Yep it didn't take long for the 'dressing room bust up' story to reach the national press. See Sunday Mirror online (can't do fancy links). According to them, Shearer and others 'blasted' Robert after Liverpool (yeah we know that) and the snub continued in Friday's training. He's now 'considering his future'. Somehow this also means that Distin will go to Blackburn (?? read the article)

Well I say HA BLOODY HA to the Sunday Mirror - your headline looks a bit stupid now doesn't it? I bet they were groaning after seeing LR's performance yesterday and I would like Steph to e mail them the LR/AS photo just to prove my point!!!!

Sad journos.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Answers

Considering his future is a very vague, overused expession.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Interesting that they have a quote from a "Newcastle official".

Could that be a "Newcastle official (website visitor)"?

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Outcast Robert

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

Sorry Ciara - it was your photo not Stephs! Credit due in the right place!

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

That's what happens when they pre-write their stories...out of date by the time it's published. :-)

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2002

If that's the kind of performance we get when he's being snubbed and lambasted, then long may it continue :-)

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2002

Robert shows he has got the message By Colin Young

Laurent Robert's Newcastle teammates turned on the French winger at Anfield after his lacklustre performances in last week's Premiership showdowns against Liverpool and Arsenal. Laurent Robert strokes home the equaliser for Newcastle (GaryMPrior/Allsport) His response was arguably his best display since his £10million move from Paris St Germain in the FA Cup rematch against Arsenal on Saturday.

His 52nd-minute equaliser, which gave Newcastle a replay at Highbury in less than a fortnight, was the perfect retort.

But the real evidence that he had got the message came six minutes later, when his defensive header to meet Sylvain Wiltord's cross denied Kanu a chance to restore the lead Edu had given the visitors from their only first-half chance. It was certainly a moment which impressed his team-mates and many detractors.

Manager Bobby Robson, who went where Arsenal and Liverpool feared to tread when he signed Robert, will stand by his enigma while defender Nikos Dabizas has vowed that the Premiership will see the best of the winger next season.

He said: 'Look at Robert Pires compared to the player we saw last season. He has shown us what a talent he is. Laurent can be the

best player in the Premiership next season. That is when you can judge him.

'He is the kind of player who can do something special and win a game. You need that type of player but sometimes he seems to be out of the rhythm of the game. That's his style.

'Don't forget he played in a very different league and is used to a more attacking role but to be a winger in the Premiership you have to defend as well.

'All the lads are trying to tell him to work hard and he showed today that he knows that, which is a good sign. We know we all have to try for each other and a team like Arsenal shows that. They have good individual players but they have the determination to win games by working hard for each other.

'He has to learn the culture of the game. We don't want him to defend all the time. His main job is to create, but there are times when we need him to help out.'

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2002