SIR BOBBY Robson is ready to gamble on the fitness of Craig Bellamy in a desperate attempt to keep Newcastle United's Champions' League hopes alive.
Unlike Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, who has been happy to take a jaded and less-than-fully-fit Michael Owen out of the firing line both in Europe and on the domestic front, Newcastle boss Robson is prepared to press Bellamy into action with so much at stake.
Robson yesterday labelled tonight's clash with Feyenoord at St. James' Park as a must-win game after United's 2-0 defeat away to Dynamo Kiev in their Group E opener last Wednesday.
The Magpies' manager has set his side what he concedes is a "massive'' nine-point target from their three home games - Juventus and Dynamo are still to come - to be in with a chance of securing a top-two spot and passage to the next group phase.
Wales striker Bellamy, who has started only three games in exactly seven months after undergoing knee surgery, is vital to United.
Bellamy scored the opening goal - his first of the season - after only 83 seconds in Saturday's 2-0 home derby victory over Sunderland.
Robson admitted that he had to persuade Bellamy to play after fatigue set in following the trip to the Ukraine.
And Robson revealed that Bellamy missed full training yesterday after complaining of exhaustion and a stomach bug.
"Craig didn't train and he's a little tired,'' said Robson. "When you haven't played for seven months, it's to be expected.
"He had a slight stomach disorder as well, so he's done the lightest of training.
"We're just conserving his energy. The good thing is there's no problem with his knee - it's 100 per cent.
"He's fine and he'll be up and running tomorrow.''
Robson is under no illusions about the importance of tonight's match. "This is a game we have to win and it would help if we could win all three home games,'' confessed Robson.
"Nine points is a massive target, but that's what we have to aim for and try to pick something up on our travels if we can.
"We know we have to try to win our home games; without that we won't qualify, so it's a big match for us.
"We've got to go to Juventus next week, so the games are coming thick and fast.''
Robson, who had two spells in charge of PSV Eindhoven, knows the Dutch game well and is a fan of Feyenoord's brand of 'Total Football'.
"Feyenoord did remarkably well in winning the UEFA Cup last season,'' said Robson.
"They are a good team and I like Dutch football. The expression 'Total Football' came from Holland because of the likes of Cruyff, Krol and Neeskens.
"They were the Dutch masters and 'Total Football' meant that everybody in the team was a footballer in the true sense.
"I spent three years of my life in Holland and liked the way they played the game there.
"But the Dutch don't half like our football.
"And Feyenoord are similar to Newcastle - a big club, one of the top three in their country, who need to be successful and always have money to improve the side.
"Feyenoord prevail at the top of Dutch football.
"But we have our own desires here. We haven't go any points on the board in the Champions' League, we had a difficult encounter last week in the Ukraine, but we have three home games and we hope to make them pay.
"Our win on Saturday was a great tonic and came at the right time. We'd lost three games consecutively - they weren't easy against Leeds, Chelsea and Kiev - but we're in much better heart now.''
Feyenoord's controversial former Nottingham Forest striker Pierre van Hooijdonk, who staged a one-man strike in his days at the City Ground, is the big danger to Newcastle.
Van Hooijdonk netted in last week's 1-1 draw at home to Juventus and has seven goals this season, including one in the 3-1 European Super Cup defeat by Real Madrid.
The dead-ball specialist has now scored 50 times in his career from direct free-kicks and four this term.
But Robson insisted United had made no special plans to combat the threat.
He said: "We are aware of van Hooijdonk's ability with free-kicks. It's a danger to us, but we're not going to worry.
"As a Dutchman, our goalkeeper John Karelse is familiar with most things in Holland and I know he's spoken to Shay Given about it.
"But Shay is a World Cup goalkeeper so he can deal with it. It's not a big issue - we won't be frightened by it.''
Feyenoord are unbeaten in their last 13 matches in Europe, and Robson added: "We found out in the Ukraine that the Champions' League is another dimension and another level.
"We'll soon see how good we are at home against continental opposition.
"But it's a match we're not afraid of. We've had Feyenoord watched like they've watched us, and we're as ready as we can be.'
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