Freddy Shepherd: Dyer Stays
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live Chairman had the following to
say regarding Kieron Dyer:
"To be honest, Kieron was asked to apologise by Newcastle United
Football Club.
"Since I've been watching Newcastle I've never seen the fans boo their
own player.
"But Kieron's been big enough to apologise, he's still a young man
and I hope we can put it behind us. That's the end of it for us and
I hope it is for the fans.
"As far as I'm concerned now, Kieron will be staying at Newcastle."
Speaking to Sky Sports News Shepherd also said that had our number
8 not apologised he would have been transfer listed with ammediate
effect.
Bobby: I Don't Want Woodgate To Go
In an extraordinary live broadcast outside of St. James'
Park earlier this tea-time Sir Bobby Robson talked about the imminent
sale of Jonathan Woodgate to Real Madrid with Sky Sports News reporter
Jim White as well as discussing the Dyer saga. Newcastle-Online have took
the liberty of writing down the full Woodgate interview.
Check it out:
Sir Bobby:
"Jonathan Woodgate is the best centre-half in this Country (UK). That's
just my opinion, alright. It might be the opinion of our many of thousands
of fans.
"We bought a terrific player and we are going to make a handsome profit
on it. We aren't interested in the profit. We are just interested
in the player. But it's a huge offer. The club have to consider it.
I understand that. I don't want to lose Jonathan Woodgate..."
Jim White cuts in: "You don't want to see him go?"
Sir Bobby: "Not at all. It's a huge sum of money.
How does the boy feel about it? Will he want to go to Real Madrid
with Michael Owen and David Beckham and Figo and Ronaldo?
"It's a huge opportunity for him. Do we deny him that opportunity?
There is a moral issue here.
"He has a medical to pass. I think that's first and foremost."
Jim White: "And what about that? Because as you know
Sir Bob, a lot of people might think, well he's injury prone, he's
had a lot of problems with injury. Will he pass it?"
Sir Bobby: "Well yeah...he's a young player. He's
had one or two little problems. We hope that's short term..."
Jim White cuts in again: "Will he pass the medical?"
Sir Bobby: "The long term view about Woodgate is
that it's bright and it's long. He's 24 years of age and he's got
10 years to give somebody.
"If he goes, there isn't one player (looks towards St. James'
Park) in this building, from the Chairman down to the youngest fan
who'll be sorry to see him go.
Bobby flings arms open: "He may not go. He may not
want to. He may fail his medical. I don't know."
Jim White cuts in: "He might fail his medical?"
Sir Bobby: "Well players do fail medicals. There isn't any
reason why he should because the injury he sustained was 4 and a half
months ago. He's almost through that. He's almost ready to play.
"That would be the only element I think that would effect a
100% medical test.
"He has no other flaws in his makeup, or character...or body so there
is a good chance that, more than a good chance that he will pass the
medical."
I have to say Bobby was on good form and talked open ely and honestly
but it's clear (to me) that our manager is hoping Woodgate fails his
medical. That's the impression I got anyway.
Meanwhile Freddy Shepherd also told Sky Sports News
that he too doesn't want Woodgate to go but "Real Madrid are
the biggest club in the world."
The Bobby interview regarding Kieron Dyer's apology will also appear
in full on these pages shortly.
Dyer Says Sorry But Is That Enough?
Quotes from our Number 8 appearing on the BBC's website:
"My refusal to play in the position the manager asked me was wrong.
"I sincerely regret the whole incident.
"Certain players were injured and for the good of the team and the
club, I should have accepted what Sir Bobby said without question.
"But, ultimately, the manager picks the team and I apologise to him
and to our supporters wholeheartedly."
Whether these words will save his United career remain to be seen...
£15m Woodgate Deal Agreed?
After awakening to press reports linking Jonathan Woodgate to Real
Madrid this morning, I like many I guess, laughed it of as yet more
media bull, but this story is now gathering pace and the latest has
it that Freddy Shepherd has agreed a £15m fee with Real Madrid
for our centre-back. Sky Sports are also reporting this and a Real
Madrid delegation party is rumoured to be in Newcastle as I write
to conclude the deal.
Although Woodgate has injury problems and is still recovering from
a thigh injury that has kept him out for almost 4 months he is without
a doubt our best defender and one of thee best in the world when fully
fit. Selling him, even for such a large fee, would be a strange decision.
Unless Bobby & Co. has someone lined up of equal quality I can't
see the point in selling him.
Update: Apparently this deal has been "brewing"
for over a week and was first discussed with Freddy Shepherd when
he was over in Spain on 'club business' last week.
From today's Chronicle:
Real Madrid have slapped in a £15m bid for Newcastle United
defender Jonathan Woodgate. And the indications are that the 24-year-old
defender could be on his way to Spain - providing he can prove his
fitness. Indeed, Real Madrid's top transfer negotiator Jose Angel
Sanchez is expected at St James' Park today to talk to Freddy Shepherd
about the move for the injury-prone defender.
United flatly refused to comment on the bid today but the word from
Spain is that there is a bid of 22m Euros - £14.9m at today's
rate - lying on the table at St James' Park for Woodgate.
I believe that, like Manchester United and Liverpool before them over
David Beckham and Michael Owen, United will discover that their cultured
central defender will find the lure of the Bernabeu too much to resist.
For in the end it is the players who decide whether they go or stay
these days when contracts are not worth the paper they are written
on.
Yet Woodgate's future really lies on just how soon he can recover
from the thigh injury which he picked up four months ago and which
continues to cause him problems.
Certainly, Real Madrid would hold their breath if the two teams do
agree a deal and he has to undergo a medical. It's only a couple of
months since Woodgate was linked with a move to Arsenal after, I suspect,
his England colleague Sol Campbell waxed lyrical about life at Highbury.
And while United could point out that Woodgate still has three years
of his contract to run they must know deep down that if the cultured
central defender wants to join his England colleagues Beckham and
Owen in the Spanish sunshine there is nothing they can really do about
it.
In my opinion, Woodgate is the greatest central defender to wear the
black and white shirt since the glory days of Bobby Moncur when he
has been fit. Unfortunately for Sir Bobby Robson, Woodgate has spent
more time on the treatment table than he has on the field because
of a series of injuries.
United paid cash-strapped Leeds £9m for Woodgate in at the end
of January last year and he did not make his debut in a black and
white shirt until March 1 because he was carrying an injury.
He only made 10 appearances in that season and last season he managed
to play in only 18 of United's 38 Premiership matches.
And he has only ran up 37 games out of the last 128 United have played.
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Another Ridiculous Shearer Rumour
Amidst the furoe over Jonathan Woodgate's link to Real Madrid
another one of our players was linked with a move today - Alan Shearer.
Again! This time it was his former club Blackburn Rovers who our No.
9 was being linked with.
And like with Celtic and Martin O'Neill, it was Rovers manager Graeme
Souness who actually phoned Bobby enquiring about the availability
of our Skipper.
"I phoned Bobby Robson a couple of weeks ago," Souness told
the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.
"But I was told by Bobby that there was no deal to be done, so
that was as far as it went.
"They'd signed Patrick Kluivert and there was talk of Shearer
possibly being available, so I made a call on the strength of that.
"I had to find out if he was available or not, and when they
gave me no encouragement, that was the end of that."
Dyer To Be Transfer Listed/Birmingham To The Rescue
According to various reports this morning if Kieron Dyer
fails to publicly apologise to Sir Bobby for his apparent refusal
to play on the right/threats to go on strike/Captaincy snub he will
be transfer listed by the end of the week.
Which has presumably prompted the reports claiming that Steve "I'm
a Geordie you know" Bruce would like to take our wayward number
8 down to St. Andrews for a Season long loan.
Update: Bruce denied the rumours linking his club
with Dyer, saying the following to Sky Sports News.
''I think someone is messing about. 'I think somebody has overheard
a conversation I had at a golf day for Stan Ternent, put two and two
together and made five.
''It's not true - it's certainly not true. 'On behalf of our club
we'd like to apologise to Newcastle and Kieron because it is simply
not the case.
''The simple truth is that there is no truth in the story.''
Dyer Gets The Pantomime Treatment At SJP
Kieron Dyer entered the fray at St. James' Park last night
as a second half substitute in England's 3-0 win over the Ukraine
to a chorus of tame boos and jeers from sections of the 35,387 crowd
and whenever Dyer got on the ball or went to the touchline to take
a throw-in the tame boos and jeers followed. Exactly how many of those
booing were actual Newcastle supporters can only be guessed. Although
the media seem to have it down as the full "35,000 strong Geordie
crowd".
To the game...
David Beckham set England on their way on on the half hour mark when
the England Captain slid in ahead of Shovkovskyy to poke the ball
home after Jon Terry's ball bye passed the Ukraine keeper and the
right-back. From then on in England camped in the away sides half
who only come out to play on the counter.
As Sven promised, he made a few changes after the break when he brung
on Dyer for Stephen Gerrard on the left who had a
storming first-half, Jermaine Defoe for the ineffective Alan Smith
up front and Glen Johnson for Gary Neville at right-back.
England soon doubled their tally when Michael Owen got on the end
of a Beckham cross to nod it past the Ukraine keeper - a goal that
will leave the Real Madrid fans hoping the pair can reproduce such
devastating combination in La Liga.
However the goal of the game and indeed moment of the game come on
the 70 minute mark when Shaun Wright-Phillips, on for Nicky
Butt who had a good game, ran at the Ukraine defence before
popping in an 18 yard shot with his right foot. A dream debut from
the lad which had Ian Wright, his father, jumping about in the stands
with joy.
Jermaine Jenas also got a run out as a second half sub, winning
his 7th cap. All in all it was a thoroughly convincing win from Sven's
men. Although it has to be said the Ukraine proved to be poor opposition.
So Sven and the FA will be quite happy this morning but what of Dyer?
Well lets wait until Saturday...
Interestingly BBC studio pundit Alan Shearer, when
asked what he though was Dyer's best position, quipped central midfield.
The position if reports are to be believed that Dyer wants to play
in. The BBC camera's also panned to Freddy Shepherd
and Sir Bobby Robson, sitting next to each other
with both looking rather glum. Also in the crowd was Patrick
Kluivert.
In other internationals Craig Bellamy scored his
7th goal for Wales in a 2-0 win over Latvia in Riga, dispatching a
well taken shot when one on one with the keeper in the final minute.
Shay Given and Stephen Carr both
featured at Lansdowne Road in the Republic of Ireland's 1-1 draw with
Bulgaria and Aaron Hughes enjoyed the full 90 minutes
as Northern Ireland drew 0-0 with Switzerland in Zurich.
Thankfully there is no injuries to report of.
Another Toon Player Comes Down With Conjunctivitis
According to the Times, Jamie McClen is the latest Newcastle
player to come down with the Conjunctivitis virus that has already
struck Shay Given, Tony Caig, Andy O'Brien, Laurent Robert and Lee
Bowyer - all thankfully recovered.
Man City Vs NUFC Reserves Rained Off
Last night's opening Premier League reserve game between
Newcastle and Manchester City at the Eastlands Athletics Stadium was
cancelled due to a water-logged pitch. It doesn't rain - it pours.
Viana Sees Red As Portugal Crash Out Of Athens
A miserable Olympics for Hugo Viana then. In the 4-2 defeat
to Iraq in Portugal's first game he was subbed after 50 odd minutes
having failed to impress and was dropped altogether for their second
group D game against Morocco in a 2-1 win but last night it all come
crashing down for both Viana and his Country.
Needing a win to reach the last 8, Portugal were thrashed 4-2 by Costa
Rica with Viana picking up a red card along with Joa Paulo.
Oh dear...
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