Robson Loses It

Robson Joins The Dummy Throwers

Now we all know that Craig Bellamy was injured when playing for Wales in Belgrade last month. Since then he has not kicked a ball for the Geordie first team as they suffered three successive home defeats including one that saw them crash out of the Champions League at the first possible opportunity costing the club upwards of £10m in lost revenue.

After three defeats you would assume that the old man of English football management is therefore under a little bit of pressure from the ‘most passionate supporters in the land’ (Ha – have they ever seen the Vetch in full flow?) Well, it seems that the pressure is getting to the man who would have been eligible for state pension facilities a few years back.

Let’s also remember that this is a former international manager who seems to forget that at times in the past he wanted players to play against their club’s wishes and generally won.

Most of the press over the past 24 hours have quoted from a statement on the Newcastle United official site that has disappeared now as far as I can see with CEO of the Magpies being quoted as saying “Wales must expect that we will fight tooth and nail on this. We must protect the interests of both the club and the player to the fullest extent. Mark Hughes’s alleged statement, according to Sky Sports is that he is ‘prepared to risk Craig against Italy on Saturday against the wishes of Sir Bobby Robson is disgraceful. It’s a clear verbal indication of his total lack of concern for the future well being of the player and the future relationship of this club and his employers.”

It was understood last weekend that Newcastle had faxed the Welsh FA and claimed that FIFA rules stated that they were entitled to an independent medical opinion on a player. Despite Mark Hughes not agreeing with this interpretation of the rules he arranged to get the medical carried out. Positive responses were received and Bellamy trained with the Welsh squad on Wednesday after these were received. Have we a situation here of Newcastle just not prepared to assist with FIFA regulations and let players play for their country.

I respect Bobby Robson for some of the things that he has done in the game but it appears here that he has lost it and is attempting to stop one of his leading lights furthering his career. Whether it damages Bellamy’s career at Newcastle remains to be seen but if it does – it will be Newcastle’s loss.

I hope that Mark Hughes has the guts to stand up for what he thinks is right – and can you imagine Sparky shirking anything? – and plays Bellamy if he is fit on Saturday and maybe even Wednesday when 72000 fans in the Millennium Stadium can then show a massive two fingers to Bobby Robson and his Newcastle management team.

Robson finally loses it with a quote which reads “Bellamy will be in trouble if he says he’s fit and then gets injured. If he comes back injured again we won’t be able to play him again and I’m not having that” The same could be said for any of the Premiership players on international duty over the next week Bobby and maybe you should think what you would have done in one of the crucial qualifying games leading up to Italia 90 before opening the mouth and speaking.

With Robson and Curle in tow maybe the music should Newcastle and Mansfield ever meet in the cup should be “send in the clowns”

C’Mon Wales!

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