Robson plays down Robert hopes


Still hopeful

By Matthew Jones
August 8 2002

Sir Bobby Robson has countered Laurent Robert's bold prediction that he could be fit for Newcastle's opening Premiership game with West Ham. Sir Bobby Robson has countered Laurent Robert's bold prediction that he could be fit for Newcastle's opening Premiership game with West Ham.

The 27-year-old French flyer has a stress fracture in his spine, an injury common among top athletes, and the initial diagnosis was that he would miss the first six weeks of the new season.

Robert, though, has since stated that he expects to be back playing competitive football come August 19.

"I can't see that myself," said manager Robson, speaking after the Magpies' 3-0 defeat to Barcelona at St James' Park on Wednesday. "He has got a fracture. It's slight, but it's a fracture and they don't heal up in two weeks, I don't think.

"And he hasn't trained for almost two weeks, so he can't be fit anyway. He can't train. If you have a bad back, you can't run, can you?"

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