What Changed Allardyce's Mind?

Last updated : 01 October 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

Shay Given: "I had a word with Steve - he was frustrated. It's difficult for both of us when we're not playing.

"We both get as frustrated as each other. We both want to play, and the manager's decision could have gone either way. Steve could have played just as easily.

"We're both itching to play, and it's the manager's decision. Luckily for me, he picked me.

"The problem with goalkeepers is that only one of us can play. We work together every day, and try to help each other as much as we can. I'm sure come Monday morning it'll be the same.

"That first one from Elano was a nice save. He's a good player, and I was happy to get there on time. He hit it well, and I was lucky enough to get a good, strong hand on it and turn it round the post.

"As for the free-kick, their goalkeeping coach Eric Steele came over and said he scores those every day in training.

"It was a great strike, and I saw it all the way, but I never got anywhere near it.

"Sometimes, as a goalkeeper, you've got to hold your hands up and say it was a pretty good strike."

Sam Allardyce: "It was a really difficult decision. I just thought on the Arsenal performance, it was the right thing to put him in. That was my gut feeling.

"If ever there was a player who didn't deserve to be dropped, it was Stevie Harper.

"But you've got to go with your gut feeling, and the gut feeling was to go with Shay based on the outstanding performance I thought he put in against Arsenal."