By Martyn Osmond
July 12 2004

Shay Given today voiced his belief that Newcastle have the potential to challenge the so-called 'big three' for Premiership honours this season. Darren Ambrose and Olivier Bernard also spoke out on last seasons failings in away matches, and their hopes for the upcoming season.

"We've got the belief that we can break into the top three," said Given. "Look at what Greece achieved this summer, it's imperative that we think like that too.

"First and foremost we have to start the season thinking we can win the league, not just competing to finish fourth or making up the numbers.

"We're a little bit behind the top three and they will be favourites again but we have to try and give them a real run for their money. That didn't happen last year because we got off to a poor start and the top teams pulled away.

"We gave ourselves a chance in the year before that when we were challenging at the top of the table for most of the season." Given added: "I came here to win medals and honours but that hasn't happened for whatever reason. Finishing fifth last season was not good enough for us.

"There is no point in looking backward, we have to move forward. We have to get off to a better start this time around and push hard to get back into the Champions League and of course we have to try and win some silverware.

"Everyone at the club is desperate for that but so far it's been elusive."

Meanwhile, Darren Ambrose spoke about the need for an improvement in away form.

"Our away form let us down badly last season and this is an early opportunity for us to get used to winning games away from St James's Park," said the 20-year-old.

"We did well in Europe, but in the Premiership you cannot afford to only win two games away from home all season and expect to finish in the top four.

"It's got to be a case of more of the same in terms of our home form, but we must do a lot better away from home because it was the results on the road which really cost us Champions League football. I was pleased with the way things went for me last season because I established myself in the first team, but it was a disappointing one for the club because we didn't win any silverware and we didn't qualify for the Champions League."

"This pre-season tour is very important.

"Aside from the fitness work, it's about getting into the right groove for the start of the Premiership season. One of the teams we are playing (Kitchee) beat AC Milan recently, so that gives us an idea of how tough it's going to be. It's big test for us and an interesting one.

"We had a poor start last season and psychologically we maybe never quite recovered from that.

"We need to come out of flying out of the blocks and doing well in pre-season helps you do that.

"Last season our pre-season wasn't great and that might help explain why we didn't have the best of starts to the season.

"We're also going to be playing away from home in Thailand and Hong Kong, so if we can get a couple of victories it will give us confidence to go away in the Premiership and win games as well.

"I think the most important thing, though, is that we get a winning habit going.

"We might not be fully fit, but we've got to get that winning mentality as quickly as possible."

Olivier Bernard also spoke about away form and the need for a good pre-season and a good start to the League campaign.

"On paper I think we have a decent start," said Bernard. "The fixtures look good for us and we don't have any games against the so-called bigger sides in the first couple of weeks.

"Last season we lost some games stupidly in the first few weeks, and we gave ourselves a big job to catch the rest of the teams.

"We start with a derby match at Middlesbrough and they have a few new players, but we won there last season and it would be good to do that again. Then we have two home games, so if we can keep the home form we had last year then we will be confident."

"Last season in Malaysia we played Chelsea and Birmingham, and this year we have two different games to look forward to.

"We want to use the games to get match fit, then that will improve when we return home and play more games.

"Once they are out of the way we will be ready for the Premiership."

The players were speaking at a press conference in Thailand upon their arrival yesterday.