Silvia has snubbed the trip to Trinidad & Tobago and instead he has flown home in an effort to start his career again with Croatia Zagreb.

A bloody good thing i say, I'd far rather have youngsters like Green given some games than freeloaders like this guy. Zagreb are expecting to sign him for free, I reckon we should give them a few bob to take him.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Answers

Expensive mistake....Zagreb are cheeky buggers for wanting him on a free!!

The stubborn get in me says that we should just hold onto his registration even though we can't play him and continue to pay his wages out of spite....

The realist says get rid at all costs!!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Gav, I agree. If he turns into the silky-skilled Maric who once ran us ragged and he is wanted by, say, Barcelona, then we get part of the transfer fee.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

If he did that we should keep him, we're crying out for a playmaking central midfielder!

Just get rid and put it down to experience.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

I'm inclined to the "it could be us" theory with Maric. He is a decent footballer. Just can't get it right at the Toon. Watch hin lift some major trophy with his next club.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Acording to the Journal he didn't inform the Club, he just didn't show up at the Airport for the T&T trip - effectively leaving the touring party one player short. Real nice guy: real good team player: Croatian tosser!

Difficult to know what the best course of action is with this idle git. If it were up to me I think I'd frustrate Zagreb's second effort at jerking us around and trying to get him back for free, and try my level best to offload him for #1mm over the Summer. If that proved unsucessful I'd probably let him go for free just to get rid of his wage bill. However, I'm not sure you can actually do that without his consent - if he chose not to agree to a lesser compensation package I believe he could just sit on his @rse and do nothing on full pay until his contract runs out.

I still wonder what constitutes 'breach of contract' with footy players agreements. Surely, in just not turning up to participate in a tour without informing the Club, where the Club has entered into playing commitments, he MUST be in breach of his Contract? If so, his contract should be capable of being terminated in the event of a serious breach, hopefully without compensation. If not, then these Contracts are more one-sided than we imagine, and are essentially worthless pieces of paper.

Sooner or later the Clubs are going to have have to structure contracts where players can be held more accountable for their actions than they appear to be right now.

This situation with Sylvia Maric has become a sick joke, not to say a festering sore within the Club, where a highly-priced, highly-paid international player is getting away with daylight robbery. This sets a very bad example to the younger players, and something positive needs to be done.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

If Bobby Robson can't get Maric's head sorted out, I don't think anybody will. I wanted him to come good, and it p****s me off that there doesn't appear to be any reason why he hasn't.

Maybe there's more to recovering from an injury than just the physical repair, and the psychological effects take a lot longer to overcome in some cases.

The thing about Maric that struck me more than anything else was his reluctance to tackle or go for 50/50 balls, and that's what makes me think he's still s**t scared of doing his leg in again.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

There's something seriously wrong with a system that allows players to sit on their @rses collecting money for doing nothing. I can't think of any other business that allows such carry on. Even as a contract worker in the business world..if you don't show up to work, you don't get paid, your contract could be terminated if it's a regular occurence. And say you do show up every day, but spend the days around the water cooler talking to anyone who passes by, but don't do the work you're contracted for...again, you could be released without further pay. Why should footballers be any different?

If it weren't so expensive to the club in terms of money and morale, I'd nearly be tempted to keep him around and set him to scrubbing boots and cleaning the changing rooms until his contract runs out, or until he agrees to take a pay cut and sign on with a club willing to pay us a reasonable fee. Same for P@#*z, and any other 'player' of that sort. They musn't be that interested in playing if they're willing to sit around this way.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Errr Ciara....I've spent over 3 years as a contract worker now and I can't even be arsed to go to the water cooler to talk to people, I prefer to just sit on here all day and post inanities :)))

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

The trouble with footballers (in this context) is that they can turn up for work Monday to Friday and not be selected on Saturday/Sunday. There are more players available than places available on the first team. Therefore, it is very easy for one or two players to "hide" and not put in good performances - there's always somebody else willing to take their place, even if it is only one of the bairns.

I agree with Clarky and aired my thoughts on here/Communicata about the one-sided nature of players contracts previously. Sdaly, I don't think one or two instances in one or two clubs will make any difference and a lead must be taken by the authorities (God help us). I don't even think this could work at an FA level. It would have to be at least at the UEFA level, but then of course, international politics, etc come into play. Unless the lead is taken at a higher level, all the prima donnas will simply bugger off to other countroes where the contracts are less stingent.

It's a tough one, but one which needs to be sorted.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Questions: Reports say he will not get his work permit renewed due to lack of appearances. So does the government just deport him? NUFC not allowed to pay him? NUFC keep his registration so no-one else can play him? What is the imigration implications anyone?

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Interesting proposal Cliff....I can only pray that will be the case but I seriously doubt we could be that lucky...

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

At least my opinions are now settled. B**ger off and don't come back. It isn't a club rule that says the work permit depends on appearances, so why's the blood sucking t**t spitting his dummy out at us ?

Bobby must have the patience of Job to put up with this sort of crap day after day.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Cliff

Our legal representative, dougal, may advise otherwise, but I believe that even if Sylvia didn't get his work permit renewed we would still be required to meet the terms of his contract - that is, "pay" the b@st@rd. Fair, or what?

Pit Bill

Like yourself, I still believe there is a fine football talent lurking beneath the lazy, couldn't car less, facade of Sylvia Maric, and have believed that if he was here long enough BR would ultimately solve the puzzle. However, deep physological scars caused by a serius injury DON'T cause players not to bother turning up to fly out for an international Club tour. There's more to it, and he's gone beyond the pale as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully, BR feels similarly disgusted.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2000

Clarky, I don't think there is any doubt about Bobby's feelings. I only hope he doesn't have a coronary once he gets hold of Silvia.

ROBSON HITS OUT AT "DISGRACEFUL" MARIC

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson has branded walkabout midfielder Silvio Maric a disgrace after he failed to turn up for the club's Caribbean tour. The Croatian did not meet up with the rest of his team-mates as they flew out to Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday morning and now faces a fine of at least #20,000. But more importantly he seems to have knocked the final nail into his coffin at St James' Park after disciplinarian Robson launched a scathing attack as his side prepared for tonight's game against a Select XI in Port of Spain. "He's been unprofessional, disrespectful to the club and his team- mates and it's a disgraceful act. Whatever the maximum fine is, he will get it," said the furious 67-year-old. "The club will deal with him wherever he is and it's still the case that we don't know where he's gone. He knew the itinerary on Monday and he knew he was in the squad. "When he did not appear at the airport I was shocked, but worse than that I was very disappointed and I was very sad. "What's even worse is that I've left one or two people behind who would have loved to have come on this trip - somebody like Fumaca, who would have enjoyed every minute, and in this heat and with such a small squad I need a player like that. "It would have been fantastic to have him here but I left him out for Maric and Silvio's behaviour is simply unacceptable - totally unacceptable. I just can't wait for the first day back," he told the Journal in Trinidad. Robson's cheerful exterior disguises a ruthless streak when it comes to the conduct of his players. Maric and Peruvian midfielder Nolberto Solano have already felt the rough edge of his tongue - and been hit in the pocket - for breaching club rules this season and the Croatian can expect a frosty reception if and when he finally meets up with his manager once again.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2000

The row continues. From today's Ronnie:

MISFIT Silvio Maric believes he is entitled to a free transfer from Newcastle United.

The midfielder, who missed Tuesday's flight to the Caribbean for the club's end-of-season tour, has told Croatian journalists that he ''is a free player again.''

Maric's outburst is sure to anger United - who still hold the player's registration and who will demand a fee if the #3.65 million signing moves on.

It is understood that a work permit row was behind the player's no-show at Newcastle Airport.

He is claiming a free transfer as he has hardly featured for the first team - but according to the Department of Employment the permit will run for the length of his three-year contract.

Maric, who was signed by former boss Ruud Gullit in February last year, told the Croatian press: ''I am a free player again.

''I want to play somewhere in Italy or Spain. I'm not satisfied with my situation in Newcastle.''

United had fought off a late bid from Inter Milan for the 25-year-old Croatian international.

Maric had first impressed when FC Croatia Zagreb came to St James's Park in the Champions' League qualifier at the start of the 1997/98 season.

But he has only made 18 appearance in the past season, with 11 of those as a substitute.

Maric had scored two goals in the UEFA Cup, with the first coming against FC Zurich in Switzerland in October last year.

His last appearance came as a late substitute in United's 4-2 home win over UEFA Cup finalists Arsenal on Sunday.

Unprofessional

Manager Bobby Robson will fine Maric for his non-appearance. He said: ''The club will deal with him wherever he is.

''He's been unprofessional, disrespectful to the club and his teammates and it's a disgraceful act. Whatever the maximum fine is, he will get it.''

The club will also be keen for Maric to clarify his comments over a free transfer, with the Department of Employment suggesting he still has a work permit.

A spokeswoman said: ''If a player is awarded a work permit when he signed then he will have it for the whole of his contract.''

Meanwhile, Aaron Hughes and Didier Domi are the only doubts for United ahead of their match against a PFL all-star team.

But with the defensive duo doubtful and Maric in Croatia, Robson has only 15 players to choose from.

More than 20,000 people are expected to see the cream of Trinidad's new professional league take on Newcastle in the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain tonight.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2000

The headline in The Journal yesterday - "Maric on the rocks"

says it all.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2000