Newcastle boss Bobby Robson has warned his players they must not let a third chance of cup glory this season go by in Switzerland.
United head into the first leg of their UEFA Cup second round tie against runaway Swiss league leaders FC Basle at the St Jakob Park Stadium tonight having already seen their dreams of Champions League football and a genuine assault on the League Cup fall at the first hurdle.
The European qualifier defeat by Partizan Belgrade, who once again proved their worth on Tuesday night by holding Real Madrid to a 0-0 draw in Serbia, set the tone for a desperately disappointing start to the new campaign.
Although their exit from the League Cup at the hands of first division West Brom came in the midst of a good Premiership run, two avenues to success have been closed off.
Robson knows that his side has been handed a tough draw as they attempt to prolong their adventure beyond the New Year, but he has left his players in little doubt as to what is required.
"I said 'Look, we have to admit this, we've been knocked out of two cup competitions. We've been knocked out of the Champions League - although we aren't out of Europe - and we went out of the League Cup not stupidly, unluckily, but we're out.
" 'Here we are in November and we can't go out of the UEFA Cup, so you have to realise that, I want your mental toughness and your football abilities to shine through and come forth and make sure this club is still in Europe'."
The message is also being pushed home by skipper Alan Shearer, "It's vitally important for this football club. It's massive and I promise you, the players and everyone travelling out here is aware of that. We will be up for it, but they're flying high in the league in Switzerland, so it will be tough."
Christian Gross's side will indeed be no push-overs, after only just missing out on the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season following victories over the likes of Celtic, Spartak Moscow, Deportivo la Coruna and Juventus.
However, Newcastle matched their seven points in the second phase and, having lost just one of their last seven matches in all competitions, they too will fancy their chances even without five front-line troops.
Lee Bowyer is suspended while Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy, Jonathan Woodgate and Andy Griffin are all on the injured list, although £8.5 million midfielder Hugo Viana, who was at the centre of claims that he is ready to quit Tyneside to revive his international career with Portugal, has shaken off a foot injury to return to the squad.
"He's unhappy, of course, because he wants to play and naturally, he's concerned about his international appearances in the summer," said Robson.
"We've talked to the kid about it and he has to soldier on. He loves it here, he loves the Premiership, he loves the club. He's frustrated, but he just has to get on with it."
