Newcastle's Nolberto Solano is facing the wrath of his national manager after being caught up in another drinking scandal in his native Peru.

Peru coach Julio Cesar Uribe insists he is "mortified" at the sight of Solano boozing with friends on the streets of Lima rather than recuperating at home from a knee injury ahead of next month's Copa America.

Footage of Solano caught in the act was shown on one of Peru's most popular TV shows and caused a storm in a country seething at its footballers' failure to qualify for next year's World Cup finals.

The outcry is all the more understandable because Solano was among a group of Peru players filmed in another drinking session before a World Cup qualifier last autumn.

He also picked up a driving ban back on Tyneside last month after being convicted of drink-driving.

Solano has played down the new row,

insisting: "This was nothing serious and there is nothing to talk about with Julio Cesar Uribe.

"I went to greet my friends in my old district and I had a single glass of beer - nothing to excess.

"I am on holiday now and not in competition. This happened at 6.30 in the afternoon and I don't think it is a tremendous offence."

But Uribe admitted he will be confronting Solano over the issue, saying: "This mortifies me, it was not the appropriate place. A player can have a glass of beer in his house and nobody minds.

"But the public image of the professional footballer must be perfect and it was an error. Later we will talk on the subject. I must speak with the player."

If Solano was to be told he is no longer wanted by his country, it would be music to the ears of Magpies boss Bobby Robson, who is fed up with losing one of his star performers to long-haul international trips throughout the English season.

As well as protest his innocence following this latest controversy, Solano also confirmed he is 100 per cent committed to signing the new five-year contract awaiting his signature at St James' Park.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001

Answers

One glass of Beer!! It'll be alcoholic Nobby next!

Five year contract on the table??

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001

Aye, Newcastle's got a lot to answer for. Led astray, he was.

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001

Disgraceful behaviour!! his image is tarnished now, i'd have expected him to have at least had a couple of strippers in tow on this massive pub crawl....

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001

First a glass of beer on the street, next stop oblivion!

See you there, Nobby :-)

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001

imagine, Gav, if you were a Peruvian International? You'd be banned from the continent :-)

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001

I think I probably am already ;))

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001

it's those NTL louts..... they saw him order a glass o the broon!!!!

-- Anonymous, June 18, 2001