SIR BOBBY ROBSON last night admitted that Newcastle's UEFA Cup second-round pairing with FC Basel is the draw he dreaded.

Basel, managed by former Spurs boss Christian Gross, were pipped by Grasshopper Zurich to the Swiss Championship last season, but currently top the League with a 100 per cent record from their first 13 games.

They are already 14 points clear of second-placed Servette, who lost 6-0 when they visited the leaders this season.

Robson, whose side crushed Dutch outfit NAC Breda 6-0 on aggregate in the last round, said: "I think we have a tough draw.

"I was given a list of the sides we could face and this is the one I didn't want to be honest.

"It saves us an awkward journey to Moscow or Turkey, but in terms of the standard of the opposition it's probably the toughest draw we could have got.''

Gross had a disastrous spell at White Hart Lane, but Robson added: "My chief scout, Charlie Woods, worked with him and said he was a nice guy. I don't think he got enough support at Tottenham.''

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd, speaking in Nyon, Switzerland, after yesterday's draw, remained resolutely upbeat.

"We're happy with the draw,'' insisted Shepherd.

"When you see some of the teams we could have had - we could have got one of the Turkish sides. We may be slow starters but we are fast finishers.''

Despite their imperious domestic form, Basel needed a 'silver goal' to see off Malatyaspor in the last round after the visiting Turkish side countered a 2-0 first-leg deficit.

Basel beat Celtic in a qualifier and faced Liverpool and Manchester United in last season's Champions League, narrowly missing out on a quarter-final place.

The nine-times Swiss champions drew home and away with Liverpool and held United to a draw at Old Trafford after losing 3-1 at home to Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

Like Newcastle, Basel achieved a notable home victory over losing finalists Juventus in last season's competition, beating the Italians 2-1. Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given is desperate to erase the memory of the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2004 heartache at the hands of the Swiss in Basel last weekend.

Given said: "Missing out on Euro 2004 was a big disappointment but we didn't play well against Switzerland. I hope when I go there with Newcastle that it's a different outcome.''

Newcastle travel to Basle for the first leg on Wednesday, November 6.

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