Harper: Woodgate ignores me!

Mar 30 2008 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

STEVE HARPER is looking forward to catching up with Jonathan Woodgate today – after Newcastle have shown him he was wrong to snub them for Spurs.

Woodgate has been avoiding his former Magpies team-mate – and mate – since turning down the Toon in favour of Tottenham in January.

But there will be no hiding place for him from Harper if United can spring a surprise at White Hart Lane.

“He ignores me now he has a medal!” Harper says of a player whose goal won the Carling Cup for Spurs In February – less than a month after arriving from Middlesbrough for £8 million.

That deal disappointed Kevin Keegan, who had made bringing Woodgate back to Newcastle after a four-year absence his sole aim during the transfer window.

Disappointed Harper too.

“I used to text him to try and make him come here,” adds the Newcastle keeper. “I was surprised he didn’t. He would have been a fantastic signing.

“He is a top professional and a really good lad – great to have around the place. It was a big blow.”

But even without the addition of Woodgate, Harper has warned all members of the current Newcastle dressing room that, today and until the end of the season, they are playing for their futures.

And woe betide any of them who believe they have a divine right to stay at the club.

“Every player has to be conscious there could be huge changes in the summer,” says Harper.

“Players have to realise the manager when he arrived in January didn’t really have time to get any personnel in. He is having to make the best use of what he has.

“Everyone is playing knowing that come the summer, and the owner we have here now, there will be substantial funds made available. I don’t think he worries about the mortgage rate!

“The manager will be backed in the summer so everybody has to be aware knowing they are playing for their future.

“This is a massive club. Every game you are under pressure. Nobody can afford to be complacent because no one is better equipped than Kevin Keegan to know the scale of the job he has here.

“But it’s great for the club to go out and get top-class players. It excites me. It’s what every player here should want: to get the club back where it belongs.”

First things first though.

“We can’t think too much about the summer until we have more points than the bottom three can get,” Harper admits.

“Last week was a big week for us, but we can’t take our foot off the gas. If we go a couple of games without a win we will be right back in there.

“We have to keep it going now.”

And against a side scoring for fun at home, that won’t be easy.

“I had noticed Tottenham have been getting a few goals! Statistics tell you I will be busy on Sunday.

“Everyone thought this would be the year Spurs broke into the top four. It hasn’t worked out but they have won a trophy and every Newcastle fan would love to swap places with them.

“They also have a proven manager in Juande Ramos. So it will be very difficult.”