LOMANA LuaLua is pleading with Portsmouth to renew their interest in him and end his Newcastle nightmare.
The Democratic Republic of Congo striker has incurred the wrath of Magpies boss Sir Bobby Robson after complaining on his personal website that he is not being given a fair crack of the whip.
An angry Robson yesterday responded by telling LuaLua to "keep his mouth shut'' and accused him of a lack of professionalism.
LuaLua, whose only senior start this season came in the Carling Cup home defeat by West Brom, said: "If I'm not being given my chance here, maybe it's time for me to go out on loan.
"I could have gone to Portsmouth earlier in the season, but the club turned it down. Maybe the situation has changed for everyone concerned. I've now just got to keep my head down, keep working hard and see what will happen.
"I'm not saying I deserve a place in the Newcastle team every week, because we have some fantastic players here, but I just want to be given a fair chance."
That, however, provoked a stinging rebuke from Robson, who said: "How dare he say this? I run this football club, not LuaLua, and I decide who does or does not go out on loan.
"If he has anything to say he should do it the honest way, come and see me face to face and not go behind my back and put it on his website.
"What he should be doing is honouring his contract with this club. As far as we are concerned, we are honouring our obligations to him.
"He is a big friend of Laurent Robert and he should have taken a leaf out of his book.
"Robert has seen the error of his ways, and now that he is not saying things on his website the results are there for everyone to see with his performances on the field."
Robson railed against the attitude of some young players and revealed he had taken pity on LuaLua this week when the 22-year-old - signed from Colchester three years ago for £2.25m - was unable to complete a training session.
"We have some great lads at this club, but at times I get brassed off with the modern professional footballer,'' said Robson.
"Some of them talk a good game when all I want from them is to play a better game. LuaLua has been a pretty poor professional about all of this. What he should do is keep his mouth shut and get out there and do what he is paid to do.
"He couldn't even get through his training session with us the other day. He had my support, but if I had known about the things he had said on his website, it would have been different.
"LuaLua is way out of order and I feel as though I have been let down."
* Newcastle defender Andy O'Brien has failed in his bid to overturn the red card he was shown in the 5-0 defeat by Chelsea last weekend. The Republic of Ireland defender's appeal to the Football Association was unsuccessful and a one-game suspension means he will miss the trip to Wolves a fortnight tomorrow.
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