collision Course
Shepherd launches Robson attack ,
BBC Sport, 30 January, 2005
Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has blamed the club's problems with Craig Bellamy on former Magpies manager Sir Bobby Robson.
"Graeme Souness has been unfairly blamed for what has happened," Shepherd told the Sunday Mirror.
"But the seeds of the Craig Bellamy situation were sown before he arrived at the club. "Many of the problems Graeme is having to deal with are down to the way the previous manager handled discipline."
He added: "If Sir Bobby had taken a harder line I am convinced we wouldn't be facing this situation."
Bellamy is involved in a bitter feud with Souness who accused the striker of feigning injury and saying the player then accused him of lying.
Shepherd is angry Robson spoke publicly about the Bellamy row engulfing the Magpies and has backed the manner in which Souness is handling the club's wayward stars.
"It needed to be done. Some players have been getting away with challenging the authority of the manager and seemed to believe they were untouchable. "Graeme has had the guts to say enough is enough and has shown in the strongest manner possible that he won't stand for indiscipline."
Nufcmismanagement view:
Wrong Shepherd, the problems with Bellamy in this episode were down to the manager you backed, the manager who was first to put his face in front of the Sky cameras to tell everybody what had happened, don't try to change history to suit yourself.
What happened can't be changed after the event.
It was down to the man you appointed and by that it was also down to you, like it or not.
You're responsible for your actions, your pathetic appointment reflects on you, the person who appointed him.
All of the problems Graeme was having to deal with were down to him, you were also responsible because you appointed him.