Steve McClaren focused purely on Newcastle results
Thursday 10 December 2015 17:59, UK
Newcastle head coach Steve McClaren insists he is concentrating purely on results and is not even thinking about the January transfer window.
McClaren's side claimed a morale-boosting win over Liverpool on Sunday but remain in the relegation zone as they prepare for this weekend's trip to in-form Tottenham and the busy Christmas programme.
Reinforcements in the winter market will no doubt help their survival bid - something the Magpies have been reluctant to do for much of owner Mike Ashley's reign to date - but McClaren is refusing to be distracted by the January sales.
Asked if he had sat down with the board to discuss any transfer targets yet, McClaren said: "You know what? We haven't, absolutely no.
"Things are going on in the background and we have touched upon things, but our sole focus for the last four to six weeks has been about results, one game at a time.
"We have got four before January, so we are looking forward to those four and getting results and we'll see where we are then."
However, asked further when he expected to have those conversations, he added with a smile: "Privately, all the time; publicly, never."
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McClaren has at least been able to reflect this week on a much more positive performance and result against Liverpool, which kept the club in touch with those hovering just above the drop zone.
The 54-year-old admitted after the game that some of his players had "crawled" off the pitch, such was the amount of energy they had expended, although he knows they will have to do that every week if they are to avoid the drop and achieve what they believe they can this season.
"One result never gets you that," McClaren said. "You need a run and a run is longer than two games, so we are quite a way from that.
"We thought we'd got close to it before the international break, but two bad games... It was a good performance, a good result, but we need to follow that up at White Hart Lane.
"We need to perform well, that's key thing. Never mind thinking about the result, we need to put a performance in at White Hart Lane to stand a chance of getting anything there."
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