Cisse: Newcastle players share fans’ frustration

Ian Watson

Papiss Cisse insists Newcastle United’s players are just as unhappy at the club’s turgid form as the supporters.

Newcastle only avoided relegation on the final day of last season and the arrival of Steve McClaren as manager was intended to mark a turnaround in the team’s fortunes.

However the Magpies are currently only one point above the Premier League’s relegation zone and were booed off by their own fans following Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat to Leicester City.

“I understand that frustration because the manager himself too is not happy – neither are the players as well,” Cisse said in quotes reported by The Chronicle.

“During the game we didn’t play very well, and the fans are frustrated. The players understand that, because we did not play well.

“It’s the Premier League. It’s very, very hard every Saturday. Every game is very difficult. All through the week we try to work hard on the training ground to get a result on a Saturday and win the game, but, for me, Leicester were the better team.

“They showed it and they scored as well. Everything they did was very, very good and it was the opposite for Newcastle. The last five games we have shown it but not against Leicester. We just have to try to forget this game and focus on the next one.”

Newcastle travel to Crystal Palace at the weekend where they will come up against former manager Alan Pardew.

Senegalese striker Cisse – who scored in a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park last term – could earn a recall to the starting lineup with McClaren understood to be furious at the team’s display against the Foxes.

“I don’t like to say what the manager said in the dressing room,” added the 30-year-old.

“That one is for the manager and the players, but the one thing I can say is we need to keep our heads up. It is not easy, and we need to try to work hard in the week and go and win the next game.”