Newcastle rebel Didier Domi has gone AWOL - and left Bobby Robson in a lather.

The £4m defender went back to France last weekend and has so far failed to return.

Boss Robson is furious over the Frenchman's defection and will thrash out the situation when the 22-year-old defender returns for showdown talks later this week.

Domi is sure to be hit with a hefty two-week fine and will eventually get his wish of a move from the Premiership club.

That will only happen when Robson decides to sell - and not until after the hectic festive programme.

The Newcastle boss will demand that Domi knuckles down because he needs every fit player for the Christmas and New Year matches.

But it seems only a matter of time before the unhappy Frenchman is booted out.

Robson said yesterday: "Domi has not reported for training. We have been in touch with him in France and he will return later this week. Then we will sit down and discuss the situation with him."

Robson will feel badly let down by Domi's selfish stance after he went out of his way to back the errant Frenchman last week.

Domi was given permission to return to Paris for two days at the end of the week to sort out personal matters and he wasn't in the squad against Bradford on Saturday.

Robson had earlier called a press conference to answer criticisms of his training methods by Domi and then offered the hand of friendship.

However that appears to have been spurned by Domi's no-show and clearly the player's extended spell of French leave has put his future back in the melting pot.

It was just the sort of row Robson was anxious to avoid after being hit by a barrage of criticism over the contribution made by some members of his foreign legion.

And it's the latest in a series of upheavals involving continental players at the club. Alain Goma and Marcelino both want to leave while Silvio Maric was fined and then sold when he went absent without leave at the end of last season.

l The Football Association confirmed last night that Derek Fazackerley, one of England's coaching staff during Kevin Keegan's reign, has been relieved of his duties by ''mutual consent''.

Fazackerley, who had also worked with Keegan when he was Newcastle manager, was part of the England back-up team at Euro 2000.

An FA statement said: ''The FA today confirmed that Derek Fazackerley ended his employment as coach with the England team by mutual consent on October 31.''

l Jaap Stam yesterday gave champions Manchester United fresh hope that he will soon be match fit again. Central defender Stam, out since September 9 with Achilles trouble, hopes to be back in training in the next week and said: ''My recovery from injury continues to go very well.

"I think I'll be back in training with the team some time this week.''