Sir Bobby Keen on playmaker Deco

By The Sunday Sun
May 26 2003

Sir Bobby Robson reveals his love for Porto playmaker Deco. The Portuguese ace ran the Celtic defense ragged in the UEDA Cup Final on Wednesday night. Porto won the match 3-2 in Extra Time, and Sir Bobby was watching.

Sir Bobby Robson has admitted he is a huge fan of Porto playmaker Deco.

The 25-year-old ran Celtic's defence ragged with a superb display in his side's UEFA Cup final win on Wednesday night.

But, in an interview with the Portuguese media during the build-up to that game, Newcastle boss Robson was already waxing lyrical over Deco's skills.

"I have some idea how to spot a player, and I think that Deco is simply fantastic," he said.

Robson, of course, is already well off for midfielders, and his former managerial protege, Porto boss Jose Mourinho, is in no mood to sell his prize asset.

Mourinho, who worked under Robson at Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona, has hailed the Portuguese international as the

"It was very difficult for Deco because Lennon was picking him up man-to-man," he said. "But he played fantastically.

"The way he moved, the way he allowed us to switch to 4-3-3, the way he played through the middle then on the left and the right, he created many problems for them.

"He was very important for the shape of our team."

Mourinho, meanwhile, has dismissed all talk of leaving Porto this summer, after his spectacular first full season in management created a host of admirers around Europe - Deportivo are the latest club to be linked with him.

"I have no need to run away from so much success," he said, after clinching a league and UEFA Cup double which could yet be a treble with his side through to the

Tore-Andre Flo's call-up to the Norwary squad was not greeted with universal delight in his homeland.

The Sunderland stri-ker - who scored in a 2-0 win over Finland on Thursday - was selected for the friendly despite a lacklustre season which brought just six goals from 39 games.

And Aalesund manager Ivar Morten Normark - whose own in-form striker Tor Hogne Aaroy was overlooked - has been just one outspoken critic of national coach Hils Johan Semb's decision.

"As it seems today, I think Tor Hogne Aaroy is better than Flo," he said.

"This is a team built from nothing, with poor players from poor clubs, but who are very rich in quality.

"I think the Champions League next season will be a big motivation for them."