to his international colleague Arouna Kone this week.

Last Updated: 20/03/13 at 15:13 Post Comment

Cheick Tiote: Not looking forward to facing Arouna Kone

Cheick Tiote: Not looking forward to facing Arouna Kone

Kone fired home a late winner for Wigan against Tiote's Newcastle at the weekend. The goal arrived after Maynor Figueroa appeared to help the ball on with his hand.

"I've known him for a long time but that's football," he told the club's website.

"When we are on the pitch, we're not friends but when the game is finished we can talk together.

"It was handball but the referee made a mistake. I think we deserved more but that's finished now.

"Everyone is still disappointed about the result. I thought we played well as a team but then we conceded a very sloppy goal which was handball, but the referee didn't see anything."

Tiote, like everyone at Newcastle, is still smarting from Callum McManaman's challenge on Massadio Haidara - which went unpunished at the time, and will not be dealt with retrospectively.

"I think that's a decision for the referee. Sometimes they make mistakes - it's not only the players - and we saw that with the tackle and the last goal, but he didn't see anything so that's bad for the team," he said.

"I think we did everything for the fans. We played as a team, we did well together and we tried everything to make them happy. We were all left disappointed by the result but it wasn't all our fault.

"It was really difficult for us because I think it was a really strong challenge on Massadio and I hope he will be back as soon as possible because we need him. He's a good player and I hope he will be okay."

Tiote says Newcastle need to forget the Wigan game and looked ahead to their next clash against champions Manchester City.

"It's finished now and we have nearly two weeks until we play against Man City, so I think we need to think about the next game," he said.

"It would be good to have another game straight away but that's football. Now we have no match for a week because we've got an international break. After that, we need to come back together and do everything to be ready for the game against City."

Related News

Sky Bet

    • Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds

Most Commented

Readers' Comments

Y

et another example of Cameron's broken Britton.

varicoseregent
Britton prepares for surgery

I

ve heard his older brother might be joining as part of the deal too... Roland.

wezmond
West Ham sign defender Rat

I

think it's time anyway. That hat must smell awful by now. Time for a change and a rinse

levi
Pulis' Stoke exit confirmed

Footer 365

TP disappointed to leave Stoke

Tony Pulis is disappointed to have left Stoke but understands the board's wish to take the club in a different direction.

Former Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov to take up coaching role at the club

Aston Villa have confirmed that Stiliyan Petrov will take up a coaching role with the club.

Toon not keen on Carroll

Newcastle will not pursue their interest in re-signing Liverpool striker Andy Carroll this summer.

Mail Box

Mails: Jol Out And Other Demands...

You might notice that we haven't included a single mail about teams in pubs, because most of them were terrible. Instead we have a disgruntled Fulham fan and Scouse maths...

A Night In The Pub With Aston Villa...

Villa are the latest team to get the pub treatment, while the morning mailbox also includes missives on Tony Pulis leaving Stoke and Chelsea's future under Jose Mourinho...

© 2013 British Sky Broadcasting Ltd. All Rights Reserved