Viduka - No problem with Keegan

Australian committed to Magpies

By Lewis Rutledge   Last updated: 19th March 2008

Mark Viduka Newcastle

Viduka: Glad to be back

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Mark Viduka has rubbished suggestions that he is unsettled at Newcastle under Kevin Keegan.

The Australian had not started a Premier League game since Keegan took charge until he was picked for Monday's 1-1 against Birmingham.

There have been reports of a rift between player and manager and speculation linking Viduka with a move away from St James' Park in the summer.

However, Viduka insists he is happy with life at Newcastle and enjoys working with Keegan.

"It's funny when you hear stories like that - it is totally untrue," said the striker.

"The manager has been very positive towards me and I just want to play for him."

Superb

Keegan denied falling out with Obafemi Martins after the Nigerian reacted badly to being substituted against Birmingham, and he has now moved to quash any talk of a problem with Viduka.

Keegan said: "I thought Mark Viduka was superb considering he has not played for nine weeks.

"He gave us a focal point and allowed Michael Owen to come off him."

Viduka accepts that he was short of full fitness at St Andrews but he is now relishing the chance to play regularly once again.

"It was very good to be back, but I was very tired at the end," said Viduka, who has had a combination of injuries in recent months.

Excited

"I was very excited about the game and I thought we played well. I felt we maybe deserved more from it.

"We knew we had to fight for the point. It was never going to be an easy game.

"In the second half when we came out a goal down, we showed a lot of character to come back, and we were unlucky not to have won it.

"All the boys are very positive. We didn't lie down and keel over and we have taken a lot of confidence from that and the way we played."