He is quoted as telling Nobby to choose between us and Peru, saying that he was given a better contract because he said he as finished playing for Peru blah blah. This isn't a good development IMHO.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Answers

We must be posting at the same time, Dougal. Just posted my comments on another thread. ;-)

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Given his passport problems I would have thought he had to keep playing for Peru in order to get a work permit.

If he goes to Peru this week does this mean he definately won't be back for Chelsea game? Season not started and players missing from a pretty threadbare squad. I would get beat at Chelsea if we could get into Intertoto. Although we've got a stinking start to the season and may need any points we can get. Oh god - I'm stressed out already!!!

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

The point about work permits crossed my mind, too, Lynda. YBR's point is that Peru haven't a chance of qualifying and that Nobbs said that he wasn't going to play for Peru again is quite valid. We do have a threadbare enough squad without Nobby disappearing. On the other hand, all this badfeeling can't be good for us or him..

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Well he won't be playing for us at all if he loses his work permit...

rock? hard place? :-(

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

To be honest, on what I saw against Munchies, Un-Deux-Trois and Bilbo Baggins, I don't think he'd be missed. Unfortunately, any replacements (LKD and Gavilan) are either injured or also on International duty. Hah, bumhug!

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

This shouldn´t have come as a surprise to anyone - and if these Robson reports are anything more than tabloid fabrication then the parties involved in releasing the story should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for washing the club´s dirty laundry in public. Fact is that it was known AT LEAST a week and a half ago that Nobby had once again been called up into his national squad. I read it in the papers out here in Peru back then so it was hardly kept hidden from the club - presumably FIFA would had to have contacted us at least as early as that. To put a different spin on things before we get into another of those tedious British versus johnny foreigner discussions, in the recent Copa America in which Peru did very poorly Nobby was left out - in part due to his previous disagreements with management and in part due to the uproar when allegedly spotted having a beer with his mates the last time he was out here. Because of Peru´s performances, because Nobby still seems very popular with the man in the street and because they still have an (extremely) outside chance of qualifying for the World Cup, unsurprisingly there were calls for him to be reselected. And BTW let´s not think this sort of thing only affects the toon as another huge name in Peruvian football, Pisarro, has also been ordered to travel to Colombia despite having only just played his second game for his new club Bayern Munich. Put yourself in Nobby´s shoes for a moment. His country has requested his services once more, so he either feigns an injury a la Harry Kewell or is obliged (and proud) to once again represent Peru. Rock and a hard place for a lad who has consistently expressed his love of playing for Newcastle. Speaking personally, if there´s any blame merited, it should be directed at club policy of purchasing players who are regular overseas internationals before we´re good enough to have a squad big enough to cover for their absences.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

It's not fair to expect Nobby to give up on his country. YBR was always pleased and proud to represent his country and would have left us for England last year if he had had the opportunity. The idea that Nobby was paid extra to give up his country stinks. I'm sure it's not a written condition of the contract but if so, that part of it should be ruled unenforceable.

I think the problem lies with FIFA who must organise a world calendar for football to prevent these clashes.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

I read somewhere that Nobby's Work Permit is valid for the period of his new Contract, so that's not an issue.

The real issue here is not Nobby's love for representing his home country, or whether BR is being unreasonable or not - it is whether Nobby indeed agreed not to play for his country before signing his new Contract. Frankly, if he is breaking any such agreement - written or verbal - at the very first opportunity, I'd kick his @rse out of the Club 'toute de suite'.

If there was such an agreement I can't imagine why it wouldn't have been written into his new Contract - and if so then I'd just politely tell him "no way Jose".

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Surely FIFA would rule it illegal to contract a player not to play for his country. It is not fair for any club to put such pressure on a player.

I speak as one who has almost no time for international football and would shed no tears if it was all scrapped tomorrow, but respect that it is important to many.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Well that would have been my instinct also Jonno, but it has been previously stated that Acuna has such a clause in his Toon contract.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

A bit foolish of the club not to write it into Nobby's new contract then, if there was such an agreement.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

Clarky - any clause banning him from international footy would be pointless IMO. If a country wants a player and goes through FIFA channels then the club has to release him end of story. Unless of course they´re Australian and play for Leeds in which case they are somehow ´persuaded´ that it´s in their best interests to be ´injured´. Allegedly. The other scenario is for the player to have stated they´ve retired from international footy - but as Sean Connery fans would know, you can never say never! I guarantee if England have an injury crisis before a World Cup qualifier then Al like Nobby would also step into the breach if summoned ...

I stand by my previous point that this club (amongst others) has jumped ahead of our recent ´success´ record and therefore squad strength and recruited foreign internationals who naturally are going to be asked to travel long distances to play for their countries.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001