Dyer promises improvement

Last updated : 27 November 2002 By Martyn Elliott

He also talks about what he hopes to get out of playing in the Champions League and how he still views Alan Shearer as a world class player.

"I think it was evident that myself and Craig Bellamy had played in the first three games and had lost," he said.

"We had no points and then the team did well in the next two and won both.

"We had a massive point to prove against Feyenoord because we wanted to be a part of it. We raised our game that extra five per cent.

"Craig and myself have not won in the Champions League at St James's Park either so we will be out to do the same against Inter.

"I need to play consistently well at this level to realise my international ambitions. But the same goes for the team as a whole. We want to be playing at this level the whole time to prove we are a great team.

"You look at Figo, Zidane and Rivaldo, they are doing it week in week out in this competition.

"It is no coincidence that our best player in this competition has been Alan Shearer because he has been consistently very good at this level for a long time. That is why he is considered a world class player and that is where the young players like ourselves aspire to be.

"With the leadership and battling qualities of Gary Speed, Alan Shearer and the gaffer we've got the great base for the young players to build from.

"There were a few young kids on the pitch against Manchester United which is why we got beat. We need men against Inter.

"We were stung by the Manchester United defeat, but it could be a blessing in disguise because perhaps we were getting a little carried away after the Feyenoord game.

"We're going to go for the win, but we also know Inter are an exceptional team on the break.

"We've got to be mentally strong and make sure we don't concede the first goal as we have been doing.

"Against class teams like Inter it will be extremely hard to get the win.

"We have to be ultra professional in the way we go about things."

Good to know that Kieron isn’t getting too carried away and that he knows that he has a lot to learn about playing at the top level.

His form so far this season has been inconsistent, possibly because of his injury problems, but if he can produce more performances like Feyenoord and less like Manchester United then we can look forward to a successful season.

Can Kieron become a world class player? Have your say at the Toon Chat Messageboard