Recovered duo give Heerenveen hope
Wednesday, 16 February 2005
SC Heerenveen coach Gertjan Verbeek has received a boost ahead of their UEFA
Cup encounter against Newcastle United FC with the recovery of leading scorer
Klaas Jan Huntelaar from injury.

  

Klaas Jan Huntelaar is fit to face Newcastle


Forward duo return
Huntelaar missed Saturday's Eredivisie match against Roda JC with a groin
injury, but will be able to take on Newcastle as will fellow forward Arnold
Bruggink, who has overcome flu. Only centre-back Marcel Seip is absent, with
a foot injury, and midfielder Arek Radomski believes the team gained
confidence from the 3-2 victory at Roda.

Happy atmosphere
"Winning is always good for morale," the Polish international said. "If we
had lost against Roda, the preparation for Newcastle would have been in a
different atmosphere. We are a unit, and that is why we always have a chance.
We have to give everything we have got because individually they are capable
of a lot. But if we can win at home to [VfB] Stuttgart, then why not against
Newcastle?"

Midfielders missing
The visitors, semi-finalists last season, will be refreshed after a weekend
off, but must do without two key midfielders. Kieron Dyer has flu, while
anchorman Nicky Butt has an ankle injury. New centre-back Jean-Alain Boumsong
is ineligible as he is cup-tied, leaving room for young defender Peter Ramage
to travel to the Netherlands.

'Big competition'
Manager Graeme Souness said: "The UEFA Cup is a big competition for us and we
know we can go a long way to getting into the next round if we do the job
properly on Thursday night. Sometimes playing away first is beneficial,
sometimes it is not. What we have to do is give a good account of ourselves."

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