CRAIG Moore has claimed that this afternoon's UEFA Cup draw could determine whether or not Newcastle hit the ground running once the Premiership season gets underway in the middle of next month.

The Magpies will learn the identity of their UEFA Cup second qualifying round opponents later today following last weekend's impressive Intertoto Cup win in Norway.

Glenn Roeder's side will be seeded when the balls are pulled out of the hat in Nyon but, with a number of potential opponents from the northern section of the draw currently halfway through their domestic season, they could yet be handed a testing task.

With the first leg of the qualifier just nine days before Newcastle kick off their Premiership campaign against Wigan, the outcome of the UEFA Cup preliminary could have a major impact on morale ahead of the domestic kick-off.

"I know it's early in the season, but what happens in these next two games could be as important as anything else that happens between now and May," said Moore.

"Getting through to the UEFA Cup proper could be the perfect kick-start we need to get us going at the start of the season.

"Simply getting into Europe was a massive achievement considering where we were halfway through last season, so it's vital that we don't waste it now.

"I'm sure all the lads will be eagerly awaiting the qualifying round draw because it means an awful lot to where we want this football club to be.

"A club like Newcastle is desperate to play in Europe every season and I'm sure the fans would like us to be there. The players want to test themselves in Europe as well and, hopefully, we'll get the chance."

While the entire Newcastle squad under-performed in the first half of last season, Moore had more reason than most to bemoan an unsatisfactory start to the campaign.

With the Magpies toiling in the bottom half of the table - a situation that would eventually cost former manager Graeme Souness his job - the Australia international was struck by a serious hamstring injury.

The problem would ultimately sideline him for the best part of seven months, a period of inactivity that soured his early relationship with the fans and almost cost him his place in this summer's World Cup finals.

All of that has been forgotten now, with Moore's rock-steady displays from March onwards playing a major role in Newcastle's sudden surge up the Premiership table.

But, with the memory of such a traumatic time still fresh in his mind, the centre-half is determined to make a far more positive start to the forthcoming campaign.

"The early part of last season was difficult, from both a team and a personal point of view," admitted Moore. "It was a little bit stop-start and things didn't really go to plan.

"But, as a team, we want to continue from where we left off last season because we had a fantastic run. If we can start that way, you never know what could happen.

"As we found out in the second half of last season, winning games becomes a habit. The challenge now is to make sure it's not a habit that takes us a little while to get.

"From a personal point of view, I just want to put the early part of last season behind me. I had one particular injury that seemed to last forever, but that's in the past now and I can't wait to start this season as I mean to go on."

After being given extra time off to recover from his World Cup exploits, Moore is currently a week or two behind his team-mates in terms of pre-season preparations.

He is expected to gain more match practice when Newcastle play Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven on Saturday, a game that should see Damien Duff make his debut in a black and white shirt.

The Republic of Ireland international became Roeder's first summer signing when he completed a £5m move from Chelsea on Monday but, with the Magpies squad still glaringly short of attacking options, he is unlikely to be the last.

* Charlton boss Iain Dowie is lining up a £1.5m bid for Newcastle midfielder Amdy Faye. The Senegal international, who cost the Magpies £2m last January, made just four Premiership starts in the second half of last season and, with Nicky Butt having returned to Tyneside this summer, Glenn Roeder is unlikely to stand in his way.