Habib Beye and David Rozehnal are hoping to taste FA Cup success with Newcastle this season.
Beye and Rozehnal keen to salvage Magpies season
Habib Beye and David Rozehnal are hoping to taste FA Cup success with Newcastle this season.
The Magpies' Premier League form has been a real concern at times this season, but the cup represents an opportunity to get their campaign back on track and give the supporters something to get excited about.
Beye and Rozehnal both made the move to St James' Park from France over the summer, leaving Marseille and Paris Saint Germain respectively, but have been part of a Newcastle defence which has come in for its fair share of criticism so far this season.
The third round game at Stoke will be Beye's last for the club before joining up with his Senegalese team-mates at the African Cup of Nations and he is hoping to leave on a high.
Focused
"I will leave on Monday for the African Nations Cup, but I am looking forward to playing first in the FA Cup, and that's what I am focused on," he said.
"The FA Cup is important for the fans of course, but I am hoping to do well in it.
"When I was in Marseille, I reached two finals but lost.
"It is good for the club to do well in the FA Cup, and the city. We would love to be in the final at Wembley."
Trophies
Czech international Rozehnal has found himself on the sidelines in recent weeks, but with Beye and Abdoulaye Faye off to Ghana in the next few days he could have an important role to play in the coming weeks.
"The FA Cup is something to look forward to," he said.
"I would prefer to be higher in the Premier League table as well, but for me it is very important to win some trophies at Newcastle.
"We want to do well in the FA Cup and I hope we can still finish in the top six at least in the Premier League.
Luck
"Our playing staff have not changed from the start of the season when we were doing well, and the whole squad hope we can recapture that form again this season.
"We need a good cup run for the team as well as the supporters. That would make everyone feel a lot better.
"At the moment we have not had our share of luck, but football can be like that and we have to fight on."
