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Newcastle sack manager Robson

rediff.com Sportsdesk | August 30, 2004 18:28 IST

Newcastle United Football Club has sacked Sir Bobby Robson, the oldest manager in the English Premier League.

"After a disappointing start to the Premier League season, the directors of Newcastle United have informed Sir Bobby Robson that they have decided he is to be replaced as team manager," the club said in a statement.

Sir Bobby Robson"The directors of Newcastle wish to place on record their thanks for the way in which Sir Bobby has worked tirelessly over the past five years to try to bring success to the club," the statement continued.

"There is no hesitation by the club in recording its sincere appreciation for the way in which Sir Bobby has handled team affairs during that five-year spell, which has seen a significant turnaround in the club's fortunes.

"The club continues to have the greatest respect and admiration for Sir Bobby and his lifelong achievements both at home, abroad, and particularly at the club he has supported since a boy, his beloved Newcastle."

The veteran manager's troubled start to the season continued with a 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, leaving Newcastle in a dismal sixteenth place with only two points from two draws in their opening four matches.

Robson, 71, took charge of the biggest club in his native northeast of England five years ago after spells with Ipswich Town, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona. Robson also managed the English national football team for eight years from 1982.

But this season he has faced several problems at St James's Park, both on and off the field. He has lost key defender Jonathan Woodgate to Real Madrid, and his efforts to buy Everton and England striker Wayne Rooney have met with no success. To make matters worse, he missed key players for the first two games of the season because of an outbreak of conjunctivitis in the Newcastle team.

Robson, who had joined the club in 1999, was originally on a twelve-month rolling contract, but in March this year the board converted it into a one-year fixed-term deal so that he would retire at the end of the current season.

Under Robson, Newcastle may have failed to win a single trophy, but their fortunes have taken a turn for the better. When Robson took over from Dutch superstar Ruud Gullit in 1999, the club was threatened with relegation. But since then the Magpies have reached the FA Cup and UEFA Cup semi-finals, placed third in the Premiership, and reached the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League.

This year Robson had hoped to take the final step and grab some silverware, but the terrible start to the season alarmed the board.

Robson, naturally, was devastated on being told of his dismissal. "I am massively disappointed not to be able to finish the job I came here to do," BBC reported him as saying. "I have immensely enjoyed my time here as manager, and I wish the club all the best of success in the future."

Newcastle United captain and star striker Alan Shearer is the favourite to replace Robson, BBC said. Shearer has made no secret of his desire to move into management once he is through with his playing career at the end of the current season.

The queen knighted Robson in 2002 for his services to the game.

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