Source: SKY_Sports
Hughton stays positive
Newcastle caretaker manager Chris Hughton was not too despondent after the Magpies slumped to a shock 6-1 defeat at Leyton Orient on Saturday.
The beleaguered Magpies fielded close to a full-strength line-up at Brisbane Road but only had Joey Barton's penalty goal to cheer.
The loss came on the back of three wins and Hughton insists the side will be fully prepared for their Championship campaign which starts on 8th August away at West Brom.
He told Sky Sports News: "I think there is always concern when you lose a game but this is a loss in a pre-season programme that has gone very well so far.
"We have won the previous three games before this (and) played well."
Asked if it was a big problem to correct the mistakes on show on Saturday, he replied: "It's not a problem - its what we expect in a pre-season period. Its not about one game, its not about one moment, its about a six week period that we are building up to make sure that we are right come the 8th of August and one thing I will guarantee is come 8th of August this group of lads will be right."
He added: "There's certainly enough, and enough quality here in this pre-season period to enlighten all of us and that's where we are at the moment.
"I think what you have to do is you have to look what we have squad-wise and if you said to me, would myself or any manager managing Newcastle be happy with this group of players come the 8th of August I think that the answer is yes.
"It is a pre-season period and in a pre-season period what you are going to do, you are going to experiment a little bit, you are going to give some of the younger players a game and its about building up to come the 8th of August and come the 8th of August what they'll all be, they'll be a team that will be put out that I'm quite sure will be able to cope with the rigours of a very, very difficult league."
