Source: Northern_Echo
Magpies boss is not feeling the pressure
CHRIS Hughton insists he does not feel under pressure despite seeing his side suffer a dip in form.[LNB] The Magpies have failed to win since their trip to Goodison Park in September and were minutes away from a third successive home defeat until Fabricio Coloccini scored an injury-time equaliser against Wigan last weekend.[LNB] Hughton's side currently lie in 16th, just two points above the relegation places with a difficult trip to Upton Park next up before the Tyne and Wear derby a week on Sunday.[LNB] Preparations for the visit to West Ham have been overshadowed by troubled striker Andy Carroll's latest off-thefield problems.[LNB] But Hughton insists he is not feeling any pressure.[LNB] These are testing times, but these are the things and periods you have to go through as a football club,[LNB] Hughton said.[LNB] These are the times which will make us stronger as a team. We have done that before and there is no reason why we can't do that again.[LNB] No, I don't feel under pressure.[LNB] I think if you look at our league position there is pressure there because there are so many teams around us who are on a similar number of points.[LNB] There is always pressure to win football matches. We have a very big game at West Ham at the weekend who are in a similar position to ourselves, but these are the pressures you always have to deal with.[LNB] Hughton's current contract runs out at the end of this season and with no talks over a new deal scheduled, the Magpies boss is in contract limbo.[LNB] I haven't spoke to him [managing director, Derek Llambias] about that issue because I think any headlines are just speculation.[LNB] I've continually said my concentration is on trying to win as many football matches in a very difficult league.[LNB] At any stage, things are going to be written whether that's good or bad and I think all I have to do is concentrate on the job I'm doing and I'm not silly enough not to realise that at times things will be written but like I said all my efforts and concentrations are very much with the team.[LNB] Asked if he thought he had done a good job Hughton added: That's always for other people to say, all I can do is the best job to the best of my ability and it's really for a everybody else to determine.[LNB] Hughton was dealt another blow on Monday when assistant Colin Calderwood left to fill the vacant manager's position at Hibernian.[LNB] The boss has stressed he is keen to appoint a new No 2 with the Magpies already having the smallest back-room staff in the league.[LNB] Hughton said: At the moment there's myself, Paul Barron, the goalkeeping coach and of course at reserve level Peter Beardsley with Steve Stone assisting him.[LNB] My intentions are to have a number two in place as quickly as possible and I don't expect it to take a long time, whether that will be by Saturday I'm not sure but I don't expect to hang around on this one.[LNB] The decision on who will be brought in as my No 2 will be my decision.[LNB] I have my own ideas on who I would like to be in contention for the position but what I wanted to do was give myself a couple of days because there are a lot of very good people that are out there that could possibly come into contention.[LNB]
