Sport

Gillespie told to ignore jeers

Keith Gillespie has been told to ignore fans' criticisms by Northern Ireland boss Lawrie McMenemy

Wed Apr 22 1998 - 01:00

Keith Gillespie has been told to ignore fans' criticisms by Northern Ireland boss Lawrie McMenemy. The Newcastle winger has been abused by supporters who feel his performances for his country do not match those for his club.

Gillespie could come under fire from some sections of the Windsor Park crowd in tonight's friendly against Switzerland and McMenemy has told him to shut it out.

McMenemy feels the fans expect too much from the 23-yearold and he claims his team-mates must share some of that burden.

"People are watching him week in week out on the television playing for Newcastle and so their expectancy levels are high," he said. "The man on the terraces wants to know why, if he's not doing it like he can in the Premiership.

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"The reasons are that he's not surrounded by Premiership players with Northern Ireland and the opposition is harder," he added. "He needs a bit of help from the others and bit of cotton wool in his right ear. He should not take any notice and if he scores a goal he will be a hero."

Northern Ireland captain Steve Lomas defended Gillespie's international displays.

"The fans want to see him beat the full back five or six times and put great balls in," he said. "If he doesn't do that then they think he's not had a good game. "But we feel he's doing a very good job for the team and he's working hard defensively."

Preston's Colin Murdock or Darren Patterson of Luton will partner Steve Morrow at the heart of the defence because of Colin Hill's hamstring injury.

McMenemy realises that Switzerland, who drew 1-1 with England last month, will provide stern opposition.

Michael Hughes played under coach Gilbert Gress at Strasbourg and McMenemy has consulted him about the former French international's style.

Gress plays with three up front, while Blackburn's Stephane Henchoz and Tottenham's Ramon Vega will play at the back.

Gress, though, must do without striker Kubilay Turkiylmaz and midfielder Ciriaco Sforza who are injured.

Northern Ireland (4-4-2, probable): Fettis (Blackburn); Jenkins (Dundee United), A Hughes (Newcastle), Murdock (Preston)/Patterson (Luton), Morrow (QPR); Lomas (West Ham), Lennon (Leicester), Gillespie (Newcastle), M Hughes (Wimbledon); Dowie (QPR), Quinn (West Brom).

Switzerland (3-4-3, probable): Zuberbuhler/Corminboeuf; Henchoz, Yakin, Vega; Jeanneret/Vogel, Wicki, Muller/Lofat, Fournier/Buhlmann; Sesa, Grassi, Chapuisat.