A source of inspiration

I happen to find myself this week in Colchester, where the Romans used to knock around, followed a few centuries later by Lomana LuaLua.

Sir Bobby recognised a raw talent in the young man from the Congo via Colchester. It has taken a couple of years to nurture that talent, but his two goals and overall display in the 4-0 win against West Ham provided welcome evidence that there will be life after Shearer for Newcastle.

In his 70th year, Robson wants his legacy to the club to be a squad which can compete for honours year after year, and other young signings like Jermaine Jenas and Hugo Viana must have the Geordie fans turning cartwheels, although not quite in the LuaLua class.

The depth in the squad means Craig Bellamy will now have to fight for his place when he's fit, and with Shola Ameobi also waiting in the wings Carl Cort's sick notes could leave him increasingly marginalised.

Such is the esteem in which Robson is held it was quite a shock to see the BBC's North-East industrial correspondent, Ian Reeve, asking him an awkward question when Viana was introduced to the Press.

Previous utterings from Sir Bobby have led us to believe that, like most of us, he considers agents to be parasites, yet he has a share in the agency which represents Viana.

He reacted with less than his usual good humour when Reeve questioned him about this, but the incident blew over and left barely a stain on an immaculate performer.

He needed only to repeat what most of us already knew in his latest programme notes to create more national headlines.

It was suggested that he was taking a swipe at Sven by describing England's second half performance during their World Cup exit against Brazil as lacking in imagination.

But there was nothing controversial in this. He was merely doing what most managers in all sports do in their programme notes - stating the obvious in order to get the job over with and get on with more important tasks.

SIR BOBBY may not be whiter than white, but he is infinitely more likeable than that other knighted manager at Old Trafford.

Fergie's diabolical attempts to defend the indefensible - Roy Keane - merely expose him to further criticism, although there will be no risk of penetrating his rhinoceros-like skin.

In common with most obscenely avaricious footballers for whom book means easy bucks, Keane probably didn't even read what his ghost writer had penned before it went into print.

If it costs him dear he will have not a shred of sympathy from me, as anyone who can snarl so viciously in the face of a referee is obviously a deeply unpleasant character.

It was bad enough to fall out with Mick McCarthy, but to have a go at Jack Charlton, the most revered Englishman in Ireland, proved just how misguided Keane is. He will make a worthy successor to Fergie.

HOW sad that another member of Ireland's lunatic fringe should force Neil Lennon to withdraw from captaining his country.

Just because he plays for Celtic, with their catholic connections, he was the subject of a death threat, dashing hopes that sport can transcend all the religious hatred and bigotry in Northern Ireland.

DEAN Ryan has paid a heavy price for leading Newcastle Falcons to the title in their first season in the Premiership in 1998.

He was knocked unconscious three times in eight days during the run-in and blames the damage he suffered for developing epilepsy.

Under the rules he should not have played for three weeks, but with the title at stake he says no-one was going to stop him.

New he is calling for closer monitoring of head injuries and how right he is considering the ferocity of the blows rugby's highly-trained heavyweights inflict on each other.

ON a previous trip to Essex I shared my transport with Dave Roberts, who was then covering Durham cricket for local radio. Now Sky Sport's man in the North-East, he is also a Northern League referee and featured in the Backtrack column for flying his two linesmen from Teesside to officiate at Newcastle Blue Star last weekend.

I had to settle for a humble motor car when he chauffered me, and given the pressure on air traffic control these days I suggest he stops showboating and sticks to the motorways.

Published: 23/08/2002