Just thought I'd ask peoples opinion of how the club handled the Bellamy incident. I am very impressed with the way FF made a statement ( the punisher) and Sir Bobby (the comforter) supported Bellamy by only talking about football and then praising him after the Southampton game. The result was the press had headlines for 2 days and then lost interest. At last NUFC seems to be handling the press postively and the icing on the cake was that FF said 'Our own investigations conclude that bellamy committed a serious breach of club discipline and will face undiclosed action' Absolutely brilliant, tells the press he will be punished but keeps a lid on sensational headlines about the amount of the fine.

Now we have jenas making positive headlines,Cort continues his comeback with a goal (beating the Makems into the bargain) the french coach keeps the door open for Robert's world cup hopes and Nobby becomes a father. The world becomes a rosier place and if we get through the internationals with no injuries, the team will be on an even bigger high. Howay the Lads AM

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

Answers

I agree with you, they've handled it well. My only concern is who will be responsible for giving him a bollocking? OK for BR to take the easy way out and only talk about football, OK for the top brass to fine him, but has anyone taken him to one side and had a long hard talk to him about his behaviour?

I DO NOT buy into all that bollocks about 'if you take away his ugly fighting side he'll lose it on the pitch'. My arse. Take away the loutish behaviour and he'll end up a BETTER footballer, not a worse one. By getting him to be a grown up, you won't take away from his abilities, you'll ADD to them.

I think he's been possibly our best player this season, certainly the most surprising, but I don't want him if he's like this. Remember how we ALL wanted something to happen to Bowyer? I know what Bellamy did is not in the same league as Bowyer's supposed indescretion, but we can't have double standards. Do we demand the same behaviour of ALL footballers or do we say 'oh, apart from Bellamy / Cort / whoever cos they play for Newcastle'?

Someone needs to sort that boy out.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

Apparently, we'll according to the Daily Mail, the players have all expressed there disgust at what has happened and that FF and Bobby will be speaking to him when he gets back from international duty.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

Generally the club has done okay, but they will ALWAYS struggle to taker the high moral ground while Shepherd and Hall are the kettles.

Bellamy will mature, he hasn't been booked for arguing since the Arsenal game ("diving" against Leeds), so that's 11 games, and there was no way we could have envisaged that back before Xmas. The crowd shhhhing him is good too.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

Isn't it the club captain's job to be the link between management and players?

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

I agree that the senior professionals have some responsibility in sitting these daft buggers down and telling them what's what.

I've just read that McClen stuff on another thread and it defies belief that he could get caught up in something so stupid so soon after the Bellamy incident. Blokes like Shearer, who must have the respect of these younger idiots, should lay it on the line to them and explain in no uncertain terms what their responsibilities are if they play for a club like Newcastle United.

Also, I would make it club policy to ban the players from the Quayside area after 7 in the evening. Draconian? Well it has to be if they're too bloody stupid to discipline themselves. These guys get paid an arm and a leg for doing a job that most of us would gladly do for nowt. In return, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect some curbs to be imposed on their behaviour. There are a lot of people who earn a fraction of what these blokes get, who have to be aware that, because of their jobs, their public behaviour is under scrutiny. I try never to swear out loud at a football match, for example, because quite often there are kids I teach within earshot and it don't look good does it.

Don't these idiots realise that abusing their bodies with all this drinking and such simply has a detrimental effect on their performance and their careers? All they have to do is behave themselves for the few years they are in the professional game then they can get pissed as newts every night for the rest of their lives if they want. Will they never learn?

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

Good points, Jacko. But doesn't everyone think they're indestructible when young, think they know better, etc, etc. Add on the fact that most of them aren't the brightest bulbs in the chandelier, and are coddled like babies, so it's hardly surprising they do stupid things. Doesn't excuse the behaviour one bit, but should point out the need to teach them maturity and responsibility in addition to footballing techniques. Rules of behaviour should be set down with clear penalties for any breaches, and no backing down because of a player's supposed talent or star status. If some of them need reminding of their privilege, I'm all for making them go do a solid 8hrs work in a factory, call center or similar with no concession on break/lunch times. Live a day as an average punter and remind them of what they could be doing instead of football.

And true, it's a bit rich coming from FS, but then again how many parents on the BBS are free from the sins they warn their own children about? Goes back to the old saying, "As long as you're in my house, you play by my rules". Or "Do as I say, not as I do"(or did). ;-))

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

Agree with you Ciara. I think the problem is that these issues don't seem to be tackled soon enough with players. We've had incidents recently involving lads in the first team behaving in a way they should have been taught not to at a much younger age.

I blame the bleedin' teachers mesel.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

I quite enjoy the fact that you occasionally bump into a senior player or two when your out on the piss in Newcastle. That's not to say I like seeing them making arses of themselves with the drink but I have never witnessed that personally.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

You're just a groupie!

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002