Dabizas News

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Unofficial Newcastle United Football Club BBS : One Thread

Dabizas Faces Race To Be Fit Mar 25 2002

The Journal Nikos Dabizas could miss Newcastle's Good Friday clash with Everton after suffering a foot injury early on in United's FA Cup quarter-final with Arsenal.

The Greek international played on to finish the match but faces X-rays today.

There was a taxi waiting to take Dabizas from Highbury to Heathrow on Saturday afternoon with the centre half due to link up with the Greek squad that evening.

However, the former Olympiakos defender returned to Tyneside on Newcastle's team bus after club officials told the Greek authorities he was unfit to travel.

Last night Dabizas said: "I bruised my foot badly right at the start but I was able to carry on. When I came off it was very swollen and the swelling hasn't gone down.

"The medical staff are fairly confident that it is a broken blood vessel and that would give me a chance for the Everton game. My worry is that I might have broken a bone."

Bobby Robson never wanted Dabizas to commit himself to a meaningless friendly this week but he would rather have his most experienced central defender fit for the visit of Duncan Ferguson.

With Andy O'Brien likely to play in Ireland's clash with Denmark on Wednesday, the Newcastle boss faces an anxious wait to discover who he will have available for his defence come Friday.

Dabizas's injury is an added concern with just five days before David Moyes' side is due.

Like everyone conc-erned with Newcastle, Robson was bitterly disappointed that United's FA Cup run came to such a sudden halt at Highbury but he said: "We are like a family at this club and we will stick together. We will come back stronger and it's my job to make sure our season does not end on a sour note.

If he's injured he comes off. Bloody idiots. Maybe now we'll get what we want.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2002

Answers

Another Player required.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2002

Moderation questions? read the FAQ