Robson makes peace over Bellamy row

By Matthew Jones
September 5 2002

Sir Bobby Robson has made his peace with Wales boss Mark Hughes and reached a gentleman's agreement over the Craig Bellamy row.

Sir Bobby Robson has made his peace with Wales boss Mark Hughes and reached a gentleman's agreement over the Craig Bellamy row.

The Newcastle boss admitted earlier this week that he did not even want his striker to travel to Finland with the squad for their Euro 2004 qualifier this weekend.

But the Welsh FA backed Hughes and insisted the player - who played his first 26 minutes of the season as a substitute at Liverpool on Monday night - had to join the travelling party.

Bellamy, who has been fighting back from injury for seven months now, will arrive in Finland on Thursday having passed a fitness test at his home on Wednesday.

But Robson is understood to have reached a compromise with Hughes - who is expected to use the 23-year-old as a late substitute - and only if Wales are trailing in the second half.

"I know how important the game is to Craig and Wales," said Robson. "If he can give them 20 minutes from the bench then he goes with my blessing. But people must realise that he's only had 20 minutes of top-flight football since February.

"And he was sore afterwards in his groin and hamstring."