Source: Daily_Mail
EXCLUSIVE: Given's lowdown on life inside Man City, Newcastle and Ireland
In years to come, when Shay Given reviews his career, he will surely think of 2009 as momentous. [LNB]This was the year he left Newcastle United after 462 appearances during more than a decade at St James' Park. This was the year he joined the diamond-studded enterprise that is Manchester City. And this was the year he was 17 minutes away from taking the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off in Paris to penalties until Thierry Henry's hand intervened.[LNB]Sitting in a Manchester hotel on Thursday afternoon, Given reflected on his unforgettable year. It has been a mixture of pleasure and pain and the 33-year-old goalkeeper addressed them equally frankly. [LNB]Given took Sportsmail inside three dressing rooms, three matches and three set-ups that have defined his past 12 months[LNB] December 2: Manchester City 3 Arsenal 0 - Carling Cup quarter-finalAfter seven consecutive draws in the Barclays Premier League, there was edginess as Arsene Wenger brought his promising youngsters to Eastlands. [LNB]But Given said City responded by doing what they have failed to do against the likes of Hull City and Burnley: 'Get in their faces and work.' [LNB]The reward was a 3-0 victory and, amazingly, a first major City semi-final since 1981.[LNB]As relieved players showered and changed, the draw for the semi-final came through: City will play Manchester United. [LNB]Buzzing: Given in action against Arsenal[LNB]Given said it was not quite like Kettering or some other non-League club gathering around a misty TV set awaiting the FA Cup third-round draw, but there is a television in the City dressing room. And on Wednesday night, it was on.[LNB]'The atmosphere after was fantastic,' Given said. 'The draw was on in the changing room we have a screen up on the wall which we use for team meetings and so on. We flicked it on after the game when we were getting dressed.[LNB]'We're happy enough whoever we'd got we'd feel confident that we can get to the final and go on and win it. The reaction was pretty good, we know we don't have to travel too far. It's a great semi-final, even for the neutrals.'[LNB]Given said players went home with a smile 'and a protein shake' but United will be another serious test of City, another gauge of how swiftly this Mark Hughes team are developing.[LNB]Of the City starting XI on Wednesday, six were bought by Hughes in 2009. In those circumstances there will be teething problems, but the Abu Dhabi billions behind City also mean there is a general reluctance to concede such inevitable difficulties. [LNB]'We have spent a lot of money and bought a lot of players,' said Given, 'so there's pressure on the manager and on the players to perform if you don't, you know they have the capability to replace you. There's pressure all round.[LNB]'But you'd rather have that pressure than mid-table mediocrity. You want to push yourself.[LNB]'It will take time for us to gel, to get the balance, to attack as a team and defend as a team. We are working on it. Last night Adebayor and Tevez worked their socks off. That makes a difference to the team. I think last night will give us a boost.'[LNB]With Chelsea arriving today, a defeat against Arsenal would have sparked much grave speculation about Hughes's future.[LNB]City's Emirati chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, was present on Wednesday. He did not visit the home dressing room. Hughes is being afforded breathing space.[LNB]The run of draws could have eaten into that and, should Didier Drogba inspire league leaders Chelsea this afternoon, the lighter mood at Eastlands post-Arsenal will again feel heavier. There is some frustration.[LNB]As Given pointed out, an especially annoying aspect of last Saturday's draw against Hull was that City had been in front, as they had been against Burnley and Fulham. [LNB] No hiding place: Given can't hide his fury after another frustrating draw - this time at the hands of Hull[LNB]But he also looked at City's record another way: they have lost once this season and, when he thinks of the Newcastle squad who qualified for the Champions League in 2002 and 2003, City's compares favourably.[LNB]'We feel we should have won a few more points, but if we win our League game in hand then we're in a Champions League spot.[LNB]'Now we're in the semi-final of the Carling Cup. A lot has changed at the club in the past 18 months, as you can see by the training ground, the improvements. It's building blocks. [LNB]'It definitely compares to, and may be better than, the team we had at Newcastle. We got Champions League football there for a couple of seasons but clubs who are established in the Champions League have been there for another six years since then. That gives them a strong hand but we're not a million miles away. Look at the players we have in the changing room. It's about gelling, we're getting there.'[LNB]The one defeat, of course, was at United 'in the 99th minute'. Michael Owen, Given's former Newcastle colleague, scored the later-than-late winner. [LNB]Given laughed, there is nothing sinister in him no longer having a horse, Emerald Rock, in Owen's stables.[LNB] November 18, Paris: France 1 Republic of Ireland 1 - World Cup play-off, second leg'I wouldn't say what happened at Old Trafford was an injustice though over the years it's remarkable how much time United get at home but the other one, that was an injustice. Paris was an injustice.'[LNB]With that, Given began to recollect the most controversial football event for years. He has known Irish disappointment before and, as a young player, cried after the World Cup play-off defeat against Belgium in Brussels in 1997.[LNB]But Paris was worse. This was his 102nd cap. He is 33. World Cup opportunities are not plentiful. Given shook no French hands afterwards. How was Given's international manager Giovanni Trapattoni in the dressing room?[LNB]'He was going nuts in Italian. I don't know what he was saying but he was devastated. He was going nuts because he knew, he's experienced, he knew there wouldn't be any replay. I thought there was an outside chance but he knew it wasn't going to happen.[LNB]'Had the tables been turned and it'd happened to France I'd love to have seen the outcome. That's an interesting question to ask with Michel Platini being the head of UEFA and Sepp Blatter up there. You'd love to know the outcome then, eh?'[LNB]Given is as unimpressed by Blatter as he is by Swedish referee Martin Hansson. The Donegal man is a phlegmatic character but this is a situation you feel he will never be able to relax about.[LNB]'I still feel angry about the whole thing,' he said. 'All the stuff from FIFA and Sepp Blatter just rubbish. A couple of days ago Blatter said he'd spoken to Henry and how it wasn't his fault, it was the referee's. A couple of days on and FIFA say they're going to look into Henry.[LNB]'Blatter didn't have the decency to ring up our captain, Robbie Keane, and say, 'I'm really sorry'. Blatter's saying, 'Oh, I've just spoken to Thierry and it's all OK'. All the Irish players are sitting thinking, 'Oh, well done, brilliant. Just rub more salt in the wound, why don't you?'[LNB] Pain game: Given is aghast as William Gallas scores after Thierry Henry's handball[LNB]'I can't get over it, I've had so many sleepless nights just thinking about it. And they show it on TV 20 times a day so it's hard to forget. I know we've to move on but then we'll get it again next year when the World Cup's on. It just beggars belief.[LNB]'The officials have said since it wasn't their fault. What can you say? It's all a load of b*******. And all that rabbiting on from Blatter? That's b******* as well.[LNB]'It's hard to explain, even now to you. My sister says she's not slept. Everyone is really hurt by it all. They say it's only a game of football but it's more than that with something like this.'[LNB]Did he know Henry well?[LNB]'To be fair to Thierry, he probably had the realisation at the end of the game that what he'd done was illegal. He's cheated Ireland. I'm not saying he's a cheat but what he's done is illegal.[LNB]'I think he's realised that it's all come down to that one incident. I don't know what he said to Richard Dunne but, whatever it was, it won't have made him feel any better. Dunney was as hungry as anyone to go to the World Cup. And he deserves to be there.'[LNB]And then Roy Keane blamed Given for not coming for the free-kick.[LNB]'Nothing new there. One of Roy's special moments. It's his opinion but if the same ball came in another hundred times I'd make the same decision.[LNB]'The simple fact is that it should have been a goal kick and it would have been because the only way Henry got on the end of it was with his hand. And he was offside. So it was offside and handball twice.'[LNB] January 17 Blackburn Rovers 3 Newcastle United 0 Premier LeagueGiven was signed by Kenny Dalglish from Blackburn for £1.5million in 1997. Over 11 years Given established himself as a Newcastle United stalwart and hero.[LNB]His 462 appearances left him 34 short of equalling the club's all-time record. But Kevin Keegan's constructive dismissal in September 2008 disturbed Given. He could see a club unravelling.[LNB]Staggering: Given became disillusioned with life at the Newcastle 'circus'[LNB]Mike Ashley put Newcastle up for sale, Joe Kinnear came in, Given's disillusion increased. Three days before this defeat, Hull had won at St James' Park in the FA Cup.[LNB]'Blackburn was a bit of a blur,' he said. 'I didn't know at the time it was my last game or anything. If I'd known I might think differently of it now. I was obviously disappointed with the result.[LNB]'The previous six to eight months, I don't know, I felt I deservedbetter. That's nothing against the club or the fans, I felt I'd stay atNewcastle my whole career. Had the right people been in charge and hadthe right investment been made in the team then I might have. The fansdeserve better and I felt I did.[LNB]'I never got to the pointwhere I didn't want to go into work I know I am privileged to playprofessional football it would never get to that point.[LNB]'Butit was hard to keep your heart and soul in it in those last few weeks.I was lucky to play for Newcastle, I didn't forget that and I neverwill.[LNB]'Luckily enough for me, Manchester City and Mark Hugheskind of rescued me. It was a circus at Newcastle, the decisions andthings that were happening were staggering. It was no way to run ajunior club never mind a Premier League club.[LNB] 'I was grateful to come here, the anticipation and the buzz that's here. It was just too big an opportunity for me to turn down.'[LNB] Will Chelsea defender John Terry show Manchester City what they missed out on? Arsene Wenger admits: 'Yes, I'm a bad loser,' after Mark Hughes cup spatAngry Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given blasts 'cheat' Thierry Henry after suffering World Cup play-off heartbreak in ParisMANCHESTER CITY FC
