Roeder claims Given is best keeper

Glenn Roeder insists he would not swap Shay Given for any other goalkeeper in the Barclays Premiership — and believes the Irishman…

Glenn Roeder insists he would not swap Shay Given for any other goalkeeper in the Barclays Premiership — and believes the Irishman is part of the foundations that could lead Newcastle towards silverware.

Given needed to be at his brilliant best to keep Tottenham at bay in a thrilling 3-2 win on Sunday, beaten only by a marginally offside Jermain Defoe strike and a scuffed effort from Dimitar Berbatov.

Roeder was again forced to field youngsters as the Magpies attempt to cope with an injury crisis, but he believes his inexperienced defence have the country's finest goalkeeper playing behind them.

The Newcastle boss hopes the club can end their long wait for a major trophy — they were awarded the Intertoto Cup outright earlier in the season — when he bolsters his squad around senior players such as Given.

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"We know who the top keepers are and I respect (Petr) Cech, (Jens) Lehmann and (Paul) Robinson but I wouldn't swap him," said the Newcastle boss.

"Shay Given, for me, is the best goalkeeper in the Premiership.

"I'm delighted he signed a five-year contract at the start of the season. He loves Newcastle and living in the area.

"Our aim, for Shay and for everybody, over the next year is to improve the quality of the squad to give this great club a chance to win something."

Given (30), arrived at St James' Park nearly a decade ago from Blackburn but has not tasted cup glory.

The closest he has been to major silverware was the 1998 FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.

However, he has earned a reputation as one of the Premiership's most dependable keepers and his presence was missed earlier in the season when he was injured with a tear in his bowel, with Newcastle looking threatened by relegation without him.

He may have also missed the memorable victory at White Hart Lane had his pregnant wife gone into labour, and Roeder joked: "I asked him if he could ask her to hold on a bit longer. She can have the baby now!"

The Magpies boss believes Given's stable private life is part of what makes the goalkeeper such a fine character.

"He's a quiet, family man," added Roeder. "He's lovely to work with and is respected in the dressing room. When Scott (Parker) is not captain, he does it with pride."

Roeder added: "He's got presence, he gives players in front of him confidence. They know that if the opposition get through or they get shots away, there is every chance Shay will make the save.

"He's a modest man but knows he is good, and that is important."